How To Keep Your Mind Sharp: 6 Effective Brain Exercises

by John Griffith
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The brain is involved with absolutely everything we do. That’s why we need to take care of just as you would with any other body part. A great way to do that is by doing brain exercises. And trust us these are way more fun than regular exercises. Exercising your brain can have a ton of benefits. It will help improve memory, focus, and in general keep all cognitive skills in tip-top shape. That’s why today we are going to show you the most effective brain exercises you can do in order to keep your mind sharp.

The brain is involved with absolutely everything we do

The Best Brain Exercises

Looking after your brain is a must, especially as you get older. In 2014 the results of a study found that doing brain exercises helped older adults to maintain speed of cognition and reasoning skills even 10 years after the research period ended. Sounds amazing! Some other ways you can help your mind by enjoying foods good for the brain.

Looking after your brain is a must

#Crossword Puzzle

Crosswords puzzles are amazing for keeping your mind sharp. When you are doing a puzzle you use your verbal memory such you seek words that match a certain number of letters that fit into the description. A study by the Journal of the International Neuropsychology Society showed a connection between delayed onset of memory decline in people who develop dementia over time and completing crossword puzzles. Not only that but it will improve your verbal skills and make you think.

Crosswords puzzles are amazing for keeping your mind sharp

#Jigsaw Puzzle

Even the easiest of jigsaw puzzles are great for your brain. Jigsaw puzzle tap into the visual-spatial working memory skills. The skills that help you to see and remember which pieces can fit into specific shapes and if they go with the image. Working on a puzzle is able to engage a ton of multiple cognitive abilities. This helps to strengthen your brain.

Even the easiest of jigsaw puzzles are great for your brain

#Card Games

A lot of your favorite card games involve plenty of cognitive challenges. A study from 2105 shows that a quick card game can lead to a much bigger brain volume in several regions of the brain. Playing different card games such as solitaire, gin rummy, hearts, bridge, crazy eight and so on can help to improve your memory as well as general thinking skills.

A lot of your favorite card games involve plenty of cognitive challenges

#Dancing

Yes, that’s right, dancing! According to the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) exercise can have great benefits when it comes to cognitive health. And since dancing is a form of exercise it’s a great way to help your mind stay sharp. Learning complex dance moves can help boost your planning skills, your organizational skills and memory. Denise Park, Ph. D. – a professor and director of research at the Center for Vital Longevity shares that dancing is tactical, motor, and auditory and is also good for the heart.

Learning complex dance moves can help boost your cognitive skills

#New Skill

Not only is learning a new skill interesting and fun, but it can also strengthen the connections inside your brain. A new skill is also a great way to improve the memory function in older adults. So, why not give your brain some extra power while having some fun with your new activity.

A new skill is also a great way to improve the memory function in older adults

#Use Your Non-Dominant Hand

We’ve all tried this for the sake of it, but did you know using your non-dominant hand is considered a good form of brain exercise. This is because using your non-dominant hand can help strengthen your mind. Since it is so challenging, it’s a good way to increase the activity in the brain. Do it while eating dinner or while you brush your teeth. Maybe try to write something down.

Using your non-dominant hand is considered a good form of brain exercise

These were the best brain exercises to do in order to keep your mind sharp. We hope you found this article helpful. Now you can start doing more of these exercises and enjoy the benefits.

These were the best brain exercises to do in order to keep your mind sharp

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John Griffith

John Griffith is a young, passionate journalist. Writing has been John’s hobby ever since he was a boy. He has worked in some of the UK’s most successful news portals over the course of his professional career but found his forever home at Archzine.