Boost Your Brain

Commit to keeping your brain healthy and fit – it’s a daily practice that will prove as beneficial for the quality of your life as a balanced diet and regular exercise.

Use it or lose it. That adage is popularly said in relation to physical fitness, but it is also quite applicable to brain fitness, too. Our brains- like our bodies - begin to deteriorate after our twenties. However, just as your daily visit to the gym can keep you from gaining weight, losing muscle and aging prematurely, brain exercises can keep your memory sharp, delay cognitive decline and improve your creative thinking.

1. Read often & aloud.

Set time aside to read each day. However, don’t always read the same type of books. For example, if you are a fan of mysteries, mix it up with a historical biography or science fiction. Though your brain lights up while you are reading silently, reading aloud as well as reading aloud at a fast pace actually trains the brain even more. Even 10 minutes of simple calculation and oral reading exercises have proven beneficial for the brain. In a recent study, participants who did writing, reading and math exercises saw an improvement in brain function and a halt to further deterioration from Alzheimer’s.

2. Play online games and puzzles.

Despite what you might read, not all video games will turn your brain to mush. In fact, many games are designed to improve your memory, develop logic, increase mental speed and boost creativity. Look for “brain games” such as chess, memory games, crossword puzzles, Sudoku, logic puzzles or word games. There are thousands of puzzles on the Internet. Of course, published puzzle books and challenges printed in the newspaper are also great ways to challenge yourself.

3. Use your opposite hand.

If you are right handed, try to use your left hand to do everyday tasks (and visa-versa). By switching hands, you will be exercising the opposite side of the brain. Some tasks will be extremely difficult at first, but over time you can train yourself to be ambidextrous in many instances.

4. Learn a foreign language.

One of the most powerful ways to exercise your mind is through learning a new language. Take a course at your local community college or language school. If that’s not convenient, you can learn a foreign language online or by listening to tapes.

Brain exercises can keep your memory sharp, delay cognitive decline and improve your creative thinking.

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