Brain Training Exercises

We've all heard about the importance our brain plays on our body, particularly our intelligence and memory. We often have the belief that as we age, we automatically lose a lot of our memory and some of our brain function. The fact that so many seniors develop Alzheimer's has helped to reinforce that belief.

However, what if someone were to tell you that brain exercises and training would help keep your brain young and healthy? Believe it or not, that's exactly what many scientists now believe. Our brains need the same type of exercise as our bodies need to remain fit and trim.

Here are some excellent brain training exercises to give your brain the stimulation it needs. The wonderful thing about these brain exercises is that not only are they good for the brain, but they're also fun and exciting.

Chess as an IQ booster
If you never learned how to play chess, now is a great time to learn. Get a book from the library or look for online instructions, but learn to play chess. If you already know how to play chess, dust out your board and find a worthy opponent. Chess is an excellent workout for your brain. It helps you make creative strategies, improve your thinking ability and your spatial intelligence, which is the ability to consider different possibilities.

Math Problems for Brain Stimulation
Whether you were good in math or not, you're never too old to sharpen your math skills. Check out a math book from your library or local school or go online in search of math problems, but get involved in solving these math problems as quickly as possible. Set a timer and try to improve your time each day. Solving math problems activates many parts of our brains but mostly our ability to reason, calculate and solve problems quickly.

Sudoku
Few people have not heard of Sudoku, the logic based placement puzzle that's designed with a Latin square and several numbers. Sudoku puzzles start with certain numbers and you have to add additional numbers to complete the puzzle. While many feel Sudoku is difficult, it's a lot of fun once you learn the process. It also provides excellent stimulation for the brain. Consider making solving a Sudoku puzzle part of your daily routine.

Concentration Game
Remember the old card game called Concentration that you used to play? Get yourself a deck of cards and find an opponent. It's an excellent way to work your memory skills and improve your memory and concentration abilities. You flip over two cards at a time, each time trying to remember what each card was because the purpose of the game is to make as many pairs of identical cards as possible. It's fun, challenging and great exercise for your brain!