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.