You can develop your brain and strengthen your memory through engaging and enjoyable activities. We have compiled useful hobbies that can serve as training for your cognitive abilities.
Puzzle Assembly
Pictures made from pieces may seem like a children's pastime at first glance. In reality, it is a beneficial activity for people of all ages. Assembling puzzles can enhance memory, visual-spatial thinking, and the ability to think quickly. Additionally, putting together large and complex images is quite interesting.
Sudoku
Sudoku is a number puzzle. In the classic version of the game, you need to fill a grid with numbers from 1 to 9 in such a way that they do not repeat in rows, columns, and in the three-by-three squares that divide the entire field. This challenging and useful hobby can develop memory, attention, and logical reasoning skills.
You can play Sudoku online or the old-fashioned way—by purchasing a puzzle magazine at any kiosk.
Fitness
Physical activity is essential for maintaining brain health. Regular exercise helps improve thinking and reduces the likelihood of dementia in the future. The specific type of sport you engage in is not that important. Anything you enjoy, from walking and running to dancing and team ball games, will do. The minimum necessary for maintaining health is 150 minutes of moderate activity or 75 minutes of intense workouts per week.
Reading
Reading is a true workout for the brain. Scientists observed nearly two thousand people over 14 years and found that those who read regularly experienced less decline in cognitive abilities in older age. Moreover, you can read anything, from popular science literature to detective stories.
Learning Foreign Languages
You can learn useful languages for work and travel, like English, or even fictional ones like Klingon. In any case, learning foreign languages enhances concentration and attention-switching skills, boosts memory, and makes people more creative. Additionally, it is not only a useful but also an accessible hobby, as languages can be learned for free using publicly available resources and modern technologies.
Playing Musical Instruments
This hobby is compared to learning foreign languages because it also engages multiple areas of the brain. You need to read and memorize notes while coordinating body movements. This can develop concentration abilities and reduce the likelihood of age-related changes in the future.
Meditation
Meditation is a mindfulness practice during which people focus on their breathing, bodily sensations, or simple images and try to push aside unnecessary thoughts. It is a real workout for the brain that helps develop focus and attention. It can also improve cognitive functions overall and slow down age-related changes.
Video Games
Surprisingly, it is a fact: playing computer games is beneficial. A review of several studies has shown that video games improve visual attention, reaction speed, short-term and working memory, as well as spatial thinking. The extent of these results depends on the type of games.
