memory

Playing Cards is a Great Brain Boosting Activity

When’s the last time you played a game of cards? Researchers who conducted a study in 2015Trusted Source on mentally stimulating activities for adults, say a quick card game can lead to greater brain volume in several regions of the brain. The same study also found that a game of cards could improve memory and thinking skills.

Try learning one of these tried-and-true card games:

• solitaire
• bridge
• gin rummy
• poker
• hearts
• crazy eights
• Cribbage (I added this one. I downloaded a cribbage app. The last time I played it was with my dad when I was a young kid. I could never beat him.

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Jigsaw Puzzles are a Brain Booster

Whether you’re putting together a 1,000-piece image of the Eiffel Tower or joining 100 pieces to make Mickey Mouse, working on a jigsaw puzzle is an excellent way to strengthen your brain.

ResearchTrusted Source has shown that doing jigsaw puzzles recruits multiple cognitive abilities and is a protective factor for visuospatial cognitive aging. In other words, when putting together a jigsaw puzzle, you have to look at different pieces and figure out where they fit within the larger picture. This can be a great way to challenge and exercise your brain.

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3 Tips for a Healthier Brain

Hit the books

Formal education in any stage of life will help reduce your risk of cognitive decline and dementia. For example, take a class at a local college, community center or online.

Butt out

Evidence shows that smoking increases risk of cognitive decline. Quitting smoking can reduce that risk to levels comparable to those who have not smoked.

Heads up!

Brain injury can raise your risk of cognitive decline and dementia. Wear a seat belt, use a helmet when playing contact sports or riding a bike, and take steps to prevent falls.

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A Happy Brain Doesn’t Need Happy Hour

Excessive drinking is a major risk factor for dementia. If you choose to drink, limit yourself to two drinks a day.

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Brain Fuel and Food

Good nutrition can help your mind as well as your body. For example, people that eat a Mediterranean style diet that emphasizes fruits, vegetables, fish, nuts, unsaturated oils (olive oil) and plant sources of proteins are less likely to develop cognitive impairment and dementia.

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Tips to Keep Your Brain in Tip Top Form

Through research with mice and humans, scientists have found that brainy activities stimulate new connections between nerve cells and may even help the brain generate new cells, developing neurological “plasticity” and building up a functional reserve that provides a hedge against future cell loss.

Any mentally stimulating activity should help to build up your brain. Read, take courses, try “mental gymnastics,” such as word puzzles or math problems Experiment with things that require manual dexterity as well as mental effort, such as drawing, painting, and other crafts.

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Raise Your Eyebrows

While you may want to practice this tip privately rather than on the subway, you’ll be pleased. You may feel silly, but as soon as you try this tip, you’ll understand exactly what I mean. Raising your eyebrows opens your eyes wider, resulting in a slight adrenaline boost. You’ll instantly feel brighter and more alert.

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Yes, You Can Improve Brain Function by Learning Something New 

Despite the hype, crossword puzzles and online games by themselves will not boost your brain. But learning something new will. Researchers had older people try different activities, but only those who learned a new skill, such as quilting, showed significant improvement in brain function. The brain is like a muscle. The more you use it the stronger it gets. So find a new hobby that excites and challenges you. Pick up a musical instrument, try a new language, or play chess on the computer.

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