If you are keen to stay mentally sharp well into old age but don’t relish the thought of doing endless Sudoku puzzles or fiddling with a brain-training gadget, you might be interested to know that there is now evidence that joining your local drama group could be the answer.

While you might expect that getting in touch with your theatrical side would do wonders for your singing and acting skills (not to mention provide a legitimate excuse to get dressed up and wear too much make-up), you might not expect it to bring cognitive benefits or improve your well-being.

Improvements
However, that is exactly what US psychologists Drs Helga and Tony Noice found when they conducted research with adults aged between 60 and 86. Those who attended regular theatre workshops over the course of a month recorded significantly bigger improvements in word recall, memory span, problem-solving ability and psychological well-being than those who attended the same number of visual art workshops or those who did not undertake any such activities.

As with all such research, it is difficult to say exactly what elements of the activity contributed most to the improvements. “We believe it was a combination of factors, including cognitive, physiological and emotional activation, as well as novelty and social support,” says Helga.

This makes sense when you consider that a person who is acting is simultaneously remembering lines (cognitive), making certain physical movements and actions (physiological) and trying to ‘feel’ the character and the scene (emotional). These demands, combined with the newness of the experience and the fact that drama is almost always a group effort involving extensive social interaction, are what seem to give it the edge over many other activities.

Plugged in
If you do use a brain-training device or technological aid to help stimulate your mind, great, but don’t rule out getting involved in activities such as drama at the same time.

In May, a group of 30 leading brain scientists issued a statement urging people to be wary of placing too much faith in brain-training gadgets. According to the members of the Expert Consensus on Brain Health summit: “There is no magic-bullet solution for cognitive decline... Every hour spent doing solo software drills is an hour not spent hiking, learning Italian or playing with your grandchildren. Other avenues for cognitive enhancement, such as participating in your community and exploring your passions, may also stimulate your mind.”

So, whether you’ve always considered yourself an undiscovered Al Pacino or Meryl Streep or never darkened the door of a theatre, your local drama group could be just the avenue for your cognitive enhancement.

Stage fright
However, if even the thought of treading the boards is enough to bring you out in goose bumps or start your stomach churning, remember that most amateur drama groups are full of people just like you. Try not to let the fact that you have little or no experience put you off. “Our participants, none of whom have ever acted before, didn’t suffer much from stage fright,” says Helga. “Also, overcoming fear of performance is stimulating in itself and most theatre groups are very supportive, so it’s really only scary from the outside.”