Our brain is arguably the most important organ in our bodies. It basically controls our ability to think, feel, and behave. Not everyone thinks about the brain’s health, although this neglect often leads to cognitive issues down the line as we age, such as dementia and memory loss.
There are a few things that we can do that help us maintain the health of our brain, as well as reduce the likelihood of certain health conditions developing in the future. Some of these include healthy habits like a balanced diet, physical activity, and good quality sleep. However, there are additional habits we can bring into our routine that are fun and can also help with brain power, such as games that stimulate your brain, increasing its effectiveness and power. In this article, we will discuss five games that actually improve your brainpower.
Sudoku
Another popular game among many young people and adults is Sudoku. This game requires you to think logically about the sequence of the numbers. Some people do find it difficult as they fail to understand the task at hand as well as the whole purpose of the game. Understanding this game alone is a great exercise for your brain as it will challenge it and stimulate it. Research studies have found that playing Sudoku can have amazing effects on the brain, as it keeps it sharp and more powerful – individuals who play this game were frequently found to have much younger functioning brains than those who do not play.
Scrabble
Scrabble is a must on any family’s game night. It is a great way to bond, and also it will make you challenge your brain and improve its brainpower. This game requires you to use the letters available to formulate different words, even if you do not know their meaning. Exercising your memory results in better cognitive aptitude, which means that your brain will become highly efficient when performing challenging tasks. Evidently, learning new words is one of the benefits of playing Scrabble; however, this also directly impacts your brainpower. Research studies have shown that Scrabble players actually become quicker at solving real-life tasks, have better focus, and learn to use different parts of their brains.
To learn new words, use sites like Unscrambled Words. They can teach you strategic Scrabble words to use, not only improving your vocabulary and Scrabble skills but also improving your mental sharpness.
Jigsaw Puzzles
It may not come as a surprise that jigsaw puzzles are on this list. These used to be very popular among children, however thanks to the technology gadgets, this is no longer the case. If you are looking for something to stimulate your brain as well as your children’s, then this is a great activity you can do together. There are jigsaw puzzles of different sizes, and for all ages – you can get one that is difficult enough to challenge everyone.
Studies suggest that this simple activity stimulates your cognitive functions and increases the levels of dopamine in your brain, which is correlated with improved mood, memory, and concentration. Empirical neurological evidence has shown that when completing a jigsaw puzzle, the brain is actually working both the right and the left side at the same time, making it a great exercise for your brain.
Luminosity
In the modern day, individuals are much more likely to be on their phones than getting together to play board games. Therefore it is important to know about digital applications that also improve your brainpower. The first one we mention is Luminosity, which claims to improve memory, mood, and the brain’s overall sharpness. This entails a set of different games, where you are required to use different abilities, such as memory retention, general problem solving, speed, and reflexes.
Fit Brains Trainer
This smartphone app also allows you to play different games that test different abilities, much like the one we discussed above. This app helps you test your language, memory retention, speed, and focus. The more you play and get through different levels, the more difficult it gets. Therefore, you may think it is not very challenging when you first start but soon, your brain will be stimulated by the amount of thinking you will be required to do.
Peak
This smartphone app also provides your brain with the daily exercise required to improve your brainpower. The challenges provided by this app stimulate your brain and improve your IQ, improve attention span, and overall cognitive skills. However, some experts argue whether spending a lot of time staring at a screen outweighs the benefits of the brain power gained from using these apps since screen time can be detrimental to the brain’s health and actually cause our minds to slow down.
Exercising your brain should be just as important as exercising your body. We may not notice the effects of reduced brain power when we are young but will certainly feel it as we age. Therefore, it is essential that you take some time to look after the health of the brain and play some of the games discussed above, whether by yourself or with others.