6 Excellent Ways to Exercise the Brain (While Injured)

You might be familiar with how physical exercise is one of the best ways to keep a healthy brain and mind (endorphin release via exercise).

But what happens if you have a physical injury (like a broken foot) that severely limits physical activity?

Equally as important as your physical recovery is a positive attitude from a healthy mind.

So what does it mean to exercise the brain?

Brain exercises are certain kinds of activities that can be beneficial to boosting your mental agility when practiced regularly.

Let's take a look at 6 excellent ways to exercise our brains:

6. Brain Games

While brain games can be a little controversial, there's an equal amount of critics and advocates. The consensus seems to be that it can work for some, but not for others.

But it doesn't hurt to try!

It can be an entertaining way to exercise your problem-solving skills. You can start immediately by downloading apps for your phone or tablet.

Lumosity and Elevate are the two most popular apps that provide gamified brain training activities.

5. Board Games

If you prefer some time away from your screens, board games are a great way to have friends over and bond over a fun and engaging group activity. Playing board games is an excellent way to stimulate memory, complex thought, and focus.

Additionally, depending on the game you play, they can bring a lot of laughter, and this helps relieve stress.

Here's a list of some bestseller board games you can buy online.

4. Learn Something New

Learning something new can cause the brain to build new pathways. A straightforward activity we recommend is to read about a topic that has always piqued your curiosity.

It's an excellent opportunity to buy that book you've always wanted to read.

Remember when Amazon only sold books? If you need some great book recommendations, check out their bestseller list.

Another great option is to learn a new skill.

Some websites have online courses that teach a wide range of topics. The great thing about these courses is that it's all via video.

You can learn a new skill at a very cost-efficient price and without committing to a semester-long course. A great place we recommend to start is Skillshare.

3. Practice Your Handwriting

To quote a children's book author, "To write is human, to receive a letter: Devine!"

As we gravitate more towards communicating digitally, handwriting and sending letters can have a lasting impact on both the sender and receiver. Mailing a friend or family member a letter shows them that you care.

There are many benefits to writing, among them: gaining mental clarity, having a positive outlook in life, strengthening relationships, and perhaps cultivate a little romance.

2. Meditation

If you are unfamiliar, meditation is a practice that encourages concentration to achieve mental clarity and mental wellbeing.

Meditation has been proven to have many benefits to the brain. Among them are anxiety and stress relief and concentration and attention improvements.

An excellent way for beginners to start is through guided meditation. We recommend you begin with Headspace. They have easy and free lessons to get you started.

1. Practice Gratitude

There's plenty of research that suggests people who practice gratitude have increased happiness. It can also help lower blood pressure, reduce stress, and improve immune function.

Practicing gratitude can be as simple as taking five minutes a day. The Five Minute Journal is an excellent way to learn more about the practice, keep track, and start the habit.

Today, we have more resources to help us recover faster from an injury, from modern mobility aids like knee scooters, and tools like the ones listed above.

Everyone's injury recovery journey is different. Remember, always follow your healthcare practitioners' directions.

When you're finished with your recovery, you will come back a better version of yourself.