It’s important to never stop learning and never stop bettering yourself. Like the body, the mind needs exercise too. There are some great ways to do that – some, without even spending a penny.
Trivia
The amount of seemingly useless knowledge in my head is crazy. But, knowing things, even the most random things can help keep your brain sharp. Remember all the pointless college classes you took? I sure do…(Anthropology…meh).
Anyways – playing Trivia games is a good way to keep your memory-recall on point. DVR some Jeopardy episodes and challenge friends and family. If you want to have more fun with some Jeopardy on your own – I LOVE the Jeopardy App. It’s free in the app store. It’s a well-functioning app and really fun to play.
Other Trivia options available in the App store are: Trivia Crack (you challenge friends to trivia matches). And then there’s HQ. If you win, they payout real money via Paypal. (It’s not easy to win though – they LOVE throwing around trick questions).
I’ve tried other Trivia apps and really didn’t like any of them. They just aren’t as good as the ones I mentioned.
Also – I just learned this & it’s pretty fun. If you have a Google Home, you can play trivia with it. Just say, “Hey Google – let’s play trivia”. It’ll rattle off a few different options. You can play alone or against someone. (By the way – I freaking love my Google Home). – I’ll talk about all the cool stuff you can do with Google Home in a later post.
Crossword Puzzles
I have always been a huge fan of these guys. There are a lot out there that frankly are just too damn easy. What’s the fun in that? If you want a challenge – try some New York Times Crossword Puzzles. Sundays are usually the trickiest. I think I did one by myself – once – without any help.
There are also TONS of books filled with puzzles varying in difficulty. Most of them are really cheap too.
But, if you’re more interested in using your phone, my favorite crossword puzzle app is Daily Pop Crosswords. They have a different theme for every day of the week. Usually, they are generally easy but they still exercise the brain.
Get Sufficient Sleep
Between 7-9 hours a night is recommended. Source
When you don’t get enough sleep, you’re not giving your brain enough rest. There are also a lot of other risks when you lack sleep, (Insomnia truly is a bitch).
Here’s a good guide on upgrading your bedroom to get better sleep also.
Read
Reading is a great way to stimulate your imagination, hence, working your brain. Instead of seeing exactly what an artist wants you to see on screen, you have to work to visualize what’s happening. Have you ever read a book then watched a movie based on it and had a totally different perception of what the characters looked like? It’s actually pretty cool to see the difference.
Except Ned Stark in “Game of Thrones” – he’s literally Sean Bean in every way.
Exercise!
Exercise promotes healthy blood flow, right? Well, we need blood flowing through our brains just like any other organ. Any type of exercise will do, just get your blood pumping. It’s just generally healthy overall. Don’t think about it – just do it. Both your body and your mind will thank you.
Eat “Brain-Boosting” Foods
Some examples:
- Walnuts
- Eggs
- Salmon (It’s literally just an overall healthy food. I have forced myself into liking it because it has SO MANY benefits).
- Berries, (especially blueberries)
- Green Tea (Also SO healthy for many reasons)
- Bone Broth (Another fairly new kick of mine + it’s tasty)
- Celery
Play Games
And yes – even video games help keep your mind sharp! (Even if you are arguing with 15-year-olds on Call of Duty). Some of my favorites on X-Box One are Skyrim, Grand Theft Auto, and, of course, Call of Duty).
There are a lot of options here. There are even apps that claim to help exercise your brain. I personally have Luminosity on my phone and use it at least twice a week.
That familiar guy up there, in the pictures, is an amazing way to keep your mind working. The good old Rubik’s Cube! I had one of these that frustrated me to no end but eventually, I did solve the thing with a little assistance.
Chess is a great strategy game. Also, Checkers. Really, any sort of game stimulates your mind and gets you thinking. There are also lots of Card games you can consider.
Keep Learning New things
One of the best ways to keep your mind sharp is just to keep on learning new things. There are loads of options: a new language, knitting, homesteading, self-defense…The options are ENDLESS.
Never stop stimulating and expanding your mind.
