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 ?

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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. Playing games. Playing memory card games. Practicing crossword puzzles. Completing jigsaw puzzles. Playing sudoku.

Playing chess. Playing checkers. Playing video games. Learning new skills. Increasing personal vocabulary. Learning a new language. Listening to music. Learning a musical instrument.

Taking up engaging hobbies. Exercising regularly. Engaging in sports. Practicing tai chi. How we reviewed this article: Sources. Medical News Today has strict sourcing guidelines and draws only from peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical journals and associations.

We avoid using tertiary references. We link primary sources — including studies, scientific references, and statistics — within each article and also list them in the resources section at the bottom of our articles. Join a walking group with other older adults. Check out programs available through your Area Agency on Aging , senior center, or other community organizations.

Increasingly, there are groups that meet online too, providing a way to connect from home with others who share your interests or to get support. We don't know for sure yet if any of these actions can prevent or delay Alzheimer's and age-related cognitive decline.

Still, some of these have been associated with reduced risk of cognitive impairment and dementia. Stress is a natural part of life. Short-term stress can even focus our thoughts and motivate us to take action. To help manage stress and build the ability to bounce back from stressful situations, there are many things you can do:.

Genetic , environmental , and lifestyle factors are all thought to influence cognitive health. Some of these factors may contribute to a decline in thinking skills and the ability to perform everyday tasks such as driving, paying bills, taking medicine, and cooking.

Genetic factors are passed down inherited from a parent to child and cannot be controlled. But many environmental and lifestyle factors can be changed or managed to reduce your risk.

These factors include:. Many health conditions affect the brain and pose risks to cognitive function. These conditions include:. It's important to prevent or seek treatment for these health problems. They affect your brain as well as your body and receiving treatment for other conditions may help prevent or delay cognitive decline or thinking problems.

Older adults are at higher risk of falls, car accidents, and other accidents that can cause brain injury. Alcohol and certain medicines can affect a person's ability to drive safely and also increase the risk for accidents and brain injury. Learn about risks for falls and participate in fall prevention programs.

Wear helmets and seat belts to help prevent head injuries as well. Overcoming this fear can help you stay active, maintain your physical health, and prevent future falls. Some drugs and combinations of medicines can affect a person's thinking and the way the brain works.

For example, certain ones can cause confusion, memory loss, hallucinations, and delusions in older adults. Medicines can also interact with food, dietary supplements, alcohol, and other substances. Some of these interactions can affect how your brain functions.

Drugs that can harm older adults' cognition include:. Lack of exercise and other physical activity may increase your risk of diabetes, heart disease, depression, and stroke — all of which can harm the brain. In some studies, physical activity has been linked to improved cognitive performance and reduced risk for Alzheimer's disease.

In general, staying active is known to lower the risk of high blood pressure, stroke, and symptoms of depression, all of which in turn can improve cognitive health.

A number of studies link eating certain foods with keeping the brain healthy and suggest that other foods can increase health risk. For example, high-fat and high-sodium foods can lead to health problems, such as heart disease and diabetes, that can harm the brain.

Smoking is harmful to your body and your brain. It raises the risk of heart attack, stroke, and lung disease. Quitting smoking at any age can improve your health. Drinking too much alcohol affects the brain by slowing or impairing communication among brain cells.

This can lead to slurred speech, fuzzy memory, drowsiness, and dizziness. Long-term effects may include changes in balance, memory, emotions, coordination, and body temperature.

Staying away from alcohol can reverse some of these changes. As people age, they may become more sensitive to alcohol's effects. The same amount of alcohol can have a greater effect on an older person than on someone who is younger. Also, some medicines can be dangerous when mixed with alcohol. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

At any age, getting a good night's sleep supports brain health. Sleep problems — not getting enough sleep, sleeping poorly, and sleep disorders — can lead to trouble with memory, concentration, and other cognitive functions. Social isolation and feeling lonely may be bad for brain health. Loneliness has been linked to higher risk for dementia, and less social activity has been linked to poorer cognitive function.

gov www. ADEAR Center staff answer telephone, email, and written requests and make referrals to local and national resources. Alzheimer's Association TTY info alz. org www. This content is provided by the NIH National Institute on Aging NIA.

