Do you do specific things to exercise your brain?

Ronni

Ronni

Well-known Member
Location
Nashville TN
My Mum and Dad both suffered from dementia in their later years, my Dad had aphasia like Bruce Willis. When I was approaching my 60th year I realized I wanted to do all I could to keep my brain as healthy as possible for as long as possible to prevent cognitive decline and hopefully prevent myself from going down the same path as them.

I was already eating healthfully and had an active social life, plus I’ve read voraciously all my life, so I took up various things…did those puzzle books with a variety of brain teasers, crosswords, sudoku etc. Started doing jigsaw puzzles. Played chess with one of my boys. I also had a cell phone then so I invested in several apps that were popular at the time, designed specifically for seniors to exercise their brains, prevent or slow cognitive decline.

Then I realized that while all that was fun, I wasn’t learning anything, it wasn’t productive in that regard. That’s when I decided to dive headfirst into technology! I barely knew how to turn on a computer, had no clue how to set up my printer, I could text and call on the phone but had to have one of my kids set me up with apps etc. I had a complete mental block if more than one remote was involved in order to turn on the tv and run a vhs or dvd.

Technology is constantly changing, improving, evolving, so I knew there’d always be something new to learn. The learning curve from where I started out was steep, but with my kids’ help I slowly began to master the basics, and ultimately felt comfortable and confident with this new skillset.

I troubleshoot clients’ tech issues whether with their phones, computers, WiFi, new tv setups etc. And also my own personal stuff. Just at finished setting up a Bluetooth soundbar for the living room TV, and am diving into chatGPT and AI. There’s way more to learn than I have life left to live!! And I love that!

What do you do to keep your brain healthy?
 

The NY Times has a daily series of fun games that are good brain exercise. My children and I do them every morning, and we compare scores, which is fun. We're usually very close in our scores. The games I play daily are: Wordle, Strands, Connections, Spelling Bee, and another game outside of the NY Times list, Words With Friends. They are all good brain exercise.
 
Pretty much the same as everyone here...

I've been a crossword fan forever really... there's not a day goes by when I don't complete at least one or more crosswords...

I have aways been an Avid reader... ever since childhood.....

Like you Ronni... I have recently been learning more about technology.. because it was my husband who did everything for me in that department, because I knew nothing about it.. but I've started in the last year to learn much more..

I will always play a logic quiz when I get the chance and always achieve high scores... ..and on the forum, I play simple word games...
 
Ronni said:
My Mum and Dad both suffered from dementia in their later years, my Dad had aphasia like Bruce Willis. When I was approaching my 60th year I realized I wanted to do all I could to keep my brain as healthy as possible for as long as possible to prevent cognitive decline and hopefully prevent myself from going down the same path as them.

I was already eating healthfully and had an active social life, plus I’ve read voraciously all my life, so I took up various things…did those puzzle books with a variety of brain teasers, crosswords, sudoku etc. Started doing jigsaw puzzles. Played chess with one of my boys. I also had a cell phone then so I invested in several apps that were popular at the time, designed specifically for seniors to exercise their brains, prevent or slow cognitive decline.

Then I realized that while all that was fun, I wasn’t learning anything, it wasn’t productive in that regard. That’s when I decided to dive headfirst into technology! I barely knew how to turn on a computer, had no clue how to set up my printer, I could text and call on the phone but had to have one of my kids set me up with apps etc. I had a complete mental block if more than one remote was involved in order to turn on the tv and run a vhs or dvd.

Technology is constantly changing, improving, evolving, so I knew there’d always be something new to learn. The learning curve from where I started out was steep, but with my kids’ help I slowly began to master the basics, and ultimately felt comfortable and confident with this new skillset.

I troubleshoot clients’ tech issues whether with their phones, computers, WiFi, new tv setups etc. And also my own personal stuff. Just at finished setting up a Bluetooth soundbar for the living room TV, and am diving into chatGPT and AI. There’s way more to learn than I have life left to live!! And I love that!

What do you do to keep your brain healthy?
Click to expand...
Good deal........I enroll in tech and other classes every year. Learning is very good for the brain.
 
The NY Times is no longer within my budget. The Washington Post has a free daily puzzle which is in fact the LA Times puzzle. It drops at midnight so if I'm still up, and I am, I do it right away. Then I go to something called Your Puzzle Source for another daily. Then there is Boatload puzzles. They have thousands available but they are not themed and lack the wit of the NY and LA Times puzzles. I probably do a half dozen of those each day with less enthusiasm.
 
hollydolly said:
Pretty much the same as everyone here...

I've been a crossword fan forever really... there's not a day goes by when I don't complete at least one or more crosswords...

I have aways been an Avid reader... ever since childhood.....

Like you Ronni... I have recently been learning more about technology.. because it was my husband who did everything for me in that department, because I knew nothing about it.. but I've started in the last year to learn much more..

I will always play a logic quiz when I get the chance and always achieve high scores... ..and on the forum, I play simple word games...
Click to expand...
Good to see you, @hollydolly. How are you feeling?
 
Let's see I spend quite a bit of time playing 2248 which is a square merging game. Also play wooduko which is a puzzle game that you fit pieces into complete the challenge.

I'm still looking for other games that interest me as much as these do to play sadly enough there's really not that many and no I don't really like Candy crush or any three matchup game, that has been beat to death.
 
Sunny said:
The NY Times has a daily series of fun games that are good brain exercise. My children and I do them every morning, and we compare scores, which is fun. We're usually very close in our scores. The games I play daily are: Wordle, Strands, Connections, Spelling Bee, and another game outside of the NY Times list, Words With Friends. They are all good brain exercise.
Click to expand...
I too do the various free puzzles from NYT. Usually after getting up to pee in the night :) A small group of us share our daily scores via Whatsapp.

I also learn and practice Tai Chi and Chi Gung which certainy works your mind and body!
 
chic said:
What happened to your hand, Hols?
Click to expand...
My hand and wrist were broken in the car crash... my palm and the back of my hand were ripped to shreds. On the actual night ofthe accident.. at 1am, 2 female plastic surgeons sewed my hand back together where it had been torn to ribbons. They had to inject the aneasthetic into each seperate bloody tear in my hand... a total of 12 injections into the raw wounds, I've never felt anything so painful , but I have massive respect for those surgeons working on me in the early hours of the morning... all the while one was saying how her back was killing her...
 
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I'm constantly researching on the internet whatever comes before me of interest on the news, and health issues, financial issues, state of the economy, etc.

My journal of daily events occupies some of my time, as well as a separate health journal, and a book I'm working on (for my own use, not to sell). Plus, I keep a close budget of income and expenses so I always know where I am with finances.

I doubt I have the talents for technology that were expressed in the OP, but I often get into tech sites and find ways to tweek my computer so it behaves the way I want it to rather than standard design.

My movies, and a movie log on my expnding collection occupy a certain amount of time.

It's interesting to see how many members are into puzzles and games. I wish I could get there, but those aren't something I do.
 
Dave and i do the NYTimes crossword twice a day (Thursday, Friday and Saturdays from back in the day cuz they’re harder) and I play Words with Friends and other games online.
 

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