Turns out, your vocabulary might be doing more than winning you Scrabble games—it could be buying you extra years on the planet.

New research from the Berlin Aging Study just dropped a surprise finding: verbal fluency, your ability to think fast and talk faster, could be a serious predictor of how long you’ll live. Researchers compared it to other mental sharpness metrics, like memory recall and visual pattern speed, and verbal skills came out on top.

Over nearly two decades, scientists followed adults aged 70 to 105 and found that those who could quickly rattle off words in a simple “name as many animals as you can in 90 seconds” test tended to live longer. Forget brain fog, sharp verbal skills may be your secret longevity weapon.

Why? While no one’s cracked the code fully, scientists believe that staying verbally agile signals broader resilience: mentally, emotionally, and physically. Basically, if your words are firing, your whole system might be firing, too.

This isn’t about being a walking thesaurus, it’s about keeping your mind nimble. Think of verbal fluency as part of the brain-body longevity package. Here are 5 ways to stay sharp.

5 Research-Backed Ways to Stay Sharp

1. Read Aloud Regularly
   Reading out loud helps you practice articulation and rhythm, both of which are key to verbal fluency. Bonus: it also helps improve memory retention and comprehension.
2. Mirror Work + Record Yourself
   Speaking in front of a mirror boosts self-awareness and comfort with your own voice. Take it further by recording yourself and playing it back—yes, it’s awkward at first, but it’s one of the fastest ways to pinpoint areas to improve.
3. Write by Hand
   Put pen to paper. Studies show that handwriting activates key brain regions for memory and learning,
4. Old School Wins: Crosswords Beat Brain Apps
   Sorry, brain-training apps—crosswords still reign supreme. A 2022 study found that puzzles outperformed digital games in preserving mental sharpness in people with mild cognitive impairment.
5. Think Before You Speak—Literally
   Practicing mindful pauses before speaking can enhance clarity and confidence. It gives your brain the second it needs to organize your thoughts, and that’s been linked to more effective verbal delivery and reduced stress while speaking.
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So next time you catch yourself hunting for the right word, remember: your brain is doing the heavy lifting behind the scenes. Give it the exercise it needs.