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So, when it comes to cognitive performance and seniors, it can also be helpful to look for areas in which their skills might be declining rather than looking for areas in which they excel. Here are some of the most common cognitive changes in older adults:.

The truth is, it comes into play in several ways in our daily lives, often without us realizing it. Here are just a few examples of when we use our cognitive skills on a daily basis:.

Now you know what the term means, which means it's time to learn about improving it! So, next, let's talk about achieving high cognitive performance for adults and older adults. There are many different ways to improve your cognitive skills, but some of the most effective include:.

Giving yourself the chance to be creative and make creative decisions or perform creative activities can be incredibly helpful for improving or maintaining your cognitive skills.

When you're creative, you're using more of your brain than when you're just going through the motions. This is another helpful factor for achieving high cognitive performance. According to a study published in the journal PLOS ONE , socialization can help improve cognitive function and reduce the risk of dementia.

The study also found that people who had more social interactions were more likely to have better cognitive performance. Another helpful strategy for achieving high cognitive performance is giving brain training games a try.

These types of games are designed to help with things like memory, processing speed, and reaction time. Not to mention, they're fun!

Here are a few brain games you can play at home or with friends and family:. There are also a number of different brain training games available online and on mobile devices. A few popular options include Lumosity, NeuroNation, and Fit Brains Trainer. Spatial memory is our ability to remember the locations of objects.

For example, you use spatial memory every time you go to the grocery store and remember where the items you need are located. As we mentioned, our visuospatial skills can decline as we age, meaning a decrease in our cognition abilities. The good news is, there are things you can do to improve it.

Improving your spatial memory can not only help you in your everyday life but can also be helpful in a number of professions, such as driving and navigation, architecture, and even art!

Finally, let's talk about tVNS and what it can do for your cognitive performance. tVNS is a non-invasive method of stimulating the vagus nerve, which has been shown to improve cognition in many people.

Just consider the findings from this study :. Learning and memory improved rapidly after one month of stimulation, and other cognitive functions improved gradually over time.

Cognitive improvements were sustained up to two years of treatment. The Xen by Neuvana headphones are an accessible and non-invasive way to get started with tVNS.

The headphones are comfortable to wear, easy to use, and plug into a handheld device that connects to your phone. Then, the headphones deliver electrical impulses to the vagus nerve through your ear. These impulses stimulate the vagus nerve, which is thought to help with mood, anxiety, stress, and inflammation, and, as we discussed, they might even be able to provide a cognition boost!

Implementing even just one or two of these strategies can go a long way toward helping you achieve high cognitive performance. So if you're looking to boost your brainpower, give them a try! If tVNS is one of those methods you're eager to try, we're here to help.

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Main menu Home Catalog. Your cart is empty Start shopping. By Brittnee Williams Apr 7, Tags cognitive. Facebook Pinterest Twitter E-mail. Did we get your attention? What Does High Cognitive Performance Mean?

Read more about peak performance and accessing your highest potential next What Are the Benefits of High Cognitive Performance? Here are a few examples of how it can benefit us: Studies have shown cognitive performance is linked with job success - those with higher cognitive scores are more likely to be successful in their careers Cognitive performance is also linked with earnings potential - those with higher cognitive scores tend to earn more money Better cognitive performance has been linked with healthier lifestyle choices , such as eating a healthy diet and getting regular exercise People with high cognitive scores are also less likely to develop dementia and other age-related diseases So, as you can see, having high cognitive performance can pay off in a number of ways!

But first… How Does Cognitive Performance Change as We Age? Cognitive performance in children High cognitive performance in children can be difficult to identify because children develop at different paces and have different goals depending on several factors.

Cognitive performance in adults What does high cognitive performance look like in adults? Cognitive performance in seniors As for what high cognitive performance looks like in senior citizens, there are a few things to keep in mind.

Here are some of the most common cognitive changes in older adults: Memory problems: As people age, remembering things can become increasingly difficult. This can range from trouble remembering things that happened decades ago long-term memory to things that happened in the recent past short-term memory.

