Exercises for Your Brain

Some sedentary activities can actually provide a great workout for your brain! So if you must sit still, try some of these mental exercises:

• To think faster: Play video games. In one study, gamers were able to process new information up to 13% faster – and more accurately – than non-gamers! Why? Dr. James Paul Gee, a language professor at the University of Wisconsin, says video games force people to make quick decisions, sort out patterns, and think strategically, three skills which improve what he calls your “fluid intelligence.”
  
  
• To solve problems better: Surf the Web. Researchers at UCLA found that people who cruise the Internet use twice as many brain cells as people who read a book. That’s because you’re constantly wading through several pages of digital data at once, filtering out information you don’t need. So even a simple Google search will fire neural connections in multiple lobes of your brain at the same time – including the area responsible for complex reasoning.
  
  
• Want to be more productive at work? Play a computer game – like Solitaire or Free Cell. Your boss may not agree, but new research shows that single-person strategy games can lower stress and improve mood. Those are two factors known to boost productivity! Also, lower stress improves a worker’s ability to solve problems and make tough decisions. However, we encourage you to save your next Minesweeper marathon for your lunch break.
  
  
• To improve concentration: Watch a complicated TV show. Dr. Patricia Farrell is a psychologist who wrote the book How To Be Your Own Therapist. She says recent hit shows like “Lost,” “24” and “Heroes” are great for the brain, because they have lots of plot lines and characters to keep track of. That forces people to either pay close attention, or risk being left in the dark! So the better you are at noticing subtle plot points in your favorite TV show, the better your overall focus will be.

Studies have shown that mentally stimulating lives can postpone memory problems. But diets high in saturated fat, plus a lifestyle filled with stress, little physical activity, and few mental challenges have been linked to a higher risk of dementia. But those who follow Dr. Small’s ‘boot camp’ for the brain program (Gary Small, a psychiatrist at UCLA, and author of The Memory Prescription), end up with more efficient brain cells, are much less forgetful, and have lower blood pressure. And there’s new evidence that keeping blood pressure down might delay the onset of Alzheimer’s for several years. So, here’s what ‘boot camp’ for the brain is:

• The doctor recommends a diet high in omega-3 fatty acids, which is found in nuts and fish and lots of antioxidants, like blueberries and prunes.
• The program also includes stress release sessions and physical exercise, which includes brief moments of stretching, walking and yoga, several times a day.
• And then there’s the memory aerobics that help keep your brain nimble. About 15 minutes a day of puzzles and brain teasers, like remembering the name “Weinberger” by visualizing a bottle of wine falling onto a burger.

If you’d like to go further, the book is called The Memory Prescription by Dr. Gary Small.