Keep Your Mind Sharp During the Winter Months

Winter landscape picture (Pixabay by TheSource)

The cold winter months bring out the homebody in a lot of us. How can you keep your mind active and engaged when all you want to do is bundle up and stay inside all day? Believe it or not, you really don’t have to become a couch potato for several months out of the year. Here are a variety of ways to keep your brain healthy, boost your mood, and even reduce your chances of developing Alzheimers and dementia - all from the comfort of your home...

Sudoku

Sudoku is one of the most popular numbers games for people of all ages. More than just fun and games, this mathematical puzzle game is great for your brain health. Levels become harder as you advance, and it is recommended that you take a few minutes to practice each day. Before you know it, your mind will be smarter, faster and happier!

Benefits include: improving memory, stimulating the mind, helping with mathematical skills, decreasing the risk of developing Alzheimers, learning to make quicker decisions, reducing hesitation, improve focus and concentration, and boost your mood

Take an online class

To keep Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia at bay, consider learning a new skill, taking a new class, or even investing in some online college courses. Recent research shows brain benefits including a link to increased cognitive abilities and a reduced risk of dementia. Best of all, participants in the study continued to see benefits for more than three years after taking the college-level courses. The social element from taking a college course has also been shown beneficial in brain health and vitality.

Benefits include: long-term improvement in cognitive abilities, reduced rates of Alzheimer’s and dementia, build social connections for brain health and vitality

Learn a new language

Studies have shown that learning a new language has a surprisingly visible health benefit for your brain. Becoming a polyglot, or someone who speaks multiple languages, actually increases the size of your brain. In addition, learning a new language can change the brain processes and may even help reduce your chances of developing Alzheimer’s or dementia. This is great news for the millions of people around the world who are learning non-native languages later in life.

Benefits include: increasing brain size, changing brain process, reduce chances of dementia

Learn to code

Like learning a new language, learning to write computer code is great for your brain. Since the 1980s, studies have shown that computer coding classes can change cognitive function, teach the brain new opportunities for learning and thinking, stimulate the brain for improved vitality and possibly even prevent dementia. “Brains are like muscles, and tackling complex skills like web development may help strengthen them,” says Tanisia Morris of coding education website Treehouse. Treehouse is one of several online providers offering classes to teach you how to read and write computer code, without ever leaving your home. Because computer coding skills are in high demand, these classes could even open doorways for making additional income.

Benefits include: improved cognitive function, new ways of thinking and learning, stimulating the brain for improved vitality, possibly prevent dementia

In conclusion...

Learning new skills like the ones listed above keeps the brain healthy. Next time it’s cold and gray outside, resist the temptation to watch reruns of your favorite show. Instead, pick up a Sudoku book or begin learning a new skill that interests you. You’ll stimulate your brain, reduce your chance of developing certain diseases, and improve your brain health, vitality and longevity.

Photo courtesy of Pixabay by TheSource

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