Impaired judgment and decision-making skills: As we get older, we may have trouble making decisions, judging situations accurately, and solving problems effectively.

Difficulty with language and communication: Older adults may experience changes in their ability to use or understand words, or they may have trouble finding the right words when speaking.

They may also have trouble following conversations or reading text. The goal of cognitive training is to sharpen the mind and help people hold on to their mental abilities as they age by playing games, solving jigsaw puzzles, or completing memory tasks.

But does it really work? Training improves skills on some tasks, but it's still uncertain if those results transfer to everyday life.

However, there's certainly no harm in using cognitive training to stay engaged, focused, and mentally active. So what can you do to boost your brain fitness? Learning to play an instrument, learning a new language, staying socially engaged, and getting regular exercise are just a few strategies that can help.

Also known as brain training, cognitive training is a non-pharmacological approach that involves following a series of regular mental activities designed to help maintain or even increase a person's cognitive thinking abilities.

Some of the mental abilities that are often targeted by cognitive training include:. In addition to this specific brain training, there are also more general forms of mental training that can help retain or improve mental fitness and cognitive functioning. This more general mental training focuses on keeping the brain "fit," much the way exercise improves and maintains physical health.

General types of mental training can take a variety of forms, including physical exercise, playing video games, staying socially engaged, and participating in creative pursuits.

The focus of these activities is to help people become better at things like learning, solving problems, and reasoning. Some of these brain training activities focus on doing things like helping people remember more or improving their ability to focus and pay attention.

Such abilities have obvious uses in daily life. Being able to pay attention may help you focus on a class lecture or complete tasks without getting distracted. Being able to remember more might help you learn new things efficiently or recall the names of new people you meet.

Research has also found that these abilities are strongly linked to things such as intelligence , school achievement, and overall success in life.

Given the importance of these skills, it is perhaps not surprising that researchers have long been interested in knowing if such abilities are malleable. There are a number of reasons why people might want to try cognitive training.

These include:. Mental abilities that tend to decrease with age include processing speed, reaction time, decision making , short-term memory , and planning skills.

Brain training may help sharpen these abilities, and it may help reduce the risks of some age-related memory problems. One study, for example, found that training focused on improving processing speed reduced the risk for developing dementia a decade later.

There is also hope that some types of brain training may be useful for addressing certain types of impairments or problems. For example, in , the FDA approved a brain training game designed to help treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder ADHD.

The treatment is delivered via a video game that has been shown in several clinical trials to improve attention in children with ADHD. These effects also translated into meaningful improvement in daily functioning after a month of treatment. Such results show the potential that brain training may have.

Researchers have been studying the impact of brain training for decades. However, there continues to be surprisingly little consensus on the effectiveness of cognitive training.

While there is research that supports the idea that specific brain training exercises can improve specific cognitive skills, there are other studies that have arrived at different conclusions. Despite this lack of agreement in the research, an entire industry of apps, games, and other tools has emerged based on the idea that playing these brain games can improve your mental abilities.

And while there is some support for brain training, researchers have also questioned whether the skills gained during these training exercises transfer to real-world activities. There is some research that supports the use of brain training and its transferability to daily life and functioning.

In one large-scale study, mental training was found to improve the cognitive function of older adults that led to lasting real-world improvements such as recalling when to take their medications. The potential for such lasting benefits could help older adults maintain their mental abilities and independence as they age.

It's not just aging brains that stand to benefit from cognitive training. Research also suggests that brain training games can help improve executive functions such as working memory and processing speed in younger adults as well. The question, then, is why have some studies supported the positive effects of cognitive training while others have not found such effects?

There may be a few factors at work. If you are interested in using brain training, there are a few different things you can do. Cognitive training exercises often involve such things as pattern detection, using a touch screen program to increase thinking speed, and memorizing lists.

Such activities can often be found online or by using mobile apps. There are some things you should remember before trying these websites, games, or apps, however:. Some of these brain training companies were actually fined by the Federal Trade Commission FTC for making misleading claims about the benefits of their games.

