What "Mental Exercises" do you do to keep your brain in shape?

Youngster

Youngster

Member
Keeping your body physically fit is important. Keeping your brain/mind in shape is important too. What do you do to keep your brain in shape?
I write, build websites, read both fiction and non-fiction books, work difficult jigsaw puzzles, meditate.
 

I practice Spanish conversation daily, listen to astronomy and science podcasts in Spanish, do cryptic crosswords, etc. Recently I joined a book club, where we're discussing a German philosopher.

But I do these things because I enjoy them, or because I'm bored. I've tried various brain exercises in books, apps, and so on. They weren't for me.
 
Youngster said:
Keeping your body physically fit is important. Keeping your brain/mind in shape is important too. What do you do to keep your brain in shape?
I write, build websites, read both fiction and non-fiction books, work difficult jigsaw puzzles, meditate.
Click to expand...
I am an avid word game player... on this forum and off. I complete crosswords every day.. cryptic and otherwise.

I no longer read fiction as I once did, but Non Fiction is Ambrosia for my brain.. but I've been a reader all my life since I first learned to read at the age of 4.. and I have 2 or 3 books on the go at any one time..

I'm a researcher by nature and by occupation.. I am constantly learning every day..
 
Last edited:
I play chess (and chess variants) with my son, word games online, a sudoku-like game called Fantasy Mosaics on my PC, practice Spanish and Esperanto when I can and engage in long, deep linguistic or thought experiment-type discussions with my son.

I admit to being proud of myself when I can keep up with an intelligent 21 year old in a deep conversation.

Sometimes it's a little slippery though, as in:

Son (who was anxious about a thing): I can do the thing or throw myself into traffic, but throwing myself into traffic brings up problematic ontological questions.

Me: 1) I think the comparisons are disproportionate here and, 2) what does ontological mean?

Son: Similar to existential/existentialism.

Me: K. Got it. Answer 1 still applies.
 
I finally got out my backgammon set and my SIL and I learned how to play. We had a lot of fun!
My husband and I used to play with this set which is in a small suitcase, in the 70's and 80's.
When we started playing my son and law made a comment joking that it was an old lady's game.
After I won I had to say, "Who's the old lady now?"
 
Medusa said:
I play chess (and chess variants) with my son, word games online, a sudoku-like game called Fantasy Mosaics on my PC, practice Spanish and Esperanto when I can and engage in long, deep linguistic or thought experiment-type discussions with my son.

I admit to being proud of myself when I can keep up with an intelligent 21 year old in a deep conversation.

Sometimes it's a little slippery though, as in:

Son (who was anxious about a thing): I can do the thing or throw myself into traffic, but throwing myself into traffic brings up problematic ontological questions.

Me: 1) I think the comparisons are disproportionate here and, 2) what does ontological mean?

Son: Similar to existential/existentialism.

Me: K. Got it. Answer 1 still applies.
Click to expand...
Youngster said:
Keeping your body physically fit is important. Keeping your brain/mind in shape is important too. What do you do to keep your brain in shape?
I write, build websites, read both fiction and non-fiction books, work difficult jigsaw puzzles, meditate.
Click to expand...
I play chess on line via chess.com. I also play Words with Friends. HMU if you'd like a challenge!
 
hearlady said:
I finally got out my backgammon set and my SIL and I learned how to play. We had a lot of fun!
My husband and I used to play with this set which is in a small suitcase, in the 70's and 80's.
When we started playing my son and law made a comment joking that it was an old lady's game.
After I won I had to say, "Who's the old lady now?"
Click to expand...
Great game! :)
 
sch404 said:
I play chess on line via chess.com. I also play Words with Friends. HMU if you'd like a challenge!
Click to expand...
I will. :) - I took WWF2 off my phone recently to try and get another app on, but that didn't work and I've been meaning to put WWF2 back.

I'm familiar with chess.com and greenchess.net (I think), which has variants, but rarely play online as I need to have the pieces in my hands, be able to walk around the board. Spatial thinking is not my forte, which is why I'm not a great chess player and also why I should and do play it. That and I just freaking love the game. Love it. :)
 
Forgot to mention hosting the trivia game. I find all the questions and facts myself. I can only use about 10% of what I find, because the fact or question might be inappropriate for the audience. Then I usually have to reword the question too. And make sure there's plenty of variety.

But the challenging part was learning to manage a disparate and ever-changing group of people. And to think "on my feet" as a leader. Someone might be very smart or a bit dumb, or too slow to answer or a bit drunk, and I have to handle the situation to everyone's satisfaction.

If it gets boring for me, I'll just stop doing it.
 
My research on creating new brain connections has me using my "other" hand. I come from a family of left handed folks. I always said we only had right arms so we didn't look scary in pictures. Learning to write and draw with the other hand creates new brain calls, pathways between them, and helps areas of the brain talk to each other. I have MS so I am always trying to create new healthy brain faster that my body destroys it.
 
Wigglestein said:
My research on creating new brain connections has me using my "other" hand. I come from a family of left handed folks. I always said we only had right arms so we didn't look scary in pictures. Learning to write and draw with the other hand creates new brain calls, pathways between them, and helps areas of the brain talk to each other. I have MS so I am always trying to create new healthy brain faster that my body destroys it.
Click to expand...
That is awesome. I want to try that now.
I wonder if that's why, or has something to do with why bilateral movement helps with anxiety attacks. Something about moving blood to the other side of the brain for more even distribution. Something like that.
 
Every day I play the 'Spelling Bee' on digital NYT, each day you get 7 different letters.You type in as many words as you can find, have to be 4 letters or more
I've been doing daily NYT crossword puzzle since the late 80's, usually finish Mon&Tues once in awhile I get Weds, don't bother with Thurs&Fri too hard
On my phone I play 'Wordle', word search games
 
Medusa said:
That is awesome. I want to try that now.
I wonder if that's why, or has something to do with why bilateral movement helps with anxiety attacks. Something about moving blood to the other side of the brain for more even distribution. Something like that.
Click to expand...
Probably. We all need to use more of our brains....all ages. Also learning anew 2 handed activity. Crochet, knit, whittling. Etc. Its not to make something but to do it. The process of learning something new and two handed is something that really wakes up the brain and relaxes it at the same time.
 

You must log in or register to reply here.

Back
Top