7 memory exercises to help prevent short term memory, memory loss and to increase mental fitness.

While you may be aware that you should exercise your body, did you realise that you should also do mental exercises? You’ve most likely heard the saying “use it or lose it.” However, many scientists feel that this adage pertains to brain health.

Brain exercises rage these days, with many people touting it as a means to improve your mind and even increase intellect. While many cognitive scientists believe that statements about mind exercises are overblown and misleading, there is a growing body of evidence showing some sorts of brain exercises to improve memory.

Take Care of Your Body to Take Care of Your Mind

If you want to care for your intellect, you must first care for your body. According to research, people who participate in healthy habits such as exercise and an adequate diet are less vulnerable to the cognitive losses linked with the ageing process.

According to 2006 research, exercise can make you smarter and preserve your brain from shrinking as you age. In 2013, a study on mice indicated that exercise could promote neurogenesis, or the development of new exercise your brain cells, in the brain’s hippocampus.

One 2013 study examined healthy habits in approximately 2,300 males over thirty years. Beginning in middle age, researchers examined the individuals’ behavioural and cognitive capacities and followed their growth until old age.

The researchers discovered that males who engaged in particular healthy habits were roughly 60% less likely to develop cognitive impairment and dementia as they age.

These healthy behaviours included avoiding smoking, maintaining a healthy BMI, frequently exercising, eating plenty of vegetables and fruits, and drinking just a tiny quantity of alcohol.

So, if you want to improve your mental health, start with your physical health. For example, go for a stroll, start eating more fresh fruits and vegetables, and attempt to break any unhealthy habits, such as excessive alcohol use or cigarette usage. Some of these may be tougher than others, but your brain workout will reward you for it for many years to come.

Draw a Map of Your Town From Memory

While you may believe you can navigate your area’s streets with your eyes closed, consider testing your brain by sketching a map of your town or neighbourhood from memory. No swindling! Include important thoroughfares, prominent side streets, and local landmarks.

When you’re finished, compare your memory map to a real-world map of the region. How did you fare? Are you shocked by some of the items you overlooked? Next, try sketching a less known location from memory, such as the United States or Europe map and labelling each state or nation.

When you’re behind the wheel of your automobile, driving to the store or the doctor’s office may seem straightforward and even automatic. Forcing yourself to recall the layout of your neighbourhood and sketch and name it, on the other hand, helps stimulate a range of parts of your brain.

Discover Something New

This brain workout demands some dedication, but it may provide you with the greatest bang for your dollars. Learning something new is one method to keep your brain active and offer new challenges regularly.

In one study, elderly people were allocated to acquire various new skills, ranging from digital photography to sewing. They next performed memory tests and compared the experimental and control groups. Those in the control groups had engaged in enjoyable but undemanding activities such as viewing movies and listening to the radio.

They also observed that these memory enhancements remained when tested again a year later. You may try learning a new language, learning to play a musical instrument, or picking up a new pastime. Not only will you be extending your mind, but you will also be always learning something new as you grow your talents and achieve more success.

Use Your Non-Dominant Hand

Following that is an intriguing brain workout that one neurobiologist believes may help “keep your brain alive.”

In his book, Keep Your Brain Alive: 83 Neurobic Exercises to Help Prevent Memory Loss and Increase Mental Fitness, neurobiologist Lawrence Katz advocates using your non-dominant hand to train your intellect. Because using your opposite hand may be so tricky, it can be an excellent technique to stimulate brain function.

Try swapping hands while eating supper or writing anything down. It will be challenging, but that is just the goal. You may try learning a new language, learning to play a musical instrument, or picking up a new pastime. You will also be learning something new as you grow your talents and achieve more success.

Socialize

Socialising engages numerous parts of the brain, and many social activities involve physical components, such as sports, which are equally helpful to your thinking.

Even if you are a lifelong introvert, pursuing social contacts can benefit your brain in both the short and long term. Signing up for volunteer activities in your community, joining a club, joining a neighbourhood walking group, and staying in touch with friends and family are all ways to be socially connected.

Meditate

Meditation is a brain exercises for adults workout you may not have considered, but it may be beneficial. Mindfulness meditation, in particular, is gaining popularity, with proponents including positive psychologists, business executives, and alternative health practitioners. Consider some evidence confirming the numerous advantages of meditation before dismissing this old Buddhist tradition as too New Age for you.

Brain Teasers

You’ve undoubtedly heard of, or perhaps tried, some of the many brain training games, websites, and apps available. Many of these products promise that digital brain workouts may improve your mental flexibility, keep you cognitively sharp as you age, and even make you smarter.

If you know someone suffering from a neurological disorder, then consult Dr Chandril Chugh. He is a US-trained neurologist specialising in minimally invasive brain procedures with 16 years of experience.