Keeping Your Mind
and
Memory Sharp with a Brain Game

By M. Chris Wolf, PH.D. and Memory Loss Staff

What about a Brain Game for healthy memory? A popular myth says that we only use 10% of our brains for day-to-day activities, and that the remainder is a dormant and untapped resource. While this is clearly nonsense, many people do not make the optimum use of their "thinking muscles". Like every other part of the human body, the brain will deteriorate if it is inactive for long periods, and it does benefit from exercise exactly as muscles and other organs do. "Use it or lose it" is just as true of the brain as it is of other parts.Memory failure is common as a person grows older, and may be a symptom of underlying disease, such as Alzheimer's. However, research has shown that exercise, through a brain teaser or brain training, can keep the memory functioning well for longer.

The first step in keeping your brain healthy and functioning well is to eat a good, sensible diet. The brain consumes a large amount of energy, even while you are asleep, so needs a regular intake of calories. The brain also needs hydration, so ensure you drink plenty of fluids. Physical exercise is also very beneficial, as it ensures a good supply of oxygen to the brain.

Any kind of brain stimulation will keep your brain in good condition, whether it is an electronic store-bought game based on mathematics or a game of chess with a worthy opponent.Neuroplasticity is a scientific term that means the way the brain is capable of growing and developing if it is properly stimulated and exercised. This ability continues all your life, so clearly giving your brain regularly workouts will always improve it.

An excellent way to keep your brain game for anything is to learn things by heart on a regular basis. When you were young, you probably found it easier to learn things like poems and lists - you can probably still recite the alphabet and the "times tables", though you may not have used them for years. A goodmental game is to learn a short poem once a week. You will find this gets easier as you keep at it, which shows your brain is in better condition for this exercise.

Any kind of mental activity, from the crossword puzzles and other brainteasers found in the back of the newspaper to a game of cards, will help your brain to keep functioning at its best. Brain training does not have to be boring, but it could keep your mind sharp and your memory clear well into your old age.

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For more information on brain games consider these resources:

Brain Games #2: Lower Your Brain Age in Minutes a Day (Brain Games (Unnumbered)) [Spiral-Bound]Editors of Publications International (Editor), Elkhonon Goldberg (Contributor)

Brain Age: Train Your Brain in Minutes a Day! by Nintendo Platform: Nintendo DS | Rated: Everyone

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