At long last, science is proving there’s a benefit to blogging: It’s good for your health.
You bloggers and copywriters may have to schedule time for physical exercise, but your brain is benefiting from your work.
Take a look at this infographic and you’ll see what I mean.
I know I usually share writing tips or ways to improve your content, but this was such interesting information, I couldn’t resist. I mean, really, what writer (pro or otherwise) isn’t energized by the idea that your work is actually good for you?
Writing is a whole-brain activity
According to an article in Scientific American, by improving your working memory, you can improve your cognitive function overall. In other words, exercising your brain makes you smarter.
I’ve read research on aging and memory that’s similar. Just as unused muscles atrophy over time, so does your brain if you don’t use it. And the more whole-brained your activities, the better the results.
I’ve always contended that writing uses both the right and the left sides of the brain—imagination and language. But according to this infographic, it uses different lobes as well. Which means it’s an excellent exercise for the gray cells.
Writing is good for your brain
Did you catch the last finding in the infographic? Writing is similar to meditation.
Researchers have found that meditation is one of the best ways to protect your brain against Alzheimer’s Disease. If I remember right, meditation thickens the lining of the brain, which protects it against atrophy. (That’s the gist of it, anyway.)
Research backs that up, suggesting that brain changes associated with meditation and stress reduction play an important role in slowing the progression of age-related cognitive disorders like Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias.
If writing is similar, then that’s good news. Just the act of blogging can protect your brain against aging.
That’s motivation. When you get tired of coming up with fresh ideas or meeting your publication deadlines, just remember, blogging is good exercise for your brain.
