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The irony is that curiosity tends to decline as we age, but it is also increasingly important to our health as we get older.
A 2020 study of over 850 people found that when people start feeling like their time is running out, they subconsciously stop investing energy into learning new things. Their trait curiosity — the everyday urge to explore — diminishes.
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But giving up on curiosity is a huge mistake.
A study in Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews found that staying curious literally shields your brain and body from decline. It lights up two key neural pathways that fight off dementia and Alzheimer’s.
While older adults might not actively hunt for random facts on their own, research shows that when you actually hand them something fascinating, their engagement spikes higher than younger peers.
“Curiosity is a psychological super virtue. It’s linked with greater life satisfaction, stronger relationships, professional success, and even a longer lifespan,” says Jonathan Schooler, a psychological researcher and professor at UC Santa Barbara.
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The good news is that curiosity is not a set personality trait. It can be cultivated.
Everyday habits, like asking more questions and seeking interesting facts online, are the exact sparks that jumpstart a bored brain and get you motivated to learn again.
“Curiosity isn’t just about finding interesting things to do every day; it’s also about approaching everyday things with interest. Notice how kids ask questions about everything around them? As adults, we don’t stop asking because the mysteries are gone — we just stop noticing them,” says Madeleine Gross, a psychological researcher at UC Santa Barbara.
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Gross, along with her colleagues, has developed a smartphone app designed to help users build a habit of curiosity in daily life.
The app drives this mindset shift through daily challenges and intentional routine tweaks. For example, swapping a familiar playlist for a new podcast, asking a friend what they’ve learned lately, or cooking a brand-new recipe.
By encouraging people to tune into their immediate surroundings with a probing mindset, the app trains the brain to constantly look for the beauty and intrigue hidden in plain sight.
Their app and the consequent research open new possibilities for how digital tools can help maintain our curiosity levels and promote psychological well-being.
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When we encounter a piece of information that sparks curiosity, the brain’s reward system releases a surge of dopamine and norepinephrine.
A study published in the journal Neuron found that when curiosity is triggered, the brain changes its physical state to become a highly absorbent sponge.
The dopamine surge, in turn, helps you remember the cool facts long after you’ve finished reading.
Even more surprising, this chemical reaction forces your brain to effortlessly absorb completely random and unrelated information that you happen to glance through at the exact same time.
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The same system now allows Peter to glide effortlessly between cooking stations, taking the weight off his legs so he can cook freely again.
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Curiosity is also a secret weapon for empathy. Stepping outside the usual friend group to chat with people from different walks of life makes us better understand perspectives that don’t match our own.
Even diving into these interesting facts about our world and human innovation is forcing your brain to step outside its everyday bubble.
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When you are completely drained after a long shift, parenting marathons, or hours of lectures, finding the energy to be curious can feel impossible. Motivation drops when exhaustion kicks in.
The trick is micro-habits that fit into your existing routine.
Next time you lie on the couch to scroll social media, commit just five minutes to an educational feed, an interesting photo archive, or a random informative page before switching back to your usual reels.
You can also turn on a lighthearted trivia or storytelling podcast in the background while doing the dishes, folding laundry, or sitting in traffic.
These tiny and low-effort changes can gently nudge your brain out of autopilot mode and re-ignite that childlike wonder.