Keeping your brain fit and active is just as important as keeping every other part of your body active. If you remember that your brain is an organ then it is easier to understand; just like your lungs and your heart, for example, your brain needs to be exercised. Regularly engaging in brain exercises can increase your memory, improve your ability to problem solve, and even make you more creative. As well as this, keeping your brain active can reduce your chances of developing degenerative disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease. Here are some great ways to exercise your brain.
Read
It isn’t what you’re reading that counts, it’s that you’re reading itself. So you could pick up a literary classic, or you could leaf through a checkout magazine, and it will have pretty much the same effect on your brain; it will stimulate it, which is exactly what you want. Not only does reading allow your brain to get some great exercise, but it’s also about escapism, so your mind can relax at the same time. It may sound an impossible feat, but you can do it, and it’s a good thing when it happens. As a bonus, reading helps to improve your vocabulary which makes conversations much easier and even potentially more interesting.
Take A Class
Learning something new is another excellent way to stimulate the brain. It can be anything as long as you need to think about it. A cookery class, an art class, creative writing, gardening, wine tasting, or anything else that comes up will help to keep your brain active. If you don’t know what you want to do, just pick anything and see how it goes. You’ll soon get an idea of what you enjoy learning. Just make sure you try different things, as variety is important.
Learn A Language
One particular kind of class that stands out as being important for brain training is learning a new language. You can do this in a variety of different way, as not everyone is happy to sit in a classroom and be taught, including listening to CDs, learning online, watching TV with subtitles, or even making a new friend in another country via the internet. Learning a new language definitely helps to keep your mind sharp, and it reduces the slowing down of thought processes that can happen as you get older.
Go Running
It may seem strange that running can help boost your brain power, but it’s true; it truly does work. Running increases the level of oxygen getting to your brain, and that means that it will release more endorphins into your body. Not only is your brain literally getting some exercise, but you are feeling great about the whole thing too and getting fitter as you go.
Solve Puzzles
Any puzzles will work when it comes to keeping your brain active, so it depends on what you like to do. You might try crosswords or word searches. Sodoku is fun for those who prefer numbers to words. Escape games can stimulate the mind as you play with friends. Watching murder mysteries on TV can enhance how quickly the brain works if you try to work out whodunnit. The important thing is not the kind of puzzle you’re solving, and it doesn’t even matter whether you manage to solve it or not. The important part is that you’re trying, and your brain will be fitter and healthier because of it.
Try Yoga
Yoga is a lot more strenuous than it looks at first glance, and it’s perhaps not surprising that beyond the physical ways that yoga can stretch you, it works to relax and calm the mind as well. Sometimes our brains can be over-stimulated, especially with the prevalence of screens in our lives which can make our attention span a lot shorter than it should be. Taking a class like yoga, which requires total concentration and focus, can relax your brain and allow it to go as blank as it ever can. When you get back to work or ‘real life’ after your yoga lesson, you’ll be able to think more clearly and be more productive.
Go Gaming
You may not often associate gaming with brain fitness, but there are a variety of video games that can give your mind the workout it needs. The key is to pick games that involve strategy and cunning to solve problems. Shoot ‘em ups, and racing games may be fun, but they don’t do much for your mind. If you love your video games then just make sure that you play some problem-solving titles in between all the other genres that you enjoy. One bonus of video games is that your hand-eye coordination will improve too.
Enjoy Model Building
Model building isn’t just for kids; many adults love to build model airplanes, trains, cars, ships, or even people. You can recreate famous scenes from history simply by putting together models and painting them. It takes a lot of dexterity, and the more you make, the better you’ll get. It’s the kind of task that has many plus points. Your brain gets stimulation through you reading the instructions carefully and then translating what you have read to your hands. Again, the total focus can be extremely relaxing.
Debate With Someone
Having a lively debate with someone can be fun as long as you both remember that this is a discussion, not something that should turn into an argument. Keep this in mind, and you can really enjoy debating issues. Pick something from the news, or just something that you think is important. It can be anything as long as both parties have a different viewpoint. A debate aims to try to make the other person see your point of view while not being swayed by what they are saying. There are no winners and losers as such, but it can open up your mind to lots of new things and different ways of seeing the world.