Brain activity

As you grow older, do you notice things don’t come to you as quickly as they used to? Whether it’s being able to complete a crossword puzzle in a magazine, remembering where you left your keys or recalling your best friend’s cell phone number, we all slip a little bit as the years go on. Here are 10 ways to keep your mind fresh:

1. Leave your comfort zone: Challenge yourself! Spend time doing something that’s the opposite of your natural skills. If you like to draw, learn how to do math. If you like reading and writing, do logic puzzles.

2. Listen to music: Turn up your favorite song! Music can lower stress hormones and increase feelings of well-being. In turn, your brain will be more focused and more receptive to learning.

3. Stay current with world news: Read online newspapers and magazines. Not only will it give you something to talk about with friends and family, it will also activate multiple parts of your brain and encourage cell growth.

4. Play a board game: Yahtzee! It doesn’t matter what game you choose — board games in general are associated with a lower risk of developing dementia. They require strategic planning and they’re also fun to play.

5. Use your non-dominant hand: Switching things up a bit may feel uncomfortable at first, but using a different a hand to complete tasks that are typically automatic will stimulate brain-cell growth. Really, anything that requires the brain to pay close attention has positive benefits.

6. Redesign your environment: Making small changes to your environment can alter pathways in your brain and encourage new cell growth. One more reason to redecorate! Change your family room around. Rearrange your closets and drawers. Replace old candles with new ones that have a different scent.

7. Keep calendars in sight: Looking at the week ahead keeps you focused and task-oriented, which helps you keep a mental picture of the future.

8. Snack on almonds and blueberries: Turn that candy bar in! The antioxidants in blueberries and the omega-3s in almonds can actually improve cognition and keep your brain functioning correctly.

9. Volunteer: Acting as a tour guide or answering questions at a hospital, library, center or museum forces you to think on your feet and learn new facts. Plus, being social eases stress, which affects memory.

10. Sleep: Consistently get six to eight hours a night. Nothing regenerates the brain like sleep. So, get your shut-eye without any guilt!