Investing in your education is a great way to improve the quality of your life. Being an active learner is not only a great privilege, but it also benefits the physical and emotional aspects of your life.
At SDSU Global Campus, you can enroll in a plethora of courses offered by the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute. Created to help inspire and educate adult learners age 50 and better, Osher courses are offered covering humanities, finances, politics, sciences, religious studies, and more, all of which are taught by seasoned professionals. Some of the most notable courses include “Tech and AI Made Simple: Tools for Seniors,” “U.S. Foreign Policy and the November Elections,” and “Protecting Yourself as a Patient.”
Continuing your education and enrolling in courses may seem like a huge commitment, but the lifelong benefits certainly make it worthwhile.
Emotional and Lifestyle Benefits
Choosing to continue your education comes with many emotional and lifestyle benefits. For starters, taking a course or two is a great way to put yourself out there and connect with like-minded people. Not only will you get to make new friends and feel a sense of community, but you will also get to learn about a new topic or skill together.
Becoming an Osher member additionally gives you access to travel opportunities and special events. Recent event examples include Seniors Day at the San Diego Safari Park, a tour of the Olaf Weighorst Museum, and a monthly intergenerational movie club. Visit new places and have new experiences with your leaning community.
Enrolling in professional courses or other educational activities is also a great way to develop more interests and hobbies. Learning new skills and developing more interests is not only fulfilling, but it also allows you to bring more to the table. Simply put, you will be able to contribute unique knowledge regarding niche subjects when working on projects and activities for work, school, or just for fun.
Furthermore, learning about different subjects that are not directly related to your career or studies is an outlet that you can seek inspiration from. Only working in one specific field can be limiting, so learning about different topics may inspire you to create new innovations or brainstorm fresh ideas.
Physical and Health Benefits
Continued education doesn’t only lead to emotional improvements; it leads to physical improvements as well. According to the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, every additional year of education is protective against mortality–they found there’s a 2% reduction in mortality risk with every additional year of schooling. More specifically, lifelong learning is associated with decreased rates of chronic health conditions, such as diabetes, ulcers, asthma, cardiovascular disease, and more. Overall, people who spend time learning are more likely to develop healthy behaviors and less likely to develop illnesses.
In addition to improving your health and longevity, continuing your education also puts you at a decreased risk for memory loss and other similar issues. The Fisher Center for Alzheimer’s Research Foundation reported that staying mentally engaged throughout your life can slow your declines in memory and thinking. Their study found that “people who pursue lifelong learning activities like reading and writing or learning a new language had a lower risk of Alzheimer’s disease.”
Educational activities are linked to lower levels of stress as well. According to Anthem Home Care, a senior care company, reading for just six minutes is correlated with lower levels of stress. By reducing stress levels, you also improve your physical health by reducing your heart rate, blood pressure levels, and muscle tension.
Invest in Yourself
Investing in continued education is an investment in yourself. Experiencing the physical, emotional, and lifestyle benefits will make your educational experience worth it and will ultimately lead to a better quality of life. Enroll in courses at the Osher Institute at SDSU Global Campus to expand your knowledge and change your reality.
