The Powerful Cognitive Effects of Storytelling

The Powerful Cognitive Effects of Storytelling Brain Health Healthy Aging Print The Powerful Cognitive Effects of Storytelling By Mark Stibich, PhD  Mark Stibich, PhD, FIDSA, is a behavior change expert with experience helping individuals make lasting lifestyle improvements. Learn about our editorial policy Mark Stibich, PhD Medically reviewed by Medically reviewed by Shaheen Lakhan, MD, PhD, FAAN on February 01, 2020 Shaheen Lakhan, MD, PhD, is an award-winning physician-scientist and clinical development specialist. Learn about our Medical Review Board Shaheen Lakhan, MD, PhD, FAAN Updated on February 06, 2020 Fuse / Getty Images More in Brain Health Healthy Aging Brain Food Mental Exercises The art of storytelling has long been a respected skill and an important tradition in many cultures. Over the course of history, community elders and their  stories have been regarded as a treasure trove of societys knowledge, history, and wisdom. Older members of a community were encouraged to share their stories with younger generations, keeping the oral tradition alive. Today, medical and social science researchers are interested in more than just the importance of storytelling as a means of teaching and entertaining, but also cognitive health. The Effects of Storytelling on Brain Health There have been studies that have looked at the ability to tell compelling stories as something that may have provided some survival advantage in human evolution. There have been others that have looked at the psychological and therapeutic effects of storytelling. Perhaps most interesting in the world of longevity research, however, is the growing number of people with dementia who are benefiting from participating in group-based community storytelling, or reminiscence therapy, which is also used in treating other mental health concerns like depression. Studies of the use of reminiscence therapy with people suffering from dementia or Alzheimers have looked at the impact the therapy has on both cognitive function and quality of life factors like happiness and mood â€" both of which appear to be positively influenced by the use of directed personal and autobiographical storytelling. How to Use Storytelling for Brain Health While there is still research required to fully understand how reminiscence therapy may be used to benefit all aging populations, the current data suggests that are several benefits to storytelling from improved memory to better mood to better interpersonal relationships. Unfortunately today too often we just pick up the phone to talk with someone without thinking of what we have to say. Try giving your brain a workout  and strengthening your relationships by telling stories. Your brain will benefit from the daily exercise of creativity and it is an excellent way to share with the people in your world. Reminiscence and Storytelling Tips Here are a few storytelling tips for mental fitness, better relationships, and healthy brain aging: Get excited. Storytelling is a performance and you need energy and enthusiasm to tell a good story. Get passionate, even if it seems silly.Smile. You can hear a person smiling. When a person tells a story with a smile on their face, subtle intonations in voice change. If you are smiling, you will choose different words. Remember, storytelling is entertainment, too â€" it should be fun.Practice. Pick one story every morning that will be your story for the day. When someone calls or comes over, you will be ready with your story. Be so excited to tell it that you are just bursting. Your listener will look forward to visiting with you and hearing your stories.Make it short. Stories can go on and on â€" keep yours short and punchy. A good story does not have to be long.Use lots of details. Pay attention during your day or while remembering an event from the past. Include details like the clothes people wore, how they moved, and what things felt like. Dont say, She seemed upset say She had fire coming out of her eyes. Liven things up with detail and description.Channel emotions. Dont just stick to the facts; they are usually pretty boring. Tell the emotions you were feeling. Talk about why you felt that way and what memories it brought back. Emotions are always interesting subjects.Develop characters. The check-out person, the mailman, the plumber â€" all can become characters in your story. Learn to notice and appreciate the wonderful quirks that everyone has. Describe these people, thinking about what they must have been thinking.Dont think it isnt interesting. Anything can be interesting if it is well told. Dont worry that no great drama has happened to you lately. Storytelling is more about how you tell something than what you are telling.