Whether you're trying to make your brain healthy or simply keeping it as strong as it is today, it's not only easy to train your brain but now it's also thought to play a role in what makes the aging process much slower and reduces senility. Improve your intelligence and practice with wikiHow!
Step
Part 1 of 6: Improving Thought and Word Skills
Step 1. Read as much as you can
Reading is a good basic exercise for the brain. You can read newspapers, magazines or books but remember that the more challenging the writing, the more trained the brain will be. As with any exercise, start lightly and work your way up.
Step 2. Increase your vocabulary
Learn new words one word every day from a book or dictionary. This will train the language part of your brain.
Step 3. Create something
Composing takes a lot of thought! You can make up stories, write about things that have happened to you or write articles for wikiHow on topics you know and love!
Step 4. Learn a new language
Learning a language is like hacking your brain, opening up all kinds of avenues. This trains the part of the brain that stores language information, even making you speak better in your own language.
Step 5. Solve the problem which has been completed
Consider the possibilities of how something you have experienced would have turned out differently, and explore the consequences. This increases creativity and makes you a better problem solver.
Step 6. Turn off the television
Television tells you what to think and how to think about it, which essentially puts your brain on autopilot. That's why watching television feels so relaxing! If you want to keep your brain out of stagnation, the first thing you should do is turn off the television. If you really want to watch television, use your brain while watching. Choose to watch educational shows and if you want to watch popular shows, choose shows that have complex storylines or character interactions. Think about these things as you watch and try to analyze them or guess what will happen next.
Part 2 of 6: Playing Games to Improve Brain Ability
Step 1. Complete the daily puzzles and crosswords
Simple puzzles like crossword puzzles can help your brain perform basic activities. This kind of puzzle is easy to do in your daily activities. You can even find it for free via the Internet.
Step 2. Proceed to more complicated puzzles
Big and complex puzzles give your brain a stronger workout. These puzzles can sometimes take a few days to a week to complete but they are well worth the effort. But this is by no means just a puzzle in the traditional sense. Play Japanese pocket puzzles for some serious brain teasers you can do while passing the time.
Step 3. Consider playing chess
Chess is a game that requires both strategy and tactics. Some puzzles surpass chess in terms of brain training, but chess is easy to learn and easy to play.
Step 4. Play video games
Did you know that playing video games actually makes you smarter? Puzzle-solving games like Mario, Zelda, Scribblenauts, and Myst are great brain sports, helping you become a better problem solver, more creative, and a faster thinker too.
Part 3 of 6: Challenging Yourself
Step 1. Change your dominant hand
Use your left hand if your dominant hand is right, and vice versa, to stimulate the part of the brain that controls muscles.
Step 2. Play a musical instrument or play with a Rubik's cube
For more than 100,000 years, the human brain has evolved to be in tune with either making or using various tools. By doing things that are similar to using equipment, you are helping to tune the brain and keep it in tune. For example, playing the violin or playing the Rubik's Cube has a lot in common with making and using tools. All of this requires general physical movement skills (eg standing, walking, running, etc.), fine physical movement skills (coordination of small muscle movements, such as finger and eye coordination), sequences of work and recognition of objects. Therefore, doing such activities every day or twice a day will help keep your brain in good shape.
Part 4 of 6: Socialize More Often
Step 1. Talk to other people
Talk to other people about things you or they know. Talking about politics, religion, and other challenging topics (really discussing, not just debating), can be a good base exercise for the brain.
Step 2. Join an interest group
Join a group or club that has the same interests as you. These groups or clubs can be hobby clubs, political groups, religious discussion groups, or anything similar. Talking to people who share similar interests will let you use your brain and skills.
Part 5 of 6: Continuous Learning Throughout Life
Step 1. Go back to school
Going back to school is a great way to get the brain working again, and getting more education has clear advantages. You don't even have to take the whole lesson. Your employer may be willing to help pay for a course that enhances your employability, or you could take a course in an area that interests you.
Step 2. Take a free course
If you don't have enough money or time, there are several free courses available over the Internet. There are free courses from universities, for example, Ciputra University. Try the free course to get a university experience, no cost.
Step 3. Frequently use the skills you have acquired
The brain, similar to muscles, experiences situations such as "use it or lose it". The longer you don't use information and expertise, the less nourished your brain will be. Use basic skills frequently, such as math, to keep those skills up-to-date and ready to use.
Step 4. Take up a new hobby
Learning a new skill is also a great way to train your brain. Especially skills in creative fields, such as music, dance, and the visual arts, will train different parts of the brain and all have enormous advantages.
Step 5. Build something
Whether you're building a robot or a new bench in the hallway, using your brain to figure out how to build something (especially from scratch and without a clue) is a great exercise. Get basic building skills and then exercise your brain with practical creativity.
Part 6 of 6: Keeping the Brain Healthy
Step 1. Eat well and exercise
Diet and exercise actually play a role in your brain health as well. If you want to keep your brain in peak condition, stick to a healthy diet rich in protein and omega 3 fatty acids to keep your brain physically fit. Physical exercise can also keep the body healthy, reduce the chances of stroke and increase oxygen saturation levels.
Step 2. Play a sport
Learn new exercises or how to play games to improve hand, eye and body coordination. Examples are tai-chi and pinball.
Step 3. Get enough sleep
Scientists have found that sleep plays a very important role in keeping the brain healthy. When you sleep, your body flushes toxins out of your brain (in addition to repairing it). If you want to protect your brain, make sure you get as regular a full night's sleep as possible.
Step 4. Change the routine
Try commuting with varied walking routes, to prevent the brain from feeling neglected as a result of a monotonous day. You can also change how you work, by introducing an exercise ball or other factors into how you work.
Tips
- When practicing, try walking backwards (the opposite direction of a common walking pattern) to stimulate areas of the brain.
- Remember to exercise your body, because a healthy mind comes from a healthy body. Do lots of physical exercise.
- Try doing some things on a regular basis, like remembering something every day, or using a Rubik's cube for 15 minutes a day.
- There are many programs that will help your memory. A recommended and fun game is "Brain Age" or "Big Brain Academy" for Nintendo DS. These games are specially made to improve memory.
