Keeping Your Brain Sharp

Keeping up with your mental health is crucial whether you’re in retirement or not. But how do you keep the noggin sharp? We’ve got a few tips!

Tip #1: Lifelong Learning

It’s important to keep learning new things throughout your life to keep the brain waves moving! Learning something like a new language is a great way to start! Fun fact: Spanish is said to be the easiest language to learn for English speakers. It uses the same alphabet as English does, and it’s spoken in 21 other countries, which can be helpful if you travel to a Spanish speaking country! However, learning a new language can be a bit overwhelming. If this isn’t for you, keep reading!

Tip #2: Do a Normal Routine in a New Way!

We all have a normal routine every morning, but what do you think about doing it a little differently? Try brushing your teeth or hair with the other hand than you normally use. This helps create new pathways in the brain, which increases your brain activity! If you want to take it a step further, try to teach yourself to write (legibly) with the opposite hand!

Tip #3: Brain Teasers

Playing games isn’t just for kids! Brain teasers like logic puzzles or sudoku puzzles are a great way to keep up brain activity. A client of ours in their 90’s plays Wordle on the New York Times website every day! The usual trick to get the word of the day is to use the same word to start off, but they use a different word every time they play to keep things challenging. (Sounds like they’re combining tip #2 & #3!)

Remember, fun is fundamental! If you’re feeling burnt out, games like these can help. Check out our other tips on burnout here.

Tip #4: Don’t Let Tech Intimidate You!

As fast as technology is growing, it can seem impossible to keep up with it. As much as we love our families, someone of the techy generation isn’t always around to help us. Try learning a new app on your phone or computer. You could combine some of our tips and download a new game (like Wordle or Sudoku) and get those brain waves moving!

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Keeping your brain sharp and steady is never a bad decision. We hope these tips help you out by keeping your brain in tip top shape!