Mental Exercises To Keep Your Mind Sharp
As you age, you might look for ways to improve your physical health and prioritize wellness as a top priority moving into retirement. However, are you also looking at ways to boost your cognitive health? Your brain is just like any other body part - you’ve got to exercise it regularly to help keep it in top form.
Tips for How to Keep Your Brain Healthy and Active
You’ve heard the phrase “use it or lose it,” this quip is just as accurate for your brain as it is for your heart or biceps. But, for most of us, our daily and weekly routines allow us to tune out and go into airplane mode, making it more difficult for our brains to participate in regular problem-solving and critical thinking.
Consider your morning commute to work: you could drive there with your eyes closed. However, while it might relieve stress to zone out during your drive, your brain isn’t used to its capability. The next time you are on your way to work, consider turning down a few new streets so you can re-activate your brain.
Changing your routine is on the list of tips for keeping your brain healthy and active. Try brushing your teeth with your non-dominant hand or putting the garbage can somewhere different in your kitchen. These small acts can feel frustrating at first, but they are excellent exercises for your brain, and you’ll be proud of yourself when you see how quickly your mind adapts.
Games to Keep Your Mind Sharp
You can also allow your brain to try something new by using games to keep your mind sharp. Whether you are a digital gamer or prefer a pencil or deck of cards in your hand, try adding any of these games to your daily routine:
- Chess
- Solitaire
- Jigsaw puzzles
- Word games, like Wordle or Words with Friends
- Using poetry or story magnets to create art on your fridge
- Sudoku
- Crossword puzzles
More Ways to Keep Your Brain Healthy as You Age
If you aren’t a gamer, that’s okay. You can keep your brain healthy as you age by incorporating movement or new learning into your day. Here are a few ideas to inspire you as you get started:
- Take a ballroom dancing class. The movement plus learning new steps is like a two-for-one workout for your brain.
- Meditate. Use an app to guide you through short meditations as you get started. Meditation decreases stress and increases mindfulness, both of which benefit your brain.
- Learn a new language. It’s never too late to learn a new language, mainly thanks to apps like Duolingo that make learning fun.
- Become a master at a hobby. Love bird watching? Great; dive into it and learn even more about bird songs. Prefer to take photos? Excellent; learn even more about light and shutter settings. Becoming a master at a skill empowers you and builds your cognitive health.
- Socialize! Being around peers and connecting with friends can decrease cognitive decline. Take this as your invitation to schedule a few more coffee dates with your pals.
The Senior Living Connection
Many senior living residences focus on providing whole-person wellness opportunities for the residents. While you will undoubtedly find social events on the event calendar, you will also see new learning opportunities, like historical lectures or classes about a new hobby.
How could senior living be able to boost your cognitive health? Schedule a visit at a Legend Senior Living residence near you to see for yourself.
