Tips To Stay Mentally Sharp

Many of the negative effects of aging can be lessened simply by staying physically and mentally active. Yet after retirement sets in it becomes all too enticing to just kick back and relax.

The paying job may be a thing of the past, but the need to work the brain remains a crucial component to a better standard of life in one’s golden years.

The good news is that training the brain doesn’t have to be a tedious process or even feel like work. The most important thing to do is to remain interested and engaged in life—and yes, to solve problems. Instead of dreading putting the old noggin to work, why not enjoy the prospect instead?

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Play

Memory games are a great way to help keep mental faculties sharp. Card lovers can play the classic recall enhancers, Concentration or Uno. Truthfully any card games can help get that brain working, and those played with others will keep verbal and social capabilities from getting rusty. Crossword puzzles, word finders and trivia games are also excellent choices.

Board games that require solid memorization and counting would be beneficial, too. The technologically savvy can also install numerous free games on their smartphone and tablet. Who knows what endless entertainment you could have by using one of the many mobile phones available.

For instance, Little Things Forever requires searching for specified items, and Can You Escape offers numerous clues that require solid memory recall in order to go on to each new level. Solitaire and the Mahjohngg tile game are also good bets.

Playing a musical instrument is yet another terrific way to keep the mind and body sharp. Whether playing by ear or one who reads sheet music, music is a great opportunity to keep the math skills honed. Music is also a fine way to become connected with others. Remember that dialoge is just as important to mental faculties doing mental work in solo ventures.

Volunteer

Helping others not only feels good, it’s good for you. A volunteer can either dust off old skills and put them back to work or learn new ones. Tutoring, delivering meals to the elderly, building homes for low-income recipients are just a few examples of giving back. Look for a cause that you’re particularly passionate about.

Or offer to assist where the help is needed most. That could mean weeding at a local botanical garden or cooking for the hungry. The key is to get out on a regular basis in situations that require analytical thinking. The programme chosen to assist doesn’t have to save the world but it should be something that gets your brain working and that it’s something you enjoy.

Talk

One of the greatest fuels for foggy thinking is a lack of communication with others. Too much time alone (or conversing only via emails) lets conversational dialog go rusty.

An exchange of ideas is just as important for brain function as the thought-processing required to form coherent dialog. If you or someone you know starts to become less eloquent it could simply be because of lack of practice speaking with others.

So make it a point to schedule time with others, both face-to-face and for phone chats. If a loved one needs to keep up their conversational chops simply make it a point to call or visit on a regular basis; there doesn’t even need to be any discussion as to what the talk is truly for. Remember, alone time is a healthy component to life—but too much can cause the elderly to become lost in thoughts and less engaged in life.

It can be scary when it seems like the memory isn’t what it once was. Thankfully there are plenty of ways to sharpen thoughts and have a good time doing it.

Make it a point to become more mentally active by playing games, spending time with others and letting the thoughts in your head out into the world more often. Work the brain to ensure that it keeps working right for you. If done, it will soon be the young ones referring to you for long-lost facts and stories.

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