Too often, we focus on improving our physique, yet just like all other body parts, your brain needs to be looked after too.
Keeping mentally sharp is important, particularly as we get older. When we exercise our brains, we can work on improving our focus, memory, and daily functionality.
No matter your age, brain exercises can benefit you – and they’re easy to add into your daily life.
Why Brain Exercises Are Important
A long-term American study on Successful Aging by The MacArthur Foundation found that the strongest predictor for aging, mental capacity was a person’s education level.
The more education a person received, the more likely they were to maintain their thinking skills and memory. Other research also showed that people involved in complex work involving instructing, negotiating with, or speaking to others, had a lower dementia risk compared with people who did less intellectually demanding jobs.
When the MacArthur Foundation study referred to education, it didn’t necessarily limit this to a person’s formal education. Rather, if people have a lifelong habit of engaging in activities that challenge them mentally or teach them new skills, they’re less likely to succumb to dementia.
The science behind brain exercise is that learning and intellectual enrichment stimulate your brain to make connections. With more connections, a brain is more resilient. Creating a habit of engaging in activities that challenge you to think – like learning a skill – is great for maintaining your brain’s function.
So, let’s look at 13 brain exercises to help keep you mentally sharp.