A study compared the effects of the brain-training tool Lumosity to regular video games. The results found that both groups showed improvements in cognitive abilities—but so did other participants who didn't play any games at all. The reality is that cognitive training may or may not work, but engaging in mentally stimulating activities is always a good thing.

Finding ways to challenge your brain may help you feel sharper now and protect your brain as you age. If you want to try more general mental training designed to improve overall brain fitness, you might want to focus on doing mental exercises on your own. Some brain-boosting activities that might be helpful include:.

In addition to such cognitive training, there are other things that you can do to help take care of your brain.

Activities that can improve your brain health include getting regular exercise , being socially active , and meditating. Cognitive training may have a number of potential benefits, but it is also important to understand the limitations. It may sharpen your skills and help you retain more information, but you shouldn't expect miraculous improvements.

Such skills may or may not translate to the real world. If nothing else, these brain games can be a fun, challenging way to put your cognitive skills to the test. Rather than focusing on training for a specific mental ability such as working memory, you might be better off focusing on things that promote long-term brain health and fitness.

These include staying physically active, managing your stress , getting plenty of sleep, and maintaining social connections.

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Those changes may help counteract age- and disease-related alterations and help to explain cognitive benefits and transfers, once their link with cognitive improvements has been clearly established 33 , Finally, the study suffers a selection bias, since the participants were all users of this app and were therefore most probably familiar with the use of smartphones and current technology.

This has two consequences: first, older people who are less familiar with mobile technology might find this app less usable and therefore the adherence may be lower. Secondly, a recent study underlined the importance of digital devices use in delaying cognitive decline in the older adults 58 , thus the participants of this study may have already been benefiting from this phenomenon and thus functioning at a higher cognitive level than those who do not regularly use mobile technology.

Despite these limitations, the results of this study support that even at old age above 80 years old , participants are able to use CMG and to train and improve cognition through CMG. Although technological devices and medical-related apps cannot single-handedly improve cognitive decline, in the absence of effective, low-cost, and accessible treatments for cognitive and motivational deficits, these brain training apps could be greatly beneficial to public health.

One salient aspect of the games is that they could be combined with automated evaluation and assessment of cognitive function 16 , In this context, the presented method could be an interesting complementary tool due to its potential to become widely available thanks to the growing use of mobile technology.

Another positive aspect is that the cognitive training and follow-up with games on mobile can be also proposed to patients with limited mobility, or living to far to come on a regular basis to specialized centers 60 , and in lockdown during the COVID pandemic 61 , While cognitive training app games have been shown to improve memory in older people with mild cognitive impairment 63 , further studies are needed to determine if technologies, such as apps, can decrease dementia risk in healthy subjects or slow down the progression of the disease in patients suffering from cognitive impairment and if there is a transfer to the activities of daily living.

We can, also, speculate that since psychomotor slowing associated with aging has an important negative effect on multi-tasking activities of daily living, improving the processing speed could have a positive effect on the quality of life of the participants We carried out a retrospective observational study in which we obtained anonymized CMG results of healthy participants.

This study was approved by The Cambridge Psychology Research Ethics Committee Pre. The scores of the CMG, automatically recorded by the application, were then analysed anonymously for each of the five age groups provided: 60—64, 65—69, 70—74, 75—79, and 80 years or older.

The number of participants varied in each CMG and in the different age groups Table 1. In this study, we used a set of seven individual short CMG provided by Peak brain training www.

net , London—UK to analyze changes in-game scores and processing speed over the course of sessions of CMG one session is defined as the completion of one level of the CMG.

The games are organized by categories based on the main cognitive functions on which they focus. Screenshots of the games are presented in Fig. The difficulty level of each CMG is adapted automatically according to the previous performance of the participant i. The number of stimuli and the intersimulus intervals depend on the CMG and the difficulty level The CMG were played on smartphones or tablets and the scores of training sessions were analyzed.

No particular instructions were given to the participants about the frequency or the duration of each training session, the total duration needed to achieve the sessions of training for the different CMG is presented in Supplementary Table S1.

