Mind Games
You know it's healthy to keep your body in shape, but did you
know it's just as essential to exercise your mind?
A study in the Journal of the American Medical
Association found that regular brain exercises help combat
memory loss. Seniors who participated in the study experienced
reduced cognitive decline more than five years after the brain
training.
But don't worry-you don't need to enroll in brain boot camp to
get mentally fit. Pick one-or all-of these enjoyable games and get
ready to feel the brain burn:
Make a list, but don't check it twice. Prepare your
grocery list. An hour later, try to recall the information without
peeking.
Parlez vous français? The different sounds and
memorization requirements of learning a foreign language stimulate
your brain.
Solve a Sudoku. This mind game is like no other-it
requires you to use neural pathways more advanced than modern
computers.
Sauté or stir-fry. Join a cooking class or explore
new recipes. All your senses are stimulated during this delicious
activity.
Find 5 down. Crossword puzzles are a great way to
get your mind moving and improve your vocabulary. Start out with
some easy ones before you graduate to The New York
Times' puzzle.