Train your brain and improve memory

Do you keep forgetting your neighbour’s name or always find your mascara in the fridge for some reason? If the worst part of this all is that you’re only in your thirties, you need to start doing some mental exercises.

There are many factors that contribute to impeded brain function and just like a normal muscle, your brain also needs exercise.

Neuroplasticity is the phenomenon in which the brain remodels itself in response to a person’s experiences. With the right stimulation, your brain can form new neural pathways, alter existing connections and adapt. The more brain cell connections, or neural pathways there are and the healthier they are, the faster the signals can travel and the better your mind and memory will function.

The brain’s plasticity changes over time, that is why it’s easier for young children to learn a second language or to play a musical instrument.

Research suggests that any activity that involves thinking and learning could be beneficial for you brain’s health and protect you against dementia. The more complex and challenging the mental activity, the better it is for you and the lower your risk of dementia is likely to be.

Like computer games, many brain games let you start at an easier level and increase in difficulty as you progress. As you practice, you learn new skills, which are important for building your brain reserve. By challenging your brain, you help build new connections between brain cells and strengthen those that already exist.

The more interesting and fun the activity is for you, the more likely you’ll be to continue doing it regularly. If you try to do something that you find very difficult or boring, you may become frustrated or stressed, which is not healthy for your brain.

Formal education, working or running a family can keep your brain very active, but what you do in your free time is also important. If you are retired, you need to think about new ways to give your brain a regular workout.

Here are a few activities that will exercise your brain:

• Watch game shows or television programmes that test your knowledge or expose you to new concepts and ideas.

• Start a new hobby like painting, craft-making or sewing.

• Do a short course in gardening, computers, cooking, mechanics or yoga.

• Read differing styles of books, newspapers or magazines.

• Keep a diary, write poetry or essays.

• Play board games like 30 Seconds, Trivial Pursuit, Monopoly, Scrabble or Rummy Cup.

• Play a friendly game of poker with friends or simple card games like Snap with your kids.

• Build jigsaw puzzles, do a crossword, Sudoku or a word puzzle.

• Learn to dance, play an instrument or speak a new language.

• See a play, movie, museum exhibit, gallery or concert.

• Try out a new recipe or build that model plane or car you always wanted to.

• Join a club or community group or volunteer at a charity organisation.

• Research something you’re interested in on the internet or at your local library.

• Chat with a friend about current affairs.

Try to include lots of variety to exercise various parts of your brain. Besides regularly exercising your brain, you need to make good lifestyle choices.

If you have a very demanding job, find ways to de-stress. Chronic stress destroys brain cells and damages the region of the brain involved in the formation of new memories and retrieval of old ones.

Meditation is a very good way to combat stress. Jon Kabat-Zinn, a clinical mindfulness expert from the USA, says meditation, which cultivates mindfulness, could promote a positive pattern of electrical activity in the brain. It helps improve many different types of conditions, including depression, anxiety, chronic pain, diabetes and high blood pressure. It can also improve focus, concentration and creativity as well as learning and reasoning skills.

Physical exercise, which is also helps to get rid of stress, increases oxygen to your brain and reduces the risk of disorders that lead to memory loss, like diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

While figuring out where to slot in gym visits, make time in your busy schedule to hang out with friends. In a recent study from the Harvard School of Public Health, it was found that people with the most active social lives had the slowest rate of memory decline.

While you’re among friends, why not tell some jokes or get the clown of the group to tell some? Laughter is good for the brain, as it engages multiple regions across the entire brain. Listening to jokes and working out the punch line activates areas of the brain vital to learning and creativity.

When your day is finally over, make sure you get enough sleep every night. Creativity, problem-solving abilities and critical thinking skills are all compromised if you are tired.

If you want to start slowly and have a few minutes to spare each day, visit websites that specialise in providing games designed to stimulate the brain. www.lumosity.com and www.gamesforthebrain.com are two interesting sites that will keep you going back for more and help improve your memory in no time.

So start exercising your brain before you have to ask your neighbour’s name again, forget what you wanted to tell you friend or get home without having bought milk.

Sources: https://www.yourbrainmatters.org.au/brain-health-program/brain/mental-activity/exercise-your-brain, https://www.livescience.com/26993-mindfulness-meditation-remodel-brain.html, https://www.livescience.com/12915-10-ways-mind-sharp.html, https://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/features/train-your-brain-with-exercise, https://www.helpguide.org/life/improving_memory.htm