As we age, we can begin to experience cognitive decline. Our reflexes can begin to slow and our memory can begin to fail us. While we cannot prevent ourselves from aging, we can take measures to keep or improve our cognitive capabilities.
Attention, memory, thinking, and reasoning are skills that are challenged when dementia/Alzheimer’s disease begins to surface, so it is important to find ways to exercise and sharpen these skills as we age.
A study published in the journal, Neurology, concluded that more frequent cognitive activity across the life span has an association with slower late-life cognitive decline.
Therefore, brain exercises, which are often activities we do for enjoyment, can help keep our brains sharp as we age. Find some examples and ideas of how to stimulate your brain below:
Jigsaw Puzzles
Jigsaw puzzles are a fun challenge, but they can be a useful challenge, too. Puzzles are an excellent way to exercise your memory, ability to identify, and overall process color, texture, and size.
Trivia Games
You can play trivia with your family, friends, or by yourself online! Trivia challenges you to remember random facts, the past, music-related topics, and more. Recalling facts is one of the key ways doctors measure brain agility.
Word-Based Games
Games like Scrabble, Boggle, Words with Friends, etc. require us to generate words from letters, which can be challenging and requires quite a bit of thinking. This is great for brain stimulation, as they use parts of your brain that are responsible for language and word recall. Not to mention, these types of games are often done with at least one other person, whether in person or online, which provides an added bonus of socialization.
Crossword Puzzles
Yes, that daily crossword puzzle in the newspaper you love can actually help your brain! Crossword puzzles task us with recalling a fact as well as spelling words- great way to make your mind think!
Brain Teasers
What better way to exercise your brain than brain teasers? Brain teasers require you to problem solve in a variety of ways, including solving a problem, mystery, mathematical puzzle, riddle, and more.
Sudoku
This widely played game increases logical thinking, improves memory, tests your attention and concentration, and helps the brain make connections.
Card Games
Play card games exercise your short-term and long-term memory, which can actually help improve both types of memory. Additionally, card games require you to problem solve and strategize.
