Activities to Improve and Maintain Mental Acuity & Memory

Activities to Improve and Maintain Mental Acuity & Memory 

by Anna Wagner (Guest Author - FIT Major in Fragrance and Cosmetics) & Dr. Shamil 

The brain acts like a storage device and computer. It's easy to neglect stimulating your brain to its full capability. But to boost retention of the knowledge you store you need to consistently work out your brain. Luckily there are games are activities that will boost this brain power, allowing you to bolster your long-term and short-term memory.

However, before you even start this brain training there's something essential you need. Yes, sleep! And don’t think you can make up for it with a cup of coffee. Sleep is essential to a functioning brain. A recent study showed that depriving your brain of sleep caused the brain to start eating away at its own synapses.

Once you get a healthy amount of sleep, start by stimulating your mind with simple puzzles. Puzzles like crosswords engage the brain with word retrieval. The colors and shapes in jigsaw puzzles are also great in testing your mind's ability to recall. These combinations of problem-solving and memory reach allow your brain to test its cognition, which you couldn’t achieve just staring on your phone.

There are also trivial things you can do throughout the day to improve your memory. Activities like repeating events and ideas and writing them down on paper, as well as discussing them with others engages multiple levels of brain operations. You could also quiz yourself on remembering things like quotes and lyrics on a regular basis. In an age where we rely on technology to remember for us, we could easily lose these mental skills.

Another terrific way to boost brain acuity is to get creative with art. Activities like painting and drawing encourage the brain to use your senses in new ways. Art requires the brain to stimulate both hemispheres of the brain and even helps to grow new neurons. Not only that but art has been found to increase resistance to stress and improve neuro-plasticity.

You may not realize it, but when you play a musical instrument or listen to music you are improving your brain health too. Like art, music activates every part of the brain.  Moreover, listening to music during tasks can enhance accuracy and performance. And as you age, listening and dancing to music can help battle against cognitive decline and improve working memory.

Your brain changes with age, and it’s important to keep it stimulated throughout your life. Just as important is keeping it healthy with not just sleep, but also maintain a healthy diet and exercise! Your brain will be at its best if you keep it well tuned.

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