It’s not just our bodies that get worn out as we get older. Our minds do the same thing. It’s why many people have trouble learning or remembering as they enter their golden years, or even risk developing a neurological condition like Alzheimer’s.
But our brains are just like the rest of our body: Use it or lose it. When you make good use of your mind, you’re less likely to see serious decline even with age. Here are five great (and fun) activities that will keep your brain sharp.
Playing Chess
Much of cognitive decline happens because the networks in our brain weaken. When we play games that require strategy, those networks in the brain stay connected. A game like chess requires you to plan head, make decisions, and recognize patterns. This is why playing chess helps develop what’s known as cognitive reserve—basically, your brain’s ability to stay resilient even as your body changes. If you’re not a fan of chess, games like bridge or solitaire can achieve the same outcome.
Doing Crossword Puzzles
One of the first mental abilities we lose is word retrieval. That’s the frustrating feeling you get when a word is at the tip of your tongue but you can’t quite remember it. When you play word games, it forces your ability to perform this kind of retrieval—and when you make a specific effort to do that, you’re strengthening your verbal memory and your mental processing. So, if you’re struggling to remember a word and you focus on making yourself remember it, you’ll make your brain stronger in the long term! Other word games like Wordle or Scrabble are also beneficial.
Memorizing Poetry
When you commit poetry (or anything else) to memory, you’re activating the hippocampus—the part of your brain responsible for your ability to remember (both short-term and long-term) and to learn. It’s also good for improving your attention span, focus, and processing speed. If you’re not into poetry, you could attempt to memorize a monologue from a favorite play or a famous speech, such as the Gettysburg Address.
Learn a New Language
You’re never too old to learn—in fact, learning might be what keeps you (mentally) young. Learning a difficult skill like speaking a new language forces your brain to make new connections and improves your memory, unlike a passive activity like watching television. As with physical activity, challenging yourself mentally makes you stronger. Learning a new skill doesn’t have to be about studying language. You could also learn to play an instrument, take up painting lessons, or try coding.
Participating In a Book Club
Research from the National Institute on Aging shows that socializing is good for reducing cognitive decline because it requires so many of the factors that keep our minds sharp: real-time processing, memory of names and prior interaction, verbal fluency, and emotional understanding. The best social activities are the ones that require thinking, such as a book club. You could also join in a game/trivia night, a debate group, or a class.
