Juggling might seem like something best left to professional clowns, but a new study has found it can increase your brain power. Research conducted by the Department of Clinical Neurology at Oxford University, found activities that test the mind and body at the same time seem to increase the power of brain’s “white matter”- the brain’s neural connections, by as much as 5%.
As a bonus, these types of tasks improve hand-eye coordination and agility. The research’s result is confirmed by brain scans, which clearly showed an increase in white matter in those people who had practiced juggling daily. While previous studies have suggested that different mental activities and practices can change and grow “grey matter” — which is the part of the brain involved in processing, comprehending and retrieving information.
This is one of the first studies to show an effect on the brain’s white matter, which controls our ability to see and react to things.
Therefore, this study has potential significance for the treatment of diseases like multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s, where neural pathways and brain ‘cabling’ are damaged. If juggling doesn’t appeal, try any sport that requires your complete attention — table tennis, skipping, and hula hooping are three more good (and fun) ones.
Even if you can’t keep those balls in the air, or that hoop around your waist, remember that the important outcome of this study was that it was the amount of time spent practicing, not the level of skill achieved, that had the brain-boosting benefit.