Why having a good listener is important for brain health

Spending time with a good listener not only feels great, it may be key to keeping the brain healthy as you age.    Adults who reported having lots of access to someone who could listen to them when they needed to talk had a younger "cognitive age" than those who had fewer opportunities to share their thoughts with a friend or loved one, a recent study found.    "You're creating conditions in your brain that function almost like Miracle-Gro, where you have many brain cells connecting with each other and creating spares," the lead author said. "So even if you do develop any kind of brain injury or disease, you have lots of spare pathways and the information still gets to where it needs to get to."    Follow the link to find out when to start cultivating good listeners in your life and why it's important to pay attention to loneliness.  Get the story! Get the TODAY Mobile App Follow TODAY Privacy Unsubscribe