We all know that we need regular exercise to stay physically fit, whether that’s team sports, running a marathon, or taking the stairs rather than the lift.
But our brains need exercise too and the best types involve new and complex activities. Undertaking these could make you feel less sluggish, improve your concentration, and help you stay sharp as you age.
Other benefits might include reduced stress, improved memory, and faster reaction times.
Keep reading for seven surprising and simple tips for keeping your mind sharp and agile.
1. Switch Hands
Giving your brain a workout could be as simple as using your non-dominant hand to brush your teeth or use your computer’s mouse.
This might be difficult – not to mention frustrating – to begin with, but it will use increased brain power as you grapple with new movements and sensations.
If it becomes easy, switch to more complex tasks or try to increase your speed. Once you become ambidextrous, it’s time to stop and find a new challenge!
2. Close your eyes
Simple tasks can be made harder by using your other hand but try closing your eyes too.
Simple chores like washing up can provide a surprising brain workout once you remove one sense and force yourself to use others more keenly. This new approach opens new neural pathways and gives a new dimension to daily tasks.
Just be sure not to pick a dangerous chore like strimming the hedge!
3. Read aloud or upside down
Whether you’re an avid reader or only scan the daily papers, try reading aloud to exercise different parts of your brain.
Better still, turn your newspaper or book upside down and then read aloud. This forces your brain into an extra level of decoding, understanding individual letters in new ways before your mind can interpret the meaning of the words and whole sentences.
You might go further by hanging clocks or calendars upside down, so you’re forced to interpret the date and time too.
4. Engage all your senses
While closing your eyes might help to engage other senses, sometimes engaging every sense simultaneously gives your brain the best workout.
Even walking around a supermarket allows you to look, touch and smell different ingredients and produce, while listening to the chatter of other shoppers.
Other activities that engage all the senses include camping or gardening, which both offer the added benefit of fresh air, nature, and physical exercise.
5. Try new things
As we’ve already mentioned, completing new and complex tasks is a great way to keep your brain sharp.
You might:
- Take up a new hobby
- Learn a language
- Travel to a new country
- Try world cuisine
- Learn to play an instrument.
When you’re selecting a new experience to try, remember that the further you travel out of your comfort zone, the better the workout your brain will receive.
So, if you’re tone-deaf and bad with your hands, learn to play the piano. Wary of team sports? Join a local rugby or walking football team.
The fear that comes with being out of your depth will also provide a huge self-esteem boost when you complete the challenge you set yourself.
Interestingly, as you get better at a new hobby or become more comfortable, the benefits for your brain begin to wear off. So always be on the lookout for your latest “new thing” and keep yourself busy with fresh challenges.
6. Embrace mindfulness
Meditation and mindfulness can be hugely beneficial for your brain, helping you to relax, decompress, and even improve sleep.
You might try meditation apps like Calm or Headspace, which offer support for beginners as well as pros.
Equally, you might opt to go it alone. A simple walk in the forest can be done mindfully. You just need to turn off your phone, engage all of your senses, and slow down.
Giving your brain space can be hugely therapeutic for you but also allows your mind time to recover and take stock.
7. Get plenty of physical exercise
Physical exercise is good for your body and your mind. Not only does exercise release feel-good hormones like serotonin and keep you generally healthy, but it also increases blood circulation to the brain, providing it with oxygen and invaluable nutrients.
Getting out into the fresh air can help improve your overall mental health. Whether you walk with a friend or opt for the previously mentioned rugby club, you’ll be meeting new people and making new connections.