Brain Games: Games To Keep Your Mind Sharp

Games in any form, especially classic games, can keep your mind agile and sharp. They’re designed to be exercises for your brain. They can help improve mental skills, focus, and concentration. More importantly, they can prevent some mental illnesses from developing. While you spend more time inside, it’s the perfect time to play some games to help keep your mind sharp, healthy, and agile.

Crosswords Puzzles

This tried-and-true puzzle game is a classic way to pass time. But did you know that it’s also an excellent way to exercise your brain?

Not only do crossword puzzles help keep your brain stimulated while you’re solving the puzzle, it keeps you engaged and also improve your vocabulary as you learn new words during each puzzle as well.

In fact, studies show that crossword puzzles can help prevent memory diseases, like Alzheimer’s. This is because it keeps the brain sharp and active.

Sudoku

Like crossword puzzles, Sudoku can help delay Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. It also can protect your brain from declining as a whole. It’s a simple game that doesn’t require any knowledge beforehand, unlike how trivia is needed for crossword puzzles.

Although the boxes and numbers can be intimidating, sudoku actually has nothing to do with math. Rather, it’s about the numbers representing a pattern.

Figuring out how these nine elements fit into particular spots offers great stimulation for the brain and can even be very relaxing.

Solitaire

This classic game can be enjoyed on the computer, tablet, or even the old fashion way: by playing cards!

Playing a few hands of Solitaire will start exercising the decision-making area of your brain.

Using Solitaire to exercise these skills will help develop better decision-making skills that you can use in all aspects of life. Not to mention, it can lead to some real nostalgic fun!

Scrabble

This board game has become a popular way to socialize and engage in some friendly competitive fun.

While we might not be able to socialize quite like we used to, there are plenty of online versions you can play with friends and family alike.

Not only does Scrabble increase your concentration, but it also keeps your mind agile and sharp at the same time. Better yet, it improves your memory and vocabulary, encouraging you to learn new words that can increase your chances of winning the game.

These classic games are the perfect way to exercise your brain, but more importantly, they’re supposed to be fun! So why not do both at the same time?

About The Author

Jaime Curl

I've explored various fields within physical therapy including acute care and oncology at Troy Beaumont Hospital and outpatient physical therapy. As the office administrator and marketer, I'm able to combine my love for health and exercise science with my interest in marketing and numbers skills. My hobbies include spending time with friends and family, baking, crafting, and watching my favorite movies or tv shows.