Staying mentally fit keeps you sharp and alert. It improves day-to-day life and helps prevent the natural aging process from taking too much of a toll on your brain.
Your mental health is just as important as your physical health and stimulating your brain is just as vital to your wellbeing as physical exercise. You eat nutritious food and exercise to improve your physical wellbeing. So why not stimulate your brain regularly to enhance your mental wellbeing?
Working out your brain doesn’t have to be a boring chore. Stimulating your brain can be enjoyable and fun. Check out these awesome ways to put your brain to the test and keep it functioning at peak performance.
Online Puzzle Games for Flexible Fun
Online puzzle games are a fantastic way to boost your brain function. These games stimulate the brain as you work strategically toward a solution. They are so much fun that you won’t even realize you are getting a mental workout!
Online puzzle games are also super convenient to play on the go. Using a tablet or mobile device, you can work out your brain while you’re waiting at the doctor’s office or riding the bus to work. Even small increments of mental stimulation can have a big impact on your health.
Rubix Cube
The classic Rubix Cube has been stumping people forever. Trying to match sides in all the same color can be frustrating. However, it’s also a great way to whip the prefrontal lobe of your brain into shape. This area controls the higher cognitive skills and problem-solving abilities critical in so many areas of life.
When solving a Rubix Cube, you aren’t only thinking about your next move. You’re thinking about the next series of movements, practicing your planning skills. You are also considering how each move affects not just the row you’re twisting but the rest of the cube as well.
This high level of thinking does wonderful things for the brain. Fortunately, you don’t have to carry around a bulky Rubix Cube to get these benefits. Playing online allows you to enjoy this activity from nearly anywhere on any device.
Virtual Jigsaw Puzzles
How many times have you poured the pieces from a box, started a puzzle, and left it abandoned on a table? Jigsaw puzzles can be valuable tools for brain stimulation. Fortunately, you can do them without the mess and inconvenience by using online versions.
What’s amazing about jigsaw puzzles is that they are both good for your brain and your mood. You can lose yourself in the peacefulness of solving them, decreasing stress and anxiety. Plus, when you find the perfect fit, that sense of accomplishment can be a great confidence booster!
With virtual jigsaw puzzles there is an endless number of customizable combinations. You can choose from a wide variety of images, from animals to landscapes, to find one that interests you. Plus, you can select the number of pieces to match your skill level. Before you know it, you’ll be able to move on to more complicated images and higher numbers of pieces.
Social Ways to Boost Your Brain With Others
Just being sociable and interacting with others is great for your mental wellbeing. Why not boost your brain while you’re spending time with your favorite people? Everybody wins from the mental health benefits and fun.
Strategy Board Games
Board games are a classic pastime and for a good reason. They are a wholesome way to spend time together with friends and family. Looking for games that involve strategy can make this activity super beneficial for your brain.
Of course, chess and checkers are great to hone those strategy and problem-solving skills. But mixing it up a bit can keep brain-building exciting. Look for games like Sequence and Battleship for exciting alternatives. Strategic war board games are also popular. With this type of game, you take the challenge to the next level as you work your brain out, battling to the finish.
Even small children can get in on the board game action. Connect 4 and Guess Who are perfect for little hands and growing minds. Look for junior versions of your favorites to boost brain development. Monopoly Jr. and Scrabble Jr. are awesome ways to build strategy and problem-solving skills in young brains.
Online Strategy Activities
Even remotely, you can still play with your friends and family while boosting your brainpower. There are many online games and activities that allow you to interact virtually. Some can also be played at different times if you can’t seem to get your schedules to match up.
Believe it or not, playing games like Fortnite is actually a brain-boosting activity. The virtual world building and manipulation process helps to enhance the visual-spatial parts of your brain. Plus, you’re constantly multitasking and making quick reactions, leading to improved cognitive skills.
Online word games are another awesome way to boost language and vocabulary skills while competing against friends. These allow you to create words from your bank of letters and place them on the Scrabble-like board. The great thing is that players can simply pop on the app and take their turn whenever it’s convenient for them.
Think Outside the Box to Build Brain Power
The most important thing about finding activities that stimulate the brain is choosing ones you love. If you don’t enjoy it, you likely won’t do it. So think outside the box to find activities that enhance your mental health that fit your preferences.
Physical Activities
Physical activity is fantastic for brain function. Exercise lowers stress and releases endorphins that boost your mood. Studies also show that it can improve your memory and thinking skills.
Find exercises you enjoy so you’ll stick with them. Maybe you love running or walking the dog. Perhaps a dance class or circuit training video is more your thing. Either way, breaking a sweat regularly will help you keep your brain in tip-top shape.
Art Hobbies
Creativity is a right-brain skill many covet. If you have a high-level imagination, practicing art will only enhance it. However, those who aren’t as creative can also benefit from getting artsy.
You don’t have to paint a huge canvas to get big benefits. Grab an adult coloring book or fun craft kit for a relaxing time. You can also find fun hobbies like jewelry-making or woodworking that allow you to problem solve and get those creative juices flowing.
Brain Health for Lifelong Wellness
Your brain is what makes you who you are. It’s super important to keep it in great shape at every age. After all, it’s the only one you’ll ever get.
Playing games and solving puzzles are fun ways to stimulate your mind. Exercise and doing art can also build essential brain-powered skills. Whatever you choose to do, have fun boosting that brainpower for lifelong health and wellbeing!
About the Author: Gabe Nelson is a content specialist with over seven years of experience, currently working with improvememory.org. Just out of high school, he set off crab fishing on the Bering Sea in Alaska. From there, he went back home to finish his college degree at the University of Montana. He has a passion and keen understanding when it comes to brain games inside and out. He has written hundreds of content pieces in numerous niches. Currently, he lives in Missouri with his wife and kids.
Feature image from pexels.com
The opinions and views expressed in any guest blog post do not necessarily reflect those of www.rtor.org or its sponsor, Laurel House, Inc. The author and www.rtor.org have no affiliations with any products or services mentioned in the article or linked to therein. Guest Authors may have affiliations to products mentioned or linked to in their author bios only.
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