It’s a good idea to think of mental health in much the same way we consider physical health.
Everyone knows that maintaining a healthy body requires plenty of physical activity and a nutritious diet full of fruits, vegetables, and whole foods, and similarly, our brains need fuel and exercise to function optimally.
The brain is a complex organ with many different parts, so there’s a wide range of methods that you can use to improve your cognitive function. In this article, you’ll learn about 12 fun games and activities you can start doing today to boost your brain power!
1. Sudoku
Developed in Japan during the mid-1980s, Sodoku quickly gained popularity worldwide as a fun, rewarding puzzle with many cognitive benefits.
Players work to fill in a 9×9 grid of squares with numbers so that each 3×3 box contains the digits 1 through 9. It’s a relatively simple premise, but difficult to master. The game trains your brain in pattern recognition and deep problem solving, and the beauty of it is that you can play it anywhere (either from your phone or with pen and paper).
2. Resistance Training
Sometimes, the ways in which we train our bodies have a carryover to how we can train our brains, and this is most certainly the case with resistance training. Studies have found that weight training may boast special neuroprotective effects that lessen a person’s likelihood of developing cognitive decline and dementia, with the effect being especially pronounced as people get older.
Resistance training comes in many forms, whether it be bodyweight exercises like pushups, pullups, and lunges, to heavy barbell and dumbbell training. Start small in the beginning and work your way up – alongside the myriad of other health benefits, it’s likely your brain will thank you!
3. Tabletop Games
Tabletop games are great fun, whether you’re playing solo or with friends. Classics like Solitaire require a meditative focus and the ability to strategize, while even basic games like Happy Families train your ability to memorize many different things at once.
A key part of good mental health is keeping your mind sharp and engaging in activities that use as many core functional brain skills as possible, and competition with card games and board games can be a great way of doing that.
4. Learning to Play a Musical Instrument
Learning to play a musical instrument can be an extremely rewarding experience in more ways than one. For those who don’t have other creative outlets, an instrument can be a fantastic way to express yourself, and with so many different types to choose from, there will be something for everyone.
When it comes to the mind, though, musical instruments have many unique benefits. They train your hand-eye coordination and key skills that are often underdeveloped like timing and multitasking. They also develop your ability to focus and concentrate better.
5. Woodworking
Woodworking is a great hobby with a lot of utility, and it can stimulate the brain in several important ways.
The brain thrives when figuring out abstract concepts, and woodworking is full of them; making a plan of what you’re going to build and figuring out how to get there builds skills in math, spacial reasoning, hand-eye coordination, and many others, offering a truly holistic method for exercising the mind.
Start with simple projects like a basic picture frame, and you’ll be surprised by the speed at which your brain adapts to be able to build more complex pieces, like a table or cabinet.
6. Escape Rooms
Escape rooms are great fun with friends and family. The objective is simple: you’re locked in a room and have to figure out a series of complex puzzles in order to get out.
In many ways, escape rooms can represent one of the most comprehensive mental challenges available, with a well-designed one having the ability to tap into all core areas of the brain to exercise them effectively. Elements such as teamwork and collaboration that aren’t trained much with other activities are all present here, and the payoff when you finally make it out is like nothing else!
7. Creative Writing
Creative writing is tough at first, but if you stick with it, it can be very worthwhile indeed. Whether it’s short stories, poems, or even diary entries, writing can help you process emotions and creatively express yourself, both of which have a carry-over to better mental health and well-being.
Optimal brain health isn’t only about training your brain like a muscle, but also reducing stress and taking time for contemplation.
8. Getting Out in Nature
Most people find that when they get out in the open air, they feel a bit better about things – and there’s a lot of evidence to support this.
Research has shown time and time again that nature offers huge benefits for mental health, with improvements in general cognitive ability and reductions in stress and anxiety. Try to get outside as much as possible: you could tie it into your daily exercise program to kill two birds with one stone, but even just going for a short 20-minute walk can be more impactful than you think. For a bigger mental recharge, you could consider going traveling if you have the means.
9. Video Games
Video games often get a bad rap in the media for their downsides, such as reducing attention span and encouraging a sedentary lifestyle, but that isn’t the full story.
Many games actually have a positive benefit on brain health for how they engage the mind in critical thinking, strategy, and problem-solving. Tetris is a great example with how it encourages multitasking, and deep puzzle games like The Talos Principle and its sequel test the player’s cognitive abilities to the max with mind-bending physics challenges.
There’s more than meets the eye with video games, and it all depends on what type of game you’re playing.
10. Trivia Games
While trivia games might seem like a simple bit of fun for a party, they’re more than that. Whether you’re playing a board game or using one of the many quiz apps available, trivia is a great way to improve your active recall and memorization.
These games are also effective in how training for them improves your general knowledge: knowledge acquisition across multiple areas of life has long been associated with neuroprotective effects.
11. Brain Training Apps
Brain training apps have been around for a while now – you may remember Dr. Kawashima’s Brain Training game for the Nintendo DS, which has now been rereleased for Switch.
Since then, following the smartphone revolution, there have been many new releases aiming to hit upon the same idea: using simple, fun games to target key areas of the brain and provide a mental ‘workout’. These are a great way to stimulate your mind when you only have a spare five minutes, so check out what’s currently available on your phone’s store to find something that resonates with you.
12. Crossword Puzzles
Most people have had a go at a crossword before, but you might not have realized the myriad of ways they can train the brain.
Aside from their ability to improve your vocabulary over time and train memory, they’ve also been shown to be neuroprotective, potentially protecting against dementia in older adults.
Crosswords are unique in that they help train your brain to quickly and consistently make logical connections in a way that’s fun and engaging, and these days, you don’t have to buy the local paper to complete them. As is the case with most puzzles that were originally pen and paper-based, you can now find a broad selection of apps for your smartphone whether you’re team Apple or Android.
Wrapping Up: Some Final Tips
Hopefully, the list above has inspired you to try something new. As you can see, there are so many unique ways to create the environment for optimal brain health that there will undoubtedly be something that matches your personality and lifestyle (and of course, there are many more methods than what’s been included in the list above).
To close off, here are some final tips:
Stay Consistent
None of the above methods will facilitate measurable improvement unless you’re consistent, so if you decide to try something, try to stick it out for as long as you can. It’ll take at least a few weeks, and possibly months with the more involved tasks.
Mix Things Up
Don’t just focus on one area. As discussed earlier, the brain is a highly complex organ with multiple different components, so if you double down on training just one area, you’ll likely be missing out. Pick two or three activities to stick to if you can.
Socialize When Possible
When you can, try to involve your friends or family in the brain-enhancing activities you engage in. We’re social animals, remember, and engaging with other people may be one of the most important factors of all when it comes to brain health.
Enjoy the Process
And finally, enjoy the process! You’re not going to stick to anything you hate doing, so if a game or activity isn’t gelling with you after a few weeks, swap it out for something else.