A recent study led by Oscar Ybarra, professor of psychology at the University of Michigan, concluded that socializing and mental exercises are similar in terms of their effect on improving brain function.
Ybarra and his team collected data from 3,600 people aged 24 to 96 on how often they talked on the phone with friends and family and how often they got together with the same groups of friends. They found that the more socially engaged people were, the higher their cognitive performance was on a mini-mental exam given to them.
To prove that socializing actually causes the improved brain functioning and not vice versa, Ybarra conducted another study on participants aged 18 to 21. Ybarra’s team put them into three groups—a group to have a social discussion, a group to work on crosswords puzzles and a group to watch a 10 minute clip of Seinfeld. Those in the first two groups did better on cognitive tasks than the movie watchers—after just 10 minutes.
According to Ilchi Lee, originator of the Brain Education System Training (BEST) and author of In Full Bloom: A Brain Education Guide for Successful Aging, “Being with others is great for your health and your brain.” Social isolation can lead to stress and depression, both of which have a negative effect on the brain.
The next time you are invited to a party or for a cup of coffee and you are feeling inclined to say no—reconsider—staying socially connected is great for your brain.
Popular Brain Tips 
Some of us are social butterflies. Some of us are couch potatoes. Others fall somewhere in between. But did you know that talking on the phone or meeting a group of friends for coffee may actually help your brain’s cognitive functioning?
