We are all aware that it is important to exercise our bodies and to keep them fit and healthy. But our brain is involved in everything that we do, and like our bodies, it needs to be cared for and looked after to keep it fit and healthy. Completing some brain-boosting exercises at home can help to improve our memory, focus and our brain’s daily function. These exercises can be completed by and will benefit people of all ages and can easily be incorporated into our daily home life schedules. Let’s have a look at our list of brain-boosting exercises that you could try at home.
1 Taking Care Of Your Body
If you want to take care of your mind, you, first of all, need to make sure that you are taking care of your mind. Healthy behaviours include not smoking, drinking alcohol in moderation, eating lots of fruit and vegetables and getting regular exercise. Some of these may be more difficult to try to change the habit of, but your brain will thank you for it in the long run. Try going for a quick walk at lunchtime, it doesn’t have to be a big workout, but just something that will elevate your heart rate slightly. A healthy diet can improve mental health.
2 Learn A New Skill
Learning something new is one way to keep your brain on its toes and build up its strength. It is an exercise that will require a bit of commitment though but one that you will see the results of. As we learn new things, pathways are built in our brains between our neurones and the more we practice, the stronger those pathways become. It is also proven that learning a new skill can help improve memory functions.
3 Meditate
This is a brain training exercise that has been around for 1000s of years but has become more increasingly popular, especially mindfulness meditating. Daily meditation calms your body and slows your breathing, and teaches your brain to focus on the present moment. It can also help fine-tune your memory and increase your brain’s ability to process information.
4 Complete a Jigsaw Puzzle
Working on a jigsaw is a great way to strengthen your brain. When looking at a puzzle you have to look at lots of different pieces in one go and work out where they need to go and how they fit within the larger picture. This is a great way to challenge your brain, whether it is 1000 piece puzzle of a castle or a 100 piece puzzle of Mickey Mouse.
5 Focus On Someone
This is a good memory exercise to boost your brain. Next time you are talking to someone, take note of what they are wearing. Are they wearing a hat? Have they got glasses on? What colour were their shoes? Decide on 4 things and make a mental note of them. Later on, try and remember those 4 details and write them down.
6 Draw A Map From Memory
When we visit places that we are familiar with, we can drive/walk there without even really thinking about what we are doing or where we are going.
7 Use Your Non-Dominant Hand
Using your non-dominant hand can be a great way to strengthen your brain activity as it can be a challenge to use your weaker hand. The most effective brain-boosting activities are normally the ones that are the most challenging, and this is one of those. Try switching hands when you are eating or when trying to write something down.
8 Teach A New Skill To Someone Else
We already said about learning a new skill, but what about teaching someone else a new skill. This is one of the best ways to expand your learning. Teaching a skill to someone else means that you will have to fully understand and explain the concept you are teaching and correct any mistakes that you come across.
9 Learn New Vocabulary
A rich vocabulary and understanding of lots of words can make us sound smart, but it can also be turned into a great brain-boosting activity. While you are reading a book, make notes of any new words that you come across, look up the definition and try to use it 5 times in conversation.
10 Play A Game Of Cards
A quick card game can lead to greater brain activity in several areas of our brain. Playing card games can also improve memory and thinking skills. Some games you can play on your own but some also can be played with others, and socialising helps to improve your brain activity.
All clinicians at Oxford CBT are qualified in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, some are also Psychologists. Offering evidence-based interventions and support for a range of issues for both young people and adults. If you would like to book an appointment you can do so on our online booking portal. If you have a question please get in touch via our online contact form or call us on 01865 920077.