Welcome to RenewHer, a podcast for women over 50 ready to reignite their energy and explore what's next. I'm Genell Lemley, brain fitness coach. Here, you'll hear real stories from women taking on new challenges after 50, along with brain health tips to boost focus, energy, and the mindset to move forward with confidence.
Let's dive into today's episode.
Welcome back to Brain Notes, short conversations about the everyday choices that can have a big impact on your brain. Have you ever noticed that you remember something better after you've written it down? Well, science suggests that's not just your imagination. I actually hadn't been planning to do an episode on this topic, but then my sister came across an article about handwriting and the brain and forwarded it to me.
It caught my attention, so I decided to dig a little deeper. As I looked into it further, I came across multiple studies that pointed to the same conclusion, so I thought, "This would make a great brain note." I'm also going to admit something. I may be a little old school. Whenever I'm in a meeting or attending a conference, I have always reached for a paper notebook and a pen rather than a laptop or a tablet to take notes.
But it turns out that might actually be an advantage. Researchers have been comparing handwriting and typing for years, and the evidence keeps pointing in the same direction. When your goal is learning, remembering, and understanding, not just recording information, writing by hand appears to give your brain a significant boost.
One fascinating study published in 2024 by a team of researchers led by neuroscientist Audrey van der Meer looked at what actually happens inside the brain. Researchers asked university students to either write words by hand or type those same words while wearing a cap fitted with hundreds of sensors that measured their brain activity. The results were striking.
When students wrote by hand, multiple areas of the brain became active at the same time. Regions involved in movement, vision, memory, language, and learning were all working together. Researchers believe this whole-brain integration helps encode information more deeply. In other words, your brain isn't just recording information. It's actively creating stronger connections, making it easier to retain and recall the information later.
But when students typed the exact same words, the brain showed much less of that coordinated activity. Why? Because handwriting is actually a very complex task. Every single letter requires your brain to coordinate your eyes, your fingers, your wrist, and the movement needed to create a unique shape on the page.
Researchers have also found that handwriting plays an important role in how children learn to recognize letters and read. Physically forming each letter helps build the brain pathways associated with reading and language.
Now, we're obviously well past learning our ABCs, but I think there's an important lesson here. From the time we're young, our brains learn by connecting what we see, what we feel, and how we move. We may not be learning our ABCs anymore, but writing by hand still gives our brain that same kind of active workout, helping support learning and memory.
Typing is different. Whether you're typing an A or a Z, you're mostly pressing a key. It's efficient, but it doesn't require the same level of motor planning or sensory involvement.
Now, here's where this gets really interesting. Another well-known study from Princeton University found that students who took notes by hand actually learned more than students using laptops. At first, that doesn't make sense. The laptop users captured far more information. Shouldn't that help them remember more?
Actually, no. Researchers discovered that people typing their notes often transcribed lectures almost word for word. Those writing by hand couldn't possibly write that fast. Instead, they had to listen carefully, decide what was important, and put the information into their own words, and that process, thinking, summarizing, and organizing, is what helped the information stick. In other words, the learning wasn't happening just because they were writing words on a page. The learning was happening because handwriting forced them to think.
Now, you might be thinking, "I'm not in college anymore. Why does this matter to me?" Think about your own life. Maybe you're sitting in meetings all day. You're attending webinars, learning new technology, reading books for personal or professional growth, planning a project, or brainstorming your next big idea. Every time you slow down long enough to write the key ideas in your own words, you're giving your brain another opportunity to process that information more deeply.
This doesn't mean typing is bad. I type every day. I write emails, I write newsletters, create presentations, and organize documents on my computer. Technology is incredibly useful. But if my goal is to understand something, to really learn it, or to remember it later, I still choose handwriting. Well, that's changed a little. I used to carry a paper notebook everywhere. Recently, I switched to an electronic tablet that helps me handwrite my notes with a digital pen. For me, it's the best of both worlds. I still get the brain benefits that come from handwriting, but I also get the convenience of organizing, searching, and storing everything digitally. The important part isn't the paper, it's the act of writing by hand.
So what does this mean for us? If you're listening to a webinar, planning a new project, reading a book, attending a conference, or brainstorming your next big idea, consider putting the keyboard aside for a few minutes and picking up a pen or a digital pen. You don't have to write everything down. In fact, that's the point.
Write the ideas that matter. Summarize them in your own words. Draw connections. Ask questions. Your brain will likely do much more work, and that's exactly what helps learning happen.
Here's today's brain note: Writing by hand engages more of your brain, encourages deeper thinking, and may help you remember what matters most.
So the next time you're tempted to open a blank document, consider opening a notebook or a digital tablet with a pen instead. Your brain just might thank you for it.
Until next time, keep learning, keep growing, and remember, success starts with your brain.
Thank you for joining me for this episode of RenewHer. If today's conversation sparked something in you, don't let it fade. Take even a small step toward what's next. If you found value in what you heard, please subscribe, leave a review, or share this podcast with a woman who's ready to take her next bold step.
Together, we're building a community of strong, resilient women navigating what's next with courage and purpose. Until next time, stay energized and keep embracing what's possible