Mental exercise is just as important as physical exercise. Regularly exercising your brain with mentally stimulating novel activities helps brain function (thinking skills and memory) and reduces the risk of Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias. The best brain exercises challenge you to try something new and develop new neural pathways.

There are many ways you can exercise your brain. You could try:

• Attending lectures to learn something new.
• Playing board or card games.
• Enrolling in classes in your local adult education center.
• A hobby such as painting, carpentry, sewing etc.
• Reading different genres of books or magazines.
• Learn to dance, play a musical instrument or speak a new language.
• Join a club or community group.
• Find a volunteer position that allows you to meet new people and experience new situations.
• Create a jigsaw puzzle.
• Perform a task with your non-dominant hand.
• Change your routines. This will help you refocus your attention.
• And of course, continue your physical exercise. Exercise improves circulation and sends oxygen to your brain.