Screenshots of the 7 CMG used in this study. A Square Numbers, B Memory Sweep, C Word Pair, D Babble Bots, E Must Sort, F Unique, G Rush Back. Instructions and main cognitive abilities trained of each CMG are presented in Table 5. The primary outcome was the scores obtained in the seven CMG for the different age groups.

Several cognitive sub-functions are usually assessed during standard cognitive evaluations: attention, memory, fluency, language, and visuospatial abilities Table 5 To have a complete overview of the cognition, those different sub-functions need to be assessed individually; the scores of the CMG are used as a proxy of the main sub-cognitive abilities challenged in each game.

As a second primary outcome, we computed the processing speed based on the reaction time for the speed-dependent CMG exceptions were Memory Sweep and Word Pairs Details of the computations are presented in Table 4. Processing speed is considered as a good indicator of general cognitive performance 19 and has been proposed as a predictor of frailty risk among people in old age 67 , Firstly, the first session scores of the different age groups were compared using one-way analysis of variance ANOVA or Kruskal—Wallis tests, depending the distribution of the data, to determine if age had an influence on the initial scores.

Omega-squared analyses or epsilon-squared non-normally distributed tests were computed to estimate the effect size Post-hoc tests for linear trends were performed last.

We then analysed each CMG using a separate mixed model with random slope age and intercept with the scores from each session treated as repeated measures adjusted for the total duration of the training for each participant.

Fixed effects of age group, session 1 to , and the interaction between age group and session were specified, and the estimated baseline measures were constrained to be identical in the age groups by subtracting the mean values of the first session for each age group in all the sessions.

This approach is equivalent to adjusting for baseline and permitting the relationship between baseline and follow-up scores to differ at each session.

Likelihood-ratio tests were used to test the significance of the random effects model and linear mixed model with interaction. For the processing speed, we applied a separate mixed model for the different CMG with random slope age and intercept with the processing speed from each session treated as repeated measures, adjusted for the difficulty levels reached and the total duration of the training for each participant.

Statistical analyses were performed at an overall significance level of 0. The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

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The halo effect is a type of bias characterised by the first impression that individuals may have of someone or something. One particularly interesting research area for cognitive psychologists is how cognitive thinking can be used to assist with mental health via cognitive behavioural therapy CBT.

This type of therapy can be effective in treating anxiety and depression. CBT works by helping individuals identify, understand and challenge unhelpful thoughts, and then by helping them learn practical strategies that enable them to bring about positive changes in their lives.

CBT is particularly helpful in assisting individuals to understand how cognitive thinking might affect their mood. CBT treats thinking like any other habit that can be positively influenced and changed. Fundamentally, cognitive processes are what enable us to think, acquire knowledge, remember, read, pay attention and make critical decisions.

Cognitive processes and skills are vital for processing new information and ensuring that the brain understands the world and creates useful data stores. As one of the foundational cognitive processes, thought is essential in helping individuals make decisions, solve problems and access higher-order reasoning skills that help them assess the merits of the options available to them.

As the name suggests, attention is how well individuals can stay focused on the task at hand, regardless of what distractions surround them. Attention is related to memory because good attention leads to better short- and long-term memory recall.

Throughout life, human beings are constantly taking in new information and learning. Learning is the cognitive process associated with understanding new things, synthesising information and integrating it with past experiences to master new skills or see things from a different perspective.

Perception is the cognitive process that allows individuals to take in sights, sounds, smells and information via touch and to mentally process this information and respond to it.

Perception is both how individuals process initial information acquired via their senses in their immediate environment, as well as how their thoughts on it change over time.

Memory is the cognitive process that relates to how well individuals recall information, both in the short term and in the long term. A good memory is critical for success both at work and in everyday life. Cognitive skills use cognitive processes, so individuals can better acquire knowledge and make important decisions.

By practising, individuals can improve their cognitive skills. Critical thinking helps individuals evaluate information and conduct logical thought processes. Critical thinking skills enable people to analyse situations and find the best solutions, even if these solutions are not straightforward or obvious.

Quantitative skills involve the use of mathematics and statistics to help individuals turn ideas into measurements and to use these measurements to make important decisions. The use of quantitative skills helps people be more objective in their decision-making and is particularly useful in technology and science-based roles, as well as in everyday life.

