Completing a jigsaw puzzle can be a good way to pass the time and may also benefit the brain. A study found that puzzles activate many cognitive functions, including:. The study concluded that doing jigsaw puzzles regularly and throughout life may protect against the effects of brain aging.

Number puzzles, such as sudoku, can be a fun way to challenge the brain. They may also improve cognitive function in some people. A study of adults aged between 50 and 93 years found that those who practiced number puzzles more frequently tended to have better cognitive function.

A meta-analysis notes that chess and other cognitive leisure activities may lead to improvements in:. A review notes that some types of video games — such as action, puzzle, and strategy games — may lead to improvements in the following:.

Enjoying company of friends may be a mentally engaging leisure activity and may help preserve cognitive function. A study found that people with more frequent social contact were less likely to experience cognitive decline and dementia.

A study of older adults found that learning a new and cognitively demanding skill, such as quilting or photography, enhanced memory function. A simple way to increase vocabulary is to read a book or watch a TV program and note down any words that are unfamiliar.

A person can then use a dictionary to look up the meaning of the word and think up ways to use the word in a sentence. A review notes that bilingualism increases and strengthens connectivity between different areas of the brain. A study published in Brain Sciences found that listening to music a person enjoys engages and connects different parts of the brain.

The researchers propose that this may lead to improvements in cognitive function and overall well-being. According to a study , playing an instrument may benefit cognitive development in a young brain and help protect against cognitive impairment in an aging brain. Such hobbies may include:.

Regular physical exercise is beneficial for both the brain and the body. Authors of a review note that exercise improves the following aspects of brain health:. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention CDC , exercise has beneficial effects on the following aspects of cognitive health:.

Dance is a form of exercise that may also engage areas of the brain involved in rhythm and balance. Certain sports are both physically and mentally demanding. Some require a range of cognitive skills, such as:. A review notes that elite athletes who participate in high demand sports tend to have improved attention and faster information processing speeds.

Tai chi is a form of physical exercise that involves gentle body movements, rhythmic breathing, and meditation. A study compared brain function and connectivity among tai chi practitioners and those who did not practice it. The researchers found that the tai chi practitioners had enhanced connectivity between different regions of their brain.

They proposed that this may improve cognition and decrease the rate of memory loss. While not necessarily an active exercise, sleep is crucial for both the brain and the body. According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke , most adults need between 7 and 9 hours of sleep each night, although many people get less sleep than they need.

A review notes that sleep has been proven to:. As such, making sure to get enough sleep each night is an important step toward maintaining a healthy brain. Brain exercises can be as simple as actively engaging the brain in everyday tasks.

Others are targeted workouts for the brain, specifically designed to enhance memory, cognition, or creativity. Exercising the brain may help improve brain function and boost connectivity between the different areas.

This may help protect the brain from age-related degeneration. People are likely to differ in terms of the brain exercises they find most enjoyable. It may be a good idea to try a range of brain-training activities at first and to stick with those that provide the most enjoyment or reward.

The diet can have a significant impact on the brain's function. A brain-healthy diet, rich in antioxidants and omega-3 fatty acids, can boost memory….

Are you looking for ways to improve your mind and boost brain power in ? Look no further; we have compiled the best brain enhancing methods to try. Brain atrophy can refer to a loss of brain cells or a loss in the number of connections between these cells.

In this article, learn about the symptoms…. Researchers found that applying controlled electric shocks to some areas of the brain may improve long-term and working memory in older adults.

Learn about the symptoms and causes of Becker muscular dystrophy. This article also looks at treatment options, how doctors diagnose the condition….

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Medical News Today. Health Conditions Health Products Discover Tools Connect. Medically reviewed by Timothy J. Legg, PhD, PsyD — By Jon Johnson — Updated on April 4, Meditation Visualizing more Playing games Card games Crosswords Puzzles Sudoku Chess Checkers Video games Socializing Learning new skills Increasing vocabulary Learning a language Listening to music Musical instruments Engaging hobbies Regular exercise Dancing Sports Tai chi Sleeping Summary Brain exercises may help boost and maintain brain function.

Visualizing more. Learn about a variety of different meditation types and how to do them in this article. Sleep is vital for overall brain health. Sugary foods can taste delicious and feel rewarding at first, but they may play a role in memory loss.

Avoiding extra sugar may help combat this risk. While naturally sweet foods, such as fruits, are a good addition to a healthful diet, people can avoid drinks sweetened with sugar and foods with added, processed sugars.

Along with cutting out sources of excess sugar, reducing overall caloric intake may also help protect the brain. Researchers note that high calorie diets can impair memory and lead to obesity.

The effects on memory may be due to how high calorie diets lead to inflammation in particular parts of the brain.

While most research in this area has been with animals, a study from looked at whether restricting calories in humans could improve memory. Female participants with an average age of The researchers found that they had a significant improvement in verbal memory scores and that the benefit was most significant in those who stuck to the diet best.

Caffeine from sources such as coffee or green tea may be helpful for the memory. People who took milligrams of caffeine scored better on recall tests after 24 hours than people who did not take caffeine. Caffeine may also boost memory in the short term.

A study in Frontiers in Psychology found that young adults who took caffeine in the morning had improved short term memory. This insight might be useful for individuals who have to take tests or recall information during a time of day when they may otherwise be tired.

The results of a study suggest that cocoa flavonoids, which are the active compounds in chocolate, help boost brain function. People who ate dark chocolate performed better on spatial memory tests than those who did not. The researchers noted that cocoa flavonoids improved the blood flow to the brain.

There are risk factors a person has no control over, such as genetics. In other cases, a person may be able to reduce the risk of memory impairment.

Eating a diet high in refined sugar and fats and leading a sedentary lifestyle may increase the risk of memory loss. Eating a rounded, healthful diet and exercising regularly may contribute to keeping the mind sharp and reduce memory loss.

For example, practicing mindfulness meditation may not only make a person less forgetful but can also reduce stress. Some activities may boost brain function and connectivity, which may help protect the brain from age-related degeneration.

Here are 22 brain exercises…. The diet can have a significant impact on the brain's function. A brain-healthy diet, rich in antioxidants and omega-3 fatty acids, can boost memory…. Short-term memory refers to small amounts of information that people can remember for a short period of time.

Learn more. Memories come in many different forms. There is still a lot that researchers do not understand about how human memory works. This article outlines the causes of short-term and long-term memory loss and the differences between typical age-related memory loss and dementia. My podcast changed me Can 'biological race' explain disparities in health?

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Medical News Today. Health Conditions Health Products Discover Tools Connect. How to improve your memory: 8 techniques to try. Medically reviewed by Timothy J. Legg, PhD, PsyD — By Jon Johnson — Updated on June 20, Train your brain Exercise Meditate Sleep Sugar Calories Caffeine Chocolate Risk factors Summary There are various ways a person can help to improve their memory.

Do brain training. Share on Pinterest Research suggests that meditation may cause long term changes in the brain that improve memory.