People of all ages are always looking to increase their brain power, and what better way to do it
than to play a few mind games?
No not the mean kind, the fun kind!
Exercise your brain and have a little fun while you’re at it with these top 5 exercises for a healthy
1. Play an Instrument
Picking up a new hobby is a great way to exercise your brain. Playing music is the brain’s
equivalent of a full body workout. Learning how to play an instrument will work multiple parts of
your brain simultaneously, especially the visual, auditory, and motor parts of the brain.
Practicing music strengthens those parts of the brain and allows you to apply those strengths to
other activities. It is also proven that musicians exhibit enhanced memory functions with
increased ability to create, store and retrieve memories quickly.
2. Play Video Games
Despite what you’ve been told, video games won’t rot your brain! Playing videos games has
many psychological benefits, they can keep your mind sharp by training specific regions of the
brain. Puzzle solving games like Mario or Zelda are a great cardio workout for your brain. A
recent study at the Max Planck Institute for Human Development proved that playing the Super
Mario 64 video game causes increased size in brain regions responsible for spatial orientation,
memory formation, strategic planning and fine motor skills.
3. Play Sports
Any type of physical activity can keep your brain healthy, but the most powerful brain boosters
are activities that combine aerobic activity and coordination. The aerobic activity creates new
brain cells, and the coordination strengthens connections between those new cells and your
brain. Regular physical activity can help keep your mental skills sharp as you age, including
concentration, thinking, learning, remembering, and using good judgement.
4. Play Chess
Playing chess exercises both sides of the brain to quickly respond to chess positions and
moves. The game especially improves concentration, as the game demands it. Looking away or
thinking about something else for even a moment can result in the loss of a match, particularly
because an opponent is not required to tell you how he moved if you didn’t pay attention.
Strategy games like chess can increase your problem solving skills, memory, creativity, and
5. Do Daily Crosswords and Puzzles
Crossword puzzles challenge the language and memory parts of the brain and also help with a
brain function called fluency, or word finding. Fluency is a process based in the speech and
language centers of the brain. Be sure to push yourself to the next level and challenge yourself,
otherwise the crossword won’t improve your brain power. Jigsaw puzzles provide exercise for
the parietal lobes that are responsible for process sensory information that has to do with taste,
temperature, and touch. Practice jigsaw puzzles to keep this part of the brain letting you
experience the sensation of touch.
There you have it, five exercises for a healthy brain. Increase your brain power by doing
something new and enjoyable.
Do you have any exercises you like to practice to keep your brain sharp?
Please share in the comments below!