Pick Up a Hobby
One of the best ways to protect brain function is to engage in activities which are mentally challenging, yet enjoyable. The trick is to pick an activity which promotes learning or skill, without aggravating or frustrating you. Before you assume that you’re too old to make positive changes in your brain power, keep in mind that scientists have determined that older brains are still receptive to boosts in cognitive function.
Choose activities which truly provide a learning experience. Activities like knitting and quilting challenge the participant to learn new skills, whereas passive activities such as word games rely on existing knowledge and are not the best choices for sharpening brain activity. Other great activities for the brain are learning to play a musical instrument, dancing, or learning a new language.
Brain Training
With the advent of brain training websites, the quest for enhanced brain power has become a hot item. However, there is a controversy within the scientific world over the utility of such games. Some say that brain training games can alter and enhance the brain regions which are involved in mental processing during real-life activities. Others say that brain training games only make the person better at that specific task, and that the skill is not transferrable to other tasks. At the very least, brain training games can be a fun way to escape the real world for a short spell, and can often boost a person’s self-confidence.
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