The Daily News – June 30, 2025

Okay, picture this and bear with me. Sleepless nights, toy explosions on the floor and endless school drop-offs. Does it sound like this routine might be aging you faster? Well, what if the opposite were true? Because a new study suggests that being a parent might actually help keep your brain Younger. Researchers analyzed brain scans from nearly 37,000 adults, primarily from the UK and found something very unexpected. Parents show brain patterns that oppose the usual effects of aging. And the more kids you have, the stronger the effect. So here’s what they found. As people age, certain brain networks, especially the ones involved in movement, sensation, and social connection, tend to lose connectivity. But in parents, those same regions actually stayed more connected. In fact, each additional child was linked to an even stronger brain connectivity in those areas and get this, it wasn’t just the mothers fathers showed the same benefits. So the researchers say it’s not about pregnancy, but the experience of parenting itself that may be giving brains a boost. Now the big question is why? Well, they think it comes down to enrichment, parenting demands, social interaction, physical activity, emotional regulation and multitasking. The kind of mental and physical stimulation that keeps the brain flexible and engaged. In other words, raising kids may be one of the most intense brain workouts there is. The study also found that parents tended to have larger social networks and more frequent family contact. Two more factors known to protect brain health over time. So while parenting definitely has its challenges and rewards, this study suggests it might come with an extra upside, helping your brain stay younger for longer. So what do you think has raising kids changed the way you think, act or interact? Well, let us know in the comments below, and if you found this information helpful, please don’t forget to like, subscribe, and hit that notification bell for more updates. As always, thank you so much for joining us on the Daily News.