Brain Training and Keeping Your Mind Busy

If you’re looking for ways to avoid cognitive disorders like Alzheimer’s disease and dementia as you age, the answer might be lie in how busy you’re keeping your brain throughout your life. There is much evidence to suggest that a busy brain is a healthy brain.

Scientists first got the notion that the busy brain was healthier than its more laid back counterparts when it was noticed that people with more education and better jobs were less likely to get Alzheimer’s disease than those who were less educated and had low status jobs. Researchers began to wonder if these differences were because more educated people kept their brains busier.

Since then, many studies have confirmed that people who work to keep their minds active through reading, playing games, doing puzzles and socially interacting with others face a lower risk of dementia type illnesses. A busy mind seems to build up reserves, or networks within the brain. And, the more networks you have, the more resilient your brain is to age related cognitive disorders.

There’s no sure fire prescription for which brain training exercise activities you should undertake, or for how long you need to undertake brain activities to see a result. However, it seems clear that starting early is best. Waiting until you reach retirement to find brain training and stimulating activities is not nearly as productive as keeping your brain active throughout your life. And, the earlier you develop the habit of keeping your brain busy, the easier this habit will be to maintain as you get older. The person who has always been a reader, who has always taken classes and always had a strong social network, will continue to pursue these brain building activities for as long as they are physically able. To do otherwise would seem unnatural.

So, while you’re young, start developing hobbies and activities that you can continue into your old age. Read, listen to music, visit museums, do puzzles or play games. Not only will you find your life richer at every age, but you’ll see to it that you have fun and brain stimulating activities that you can do at any age.

You’ll notice that watching television wasn’t on the list of activities that improve your brain. In fact, studies have suggested that excessive television viewing can actually be bad for your brain. However, it certainly is possible to find television shows that are mentally stimulating. Just be certain that you stick to shows that teach you something and limit the amount of television you watch on a daily basis. Don’t let the TV become a substitute for more activities that are better for your brain.

So, you see, it doesn’t matter what kind of brain training and +stimulating activity you choose, but rather that you choose one (or more) and perform it regularly. Not only will you enjoy life more today, but you’ll likely be able to enjoy your life with a healthy brain for many years to come.

Articles