Logic and reasoning are the skills required for individuals to solve difficult problems based on the information available. Logic and reasoning help individuals think through the various options available to them and help them weigh the merits of each.

Strong logic helps people understand what tasks to do and in what order. Emotional intelligence is critical to maintaining positive relationships. Focused attention helps individuals prioritise tasks, especially when several competing priorities exist.

This essential cognitive skill helps people stay focused and organised. Whenever the brain is presented with new information, new connections form between neurons. Learning takes place when new connections are formed between a network of neurons, and forgetting takes place when these connections fall away.

Connections within the brain are formed when two stimuli are paired together. For example, when children observe how adults behave, they use this behaviour as a model for their own.

Memory is the process in which the brain encodes, stores and retrieves information. Memory includes both what people consciously remember and ingrained knowledge that they may be unconsciously aware of.

Understanding how people learn is an important research area for cognitive psychologists. One theory that helps them understand this is cognitive learning theory.

Cognitive learning theory uses metacognition, or the idea that individuals think about their own thinking, to explain how people learn throughout their lifetimes.

Fundamentally, cognitive learning theory can be used to help people enhance their memory retention and their overall productivity by understanding their thought processes while they learn, meaning that their learning can be guided more effectively. According to the developmental psychologist Jean Piaget, children move through four stages of cognitive development as they become adults.

Understanding these stages is important in understanding what individuals are capable of learning and understanding at any point in their lives.

In the sensorimotor stage, infants and toddlers acquire knowledge through their senses and by handling objects.

Their development mostly takes place through basic reflexes and motor responses, including sucking, grasping, looking and listening.

In the preoperational stage, language begins to develop. Children in this stage start to use words and pictures and understand the relationship between language and objects in their everyday lives.

They do, however, struggle to see things from the perspective of others and think in very concrete terms. In the concrete operational stage, children become better at using logic and at understanding the perspective of others. They begin to understand how to have more complex conversations and can use inductive logic reasoning from specific information.

In the formal operational stage, the final stage of cognitive development, children and young adults increase their use of logic and can understand abstract ideas. Cognitive learning theory can also be applied in a workplace setting to help individuals excel and succeed in their careers via workplace learning.

Instructors can use different techniques to help individuals positively adjust their behaviour and learn more effectively, including the following:. Cognitive behavioural theory seeks to explain how thoughts and feelings can influence behaviour, and how, in turn, these thoughts and feelings can affect learning.

By using cognitive behavioural theory, instructors try to assist learners to have a positive mindset, so they can learn most effectively and retain information. Instructors endeavour to motivate and incentivise students and ensure that they can focus in the classroom.

The concepts of implicit and explicit learning help instructors structure their learning to maximise the amount of information learners can retain. Implicit learning is learning that occurs without effort, whereas explicit learning does require effort.

Boosting cognitive thinking can also have many other benefits, including that it:. Here are seven tips to boost it. Research has shown that physical activity improves cognitive performance and memory , including the ability to learn, manage stress and make better decisions.

Good quality sleep, and enough of it ideally seven to nine hours each night , helps put people in a better mood and gives them the energy they need for the day. Sleep also helps sharpen the brain by flushing out toxins that build up during the day. The cognitive skills required to interact, including using language and memory, are critical to ensuring continued brain health.

One great way to improve cognitive thinking is to try new things. When trying something new, new connections are formed in the brain, which helps to keep the brain healthy and provides a new and exciting challenge for the individual. Learning a new language can greatly assist cognitive thinking as it helps individuals understand how to communicate in a completely different way.

It also gives insights into different cultures and perspectives. Contrary to popular belief, individuals can learn a new language at any time of their lives by practising and exercising patience.

Tips for learning a new language to enhance cognitive thinking:. Board games, card games and video games can all help activate higher-order cognitive skills , as they involve socialising, strategising, reasoning, solving problems and many other skills.

Your brain will become stronger and work better with enhanced use. Investing in increasing cognitive thinking is critical for better performance, at work and in life.

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.