5 Daily Brain Exercises For A Healthy Mind And Life

The improvement of health and life in general is achieved by regular exercise and a healthy diet. However, physical exercise tends to be far more emphasized and this leads to mental exercises being overlooked. Engaging in exercises that address each cognitive function of the brain is a good place to start when maintaining a healthy mind.

Memory

Memory loss is very noticeable. Trying to recall something and constantly forgetting is frustrating. Spending a few minute listening to an unfamiliar song and memorizing the lyrics is a good way to keep your brain occupied. Brushing your teeth in the morning with the non-dominant hand, dressing in the dark are also challenging activities that can be done as they help build new associations between different neuron connections of the brain.

Attention

Improving focus enables increased productivity. The brain gets distracted easily and loses focus especially if subjected to a constant routine. To stimulate the brain, change the morning routine and take different routes to work or school. This forces the brain to pay attention as the sequence of events is unfamiliar.

Language

Fluency, grammatical skills and vocabulary can be improved constantly. To challenge the brain, read material that differs from your normal area of interest. For example, reading the sports column instead of the usual business column exposes you to new words, and with the help of a dictionary, you can understand the context and practice in its use.

Visual-Spatial

Our interaction with the environment is largely through the eyes. To challenge the brain, take a mental note of where several items are located in a room and after leaving the room, recall where the objects were. After two hours, note down the objects and location to determine your retention level.

Executive function

Decision making is a fundamental skill. With video games, progression to the next level is wholly based on the real time decisions made. Play a video game and record your progress till you reach the end of the game.

Brain exercises cannot be used as a substitute to a healthy lifestyle but are a great complement, and with new dementia diagnoses every 4 seconds, all efforts must be put into keeping the brain healthy and sharp. It’s important to flex our brain power the older we get. As you implement these tips into your daily life, they will become habitual and second nature to you.

Meghan Belnap is a freelance writer who enjoys spending time with her family. She loves being in the outdoors and exploring new opportunities whenever they arise. Hydration and a healthy diet are essential to maintaining a healthy brain, as recommended by Billings Clinic. Meghan finds happiness in researching new topics that help to expand her horizons. You can often find her buried in a good book or out looking for an adventure.

5 Daily Brain Exercises For A Healthy Mind And Life