Author: David K. William / Source: Lifehack
The brain is often thought of as similar to a computer. When the brain is powerful and working properly, it will enable you to perform all your cognitive and bodily functions smoothly and efficiently, and the reverse is also true.
Unfortunately, our brainpower tends to decline as we grow older.
And as you might have seen in media reports, loss of memory and dementia is a growing concern for people today. Brain wellness is now right up there with heart health.If you are finding yourself forgetting things more than usual, it can be a little alarming. But you need to know you are not helpless when it comes to keeping your brain healthy and powerful. There are simple brain exercises for memory improvement you can do to boost your brainpower so you remember more.
Benefits of improving your brainpower
According to a 2015 study published in the journal Neurology, older adults who engage in regular physical exercise like jogging and cycling are less likely to be affected by age-related brain illnesses that can limit memory and mobility.[1] And those people who perform regular, targeted brain exercises keep their brains sharp and healthy, which reduces cognitive decline and memory impairment.
When you exercise your brain, you will also improve your creative abilities, which will give you a competitive advantage in your job.
Moreover, brain exercises strengthen your ability to think on your feet and give witty responses, meaning you won’t be lost for words at critical moments in conversations.
Goodbye to awkward silences!
Simple exercises to sharpen the brain
While you can enroll in a number of online brain training programs, experts generally recommend sticking to brain training exercises that involve real-world activities.
According to David Eagleman, PhD, neuroscientist and assistant professor at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas, exercises to strengthen brain function should offer novelty and challenge:
“Almost any silly suggestion can work.”
Here’re 25 simple real-world exercises you can do starting today to sharpen your brain and improve memory.
1. Drive a new route home
As simple as this exercise may sound, taking a different route home stimulates the brain. You are forced to involve more senses to find your way around, which keeps your brain alert instead of mindlessly driving home or to work on familiar routes.
Avoiding ruts and boredom is critical to keeping your brain sharp, says Eagleman.
2. Repeat it out loud
In order to remember anything you have just read, heard or done, repeat it out loud.
For example, repeat out loud the name of someone new you’ve just met and you will nail the name down in your mind.
3. Listen while you read
A study conducted at the University of Puerto Rico found that out of 137 Spanish-speaking students quizzed about an English book they were given to read, those students who read the book while simultaneously listening to an English audio version outscored the group that only read on eight different quizzes about the book.[2]
Listen to audio of something while simultaneously reading or watching it. You’ll engage more of your senses and help your mind remember more.
4. Play crossword puzzles
Simple crossword puzzles and other word games like scrabble, where you rearrange letters and make as many words as you can, stimulate the brain and improve memory.
5. Play chess
Don’t forget to play other brain-boosting, strategy games like chess and checkers. Logic-based numbers games like Sudoku can also keep your brain fit.
6. Learn a musical instrument
Start playing a musical instrument. Studies show that learning something new and complex over a longer period of time is beneficial for the aging mind.[3]
7. Play a new sport
Start playing a new sport that utilizes both mind and body, such as tennis, golf, or even yoga. Athletic exercise like these will not only improve your physical fitness, but also your mental fitness.
8. Learn a foreign language
Enroll in a foreign language course online or…
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