Playing Those Mind Games - Keep Your Brain Active Through Play

Many of us worry about losing brain function and mental capacity as we age. And, it's a realistic concern, since brain function has been shown to decrease in most people as they age. However, loss of brain function is not inevitable. Studies have shown that there are many things we can do to preserve and even regain our brain health and fitness as we age.

One of the best ways to ensure a healthy brain as you age is to keep it active. Studies have shown that many people have a marked decrease in brain cognition within the first year of retirement. Note that the reduction in brain function is not related to age, but simply to retiring from your career. This shows a pretty clear relationship between slowing down and reduced brain function.

So, even after retirement, it's important to ensure that you keep your mind active. It will take a little more initiative to do so, since having a job pretty much ensures that you'll use your mind on a daily basis. But, there are plenty of things you can do to maintain and even improve your brain fitness. And, many of them are likely far more enjoyable than the tasks you performed at work!

* Play Cards - Get involved in a bridge club, a canasta club, or play poker with your buddies. Playing cards is beneficial in two ways. First, you'll have to strategize your moves and keep up with the game's progress, which is great exercise for your brain. But secondly, you'll most likely be playing with other people. Socialization is also great for retaining brain function. Lively conversation and even a bit of debate keeps the brain buzzing.

* Play Chess - If you've never played chess, now's the time to start. And, if you played in the past, you'll have more time after retirement to study strategies and practice your skills. Chess is a challenging game for anyone, and it's sure to keep your brain fit.

* Do puzzles - Whether you choose jigsaw puzzles, crossword puzzles or word searches, these games are a great way to keep your healthy brain. These games don't require the company of others, so they'll give you a good source of mental exercise on days when you're not able to get out and be with other people.

Of course, there are many other games, both social and solitary, that I haven't listed here. The point isn't which games you play, but rather that you make the effort to exercise your brain each day. Many aspects of keeping your brain healthy are a matter of choice. Of course, we may all have health issues that impede our ability to stay as active as we'd like, both mentally and physically. However, if we work hard all our lives to keep our brains active, there's no reason why we can't enjoy clear, focused thinking and mental acuity well into our old age.

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