As we age, we don\u2019t just lose the elasticity in our muscles, but also the cognitive function of our mind. The neurological damage that occurs in the brain on a regular basis starts to show, and you begin to experience diminished memory. Though it is impossible to stop the aging process, there are a few mental exercises you can engage in to enhance and boost your brain\u2019s ability to remember past things and even learn new skills.<\/p>\n
If you think you\u2019re at risk of dementia or want to be sure that you don\u2019t run into trouble a few years down the road, be sure to do the following seven brain exercises.<\/p>\n
One of the most efficient techniques to test your current memory and boost it is to recall or memorize the activities you\u2019ve just done, watched or listened to. There are several ways you can remember things like playing a memory game where you see some images and then identify them once they\u2019re hidden or replaying it before you sleep. If you\u2019d like to do something a little more basic, you can make a list of grocery items, or anything else that you\u2019d want to do and try to recall it after an hour or so. Another great way to accomplish recalling things as a brain exercise is to remember random names<\/p>\n
Storytelling has been linked to improvement of patients with Alzheimer\u2019s<\/a>. This mental exercise is a great way to improve memory because it helps you in focusing on the crucial details, recall moments of your life and associate emotions with the events as well. You will be accessing different parts of your brain, so it is recommended that you engage in this mental activity several times during the week to benefit from it. Remember, storytelling doesn\u2019t necessarily have to be about recalling past events, but you can also share your insight about a recent book you read or a movie you watched. The purpose here is to remember the information you learned or the experience you had so be sure to switch the tactics, so you don\u2019t get bored.<\/p>\n If you\u2019ve ever completed a jigsaw puzzle successfully, you know that it takes a lot of focus and hand-eye coordination to complete. Not only do you need to match the pieces, but also make sure that the colors match, so the picture is finished with perfection. These puzzles can keep you entertained for hours and will work on improving your memory while you have fun. Bear in mind that it\u2019s ok if you don\u2019t have time to solve boxes of actual puzzles because you can do it online too and reap the same benefits.<\/p>\n Going on a trip soon and want to learn a new language so you can communicate more effectively? Having a rich vocabulary has been linked to a reduced risk of cognitive decline<\/a>, and this is why it is recommended that you learn a foreign language. You don\u2019t necessarily need to make sure that you learn every single word but just being able to have the correct basics will do the trick. Download an app such as Duolingo<\/a> on your Android or iOS device and start reading, writing and listening in the language you\u2019ve always wanted to master.<\/p>\n Games like chess, crosswords, and even video games make you access different parts of your brain. Research shows that players who take up a crossword challenge more often than not also have a reduced chance of dementia onset. So, if you\u2019re thinking of taking a Sage test<\/a> because you think you\u2019re at risk for the disease, make sure you start playing several of these mind enlightening games right away. You can also download other mind training apps which don\u2019t just help you in memorization but are also an excellent way to strengthen your brain\u2019s core. One study, where 42 adults with mild MI participated found that challenging the mind with a brain-training app for eight hours over four-weeks improved performance on memory tests<\/a>.<\/p>\n For this particular brain exercise, you don\u2019t have to solve long equations and sums for it to be beneficial for you. Depending on what you\u2019re comfortable with, you can choose a 3 to 4-digit number, add a few numerics to it and then subtract them as well. The point here is not to win and go with the highest amount but to challenge the limits of your brain. If you feel like you\u2019ve picked out a higher digit and are facing difficulty with it, switch it with another, smaller number.<\/p>\n Finally, did you know that memorizing and drawing a map with the help of recall can help you keep dementia at bay? When you\u2019ve returned home from a day-long trip, try to sketch an outline of the place where you came from and all the streets. Research<\/a> directed at the University of London showed that taxi drivers have a significantly larger hippocampus and are better at storing and memorizing geographical details. If you think you\u2019ve already learned the way, try and take a different route to where ever you\u2019re going to challenge the brain even more.<\/p>\n\n
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