Cognitive Health Matters: Exercises and Activities to Keep Your Brain Sharp

Dementia affects nearly 10% of U.S. adults aged 65 and older, but keeping your brain sharp as you age can help you reduce your risk for this common cognitive condition (Columbia University 2022). Staying mentally active is one of many ways to prevent dementia and care for your cognitive health — especially as you grow older.

Exercising your brain can do more than just reduce your risk for dementia. It can improve your memory, focus, and concentration and help you perform daily tasks more efficiently. Here are several exercises and activities that are shown to be promising in sharpening the brain and boosting your cognitive health.

Expand Your Vocabulary

Building your vocabulary can help you better comprehend more of what you read. Evidence suggests that vocabulary-related tasks involve several regions of the brain that play roles in visual and auditory processing (Anderson, T.A.F. 2016). One effective way to expand your vocabulary is to look up unfamiliar words in the dictionary the moment you read or hear them. Then, find ways to use them several times in conversations you have over the next few days.

Learn a New Dance

Salsa, tango, and ballroom dancing are some of the many types of dances that require you to learn specific moves. In a study overseen by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), researchers found that older adults with mild cognitive impairment experienced improvements in thinking and memory after taking a 10-month ballroom dance class.

Dance classes are available at many community centers and dance studios across the United States, and some are designed specifically for seniors. Look for local dance classes in your area, and aim to learn a new dance style or two.

Do a Jigsaw Puzzle

Jigsaw puzzles engage multiple regions of the brain and require multiple cognitive abilities — including perception, speed, flexibility, working memory, and reasoning. These puzzles are shown to be a protective factor for cognitive aging and decline and can be incredibly fun to do on your own or with friends and family.

Jigsaw puzzles are widely available at retail stores and are designed to suit a variety of skill sets. There are also many “puzzle swap” websites and local clubs that allow you to trade jigsaw puzzles with others for free or for a low cost after you finish putting them together.

Play Card Games

You can play many games with just one deck of cards, whether it’s by yourself or with others. Evidence suggests that people who play card games regularly score higher on cognitive tests even after adjustments have been made for “education and occupational complexity” (Schultz, S, et al. 2016). Many types of card games can improve your memory and thinking.

Recruit your friends and family into playing card games with you regularly, or consider going to a community center that hosts card game days. Solitaire, poker, bridge, and gin rummy are some of the many card games that can truly challenge and exercise your brain.

Learn a New Language

Being fluent in more than one language can improve your ability to multitask and improve your memory and visual-spatial skills. Learning a new language can also help you better understand your native language.

Spanish, Arabic, and Russian are among the top languages recommended to learn if your goal is to boost your cognitive health. Spanish is relatively quick to learn. Arabic is recommended for those who want to expand their career and business opportunities, while Russian is ideal for those who want a challenging learning experience.

Listen to Music

Music has been shown to reduce anxiety and depression, which is great for your mental health. It also activates nearly all the regions in your brain to improve your memory, learning, and mental alertness (Budson, A.E. 2020).

Find new opportunities to play music, such as when you’re enjoying meals, putting jigsaw puzzles together, or relaxing in bed with a book. Instead of switching on the TV, put music on instead and listen to it in the background while doing other activities.

Whenever possible, try to involve friends and relatives in the above activities to benefit from an added cognitive boost. A number of studies show that social isolation and loneliness are major risk factors for cognitive decline, especially among older adults (Cardona, M. et al. 2023). Your friends and loved ones may even introduce you to new activities that can help you stay mentally sharp and active throughout your golden years.