People keep their bodies fit by doing regular and varied physical exercises like aerobic, strength, flexibility, and balance exercises. But if someone wants to do the same with their brain, all they need to do is engage themselves in some brain exercises because, like any organs in the body, it needs to be cared for, according to Healthline.
Many have been advertised as brain exercises, but not all of them have lived up to the name. Only certain kinds of activities are genuinely meant to help boost the brain and improve memory and focus, which are vital to one's daily lives.
Brain exercises must challenge one's mental capabilities through stimulation, just as how the body needs it to be physically fit. If the brain enjoys too much routine, it can get sluggish and slow. It is healthier to proactively shake up one's daily routines for a sharper mind.
Here are five evidence-based brain exercises that anyone can do to boost brain health.
Play Jigsaw Puzzle
According to a study published in Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience, solving jigsaw puzzles employs several cognitive abilities and could help people protect their visuospatial cognitive ability in aging.
In other words, whether it is putting together a 1,000-image of a famous landmark or joining 100-pieces to create a photo of a famous mouse, working on a jigsaw puzzle is an excellent way to sharpen and strengthen one's mind.
The person would need to look at different pieces and figure out where they fit within the larger picture when putting together a jigsaw puzzle. That makes it a great way to challenge the brain to think carefully.
Read Also : Memory Is What Elevates Humans From Animals
Practice Your Vocabulary Skills
Research shows that learning new words or language activates many brain regions, specifically in areas that are significant to the development of visual and auditory processing. Not only did having a rich vocabulary make someone sound smart, but it can also turn into a stimulating brain.
Keeping a notebook beside while reading, writing down unfamiliar words and looking up its definition, and trying to use it five times the next day are brain exercises that stimulate the brain's inner workings to have a better memory.
Use All Your Sense at the Same Time
Engage in activities that simultaneously activate the senses, like traveling, camping, or even gardening. Even shopping at your local supermarket allows you to use all your senses as you look, touch, sniff, and taste the produce. Also, being friendly to the farmer who grows your food is additional brain stimulation.
This brain exercise is backed by a 2015 study that said that using all the senses simultaneously helps strengthen the brain as it is also like giving it a workout.
Learn a New Skill And Teach a New Skill To Other People
Learning a new skill is fun, exciting, and could help strengthen the brain's connections. A 2014 study showed that it could improve memory function in older adults. So, if there is something you wanted to learn before, better do it now.
Moreover, teaching a new skill to someone else is also beneficial. As you are teaching and learning in the process because you learn the things needed to explain a concept and correct any mistakes you make.
Take New Routes
Since learning a new skill can be beneficial to the brain, so does taking a new route to your school or work. The brain is on autopilot during a routine commute and therefore gets very little stimulation.
Also, do not get stuck with your everyday task, try a new one every day. The brain can definitely benefit from a simple change in your routine.
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