You know that you need to workout your body – but what about your brain? Studies continue to prove that seniors who engage in cognitive exercises show impressive results in maintaining mental awareness, delaying cognitive diseases such as Alzheimer’s, and overall good health. Just as muscles require exercise to stay fit, so does the brain. The main functions of cognitive exercise include reasoning; analysing; associating; concentrating; and judging.
There are plenty of everyday activities that seniors can engage in to keep mentally fit. Like any exercise routine, pick things that you will enjoy and stick to. Examples include:
- Hobbies: woodworking, photography, dancing, playing music.
- Crafts: painting, knitting, scrapbooking.
- Games: card games, bingo, chess.
- Computer games: Tablets are very popular with seniors for games and puzzles.
- Puzzles: crosswords, sudoku, word search.
- Learning: languages, reading, researching.
The important thing is to challenge your brain every day. Pick things that you will enjoy doing and look for new friends that will also be up for making it part of their routine with you.