Never Skip Brain Day

Everyone here knows how important it is to exercise our bodies but does everybody know how important it is to actually exercise our brains? Doing brain exercises help us keep our brains healthy.

I recently read the verywell article about brain health and exercising it, and I decided to share the seven things that they recommend to keep our brains healthy. Maybe at the end, we can work together to make an even bigger list of things to help keep our brains healthy! I will still link the article at the end because it goes into detail about each exercise.

1 To take care of your Mind, you need to take care of your Body

Studies show that being healthy and exercising can make you smarter and protect the brain as it ages. It is recommended for you to not smoke, maintain a healthy BMI, exercise regularly, consume a lot of vegetables and fruits, and consume a low to moderate amount of alcohol. To build a better mind, you have to first start working on your physical health. Go for a walk!

2 Draw a Map of your Town from Memory

Don’t worry about it being a bad drawing. If I did a map, it would probably look completely silly. Worry more about adding the details that you can remember. You can substitute specific details for written words, if that is easier for you. Forcing yourself to remember the layout of your neighborhood as well as draw and label has been shown to help activate various brain areas.

3 Learn Something New

Learning challenges the brain to understand new information. So go learn a new language, learn to play that instrument you always wanted to pick up, or learn a new hobby. Not only does this stretch the mind but also helps you expand your skill set and feel well.

4 Try Using your Non-Dominant Hand

Scientists say that this helps keep your brain alive and build up mental strength. They say it can be hard but that is the point. So try to switch hands tonight at your next meal or when trying to jot down notes.

5 Socialize

Did you know that being socially active can put you at a lower risk of developing a condition such as dementia and Alzheimer's disease? They say that even an inveterate introvert, seeking social interactions can be good for their brain in both short and long-term. So go sign up for volunteer oppts in your community, join a club you're interested in, sign up for local groups, and stay in close contact with friends and family. This one might be hard when socially distancing but make phone calls! We live in the age of technology.

6 Meditate

Meditation has been shown to help improve attention, focus, empathy, and even immunity, and it can even increase the capacity of working memory. Give it a try! Check out the mindfulness activities here

7 Brain Games

They say that many of the games can help increase mental flexibility, keep our minds sharper as we age and even make us more intelligent. Click here for game ideas. They do say that if you already spend so much time staring at a smartphone, it may be best to go on a stroll, enjoy a new hobby, or go visit a friend.