Other than sleep, our brain actively works every minute. Naturally, it wears out over time and with age catching up, our cognitive functions deteriorate. According to studies, regular mental exercises can help slow the decline.
These days, there are many options for exercsing our brain. Self-help books top the list and this being the age of computers and electronics, computer games are now a great source of brain exercises.
Card games and crossword puzzles, once considered forms of exercise has proven insufficient in terms of total workout for the brain. MSN lists some of the computer games that have known to improve brain power especially for the seniors among us.
According to experts, in order to keep our neurons robust we need to expose them to new experiences. Instead of just smelling roses, switch to a new smell. Smell the vanilla or even the nutmeg. New experiences offer new insight. Even taking a new route to work or to town would help our brain.
Dr Gary Small, an author and Director of the UCLA Center on Aging and one of the gurus of memory training, advocates that to lock something into memory, pay attention to what you are trying to remember, then create a visual image for it in your mind. Now link the image to another related image. Also, avoid two enemies of memory: stress and multi-tasking.
Brain training games help us improve our brain or even slow down its decline but how do we get the most from these brain training games? Here is a list of to do's as recommended by Tina Adler, a Washington, D.C.-based freelancer, who helped write The Alzheimer's Action Plan: The Experts Guide to the Best Diagnosis and Treatment (St. Martin's Press, April 2008).
Source: MSN.com
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