How to Make Your Brain Younger
Try the following 10 simple brain exercises that can be easily practiced in daily life to cultivate a healthy lifestyle and keep your mind sharper!
Dr. Smell, Director of the Memory Clinic and Aging Center at UCLA, stated in his book "Make Your Brain Younger" that preventing accelerated brain aging is easier than trying to repair damaged brain cells, and it's never too late or too early to fight brain aging.
Instead of relying on magical smart drugs or spending large sums on brain enhancement classes, try these 10 simple brain exercises you can practice in daily life to establish a healthy lifestyle.
1. Play to Stimulate Creativity
Even beginners can engage in games requiring thinking, judgment, and strategic planning—such as bridge, chess, or checkers—and come up with more than 10 possible moves for each step. A 21-year study conducted by Einstein Medical School in New York found that elderly individuals who played such games at least once a week had a 50% lower risk of developing dementia compared to those who did not play games.
2. Develop Rapid Reaction Ability
Video games from companies like Nintendo and pinball machines can train quick reaction skills and provide relaxation after intense focus. Dr. Ristack, Professor of Neurology at George Washington University, recommends playing a paper-throwing game during work breaks: stand about six feet away from a trash can, turn around quickly, and toss a crumpled piece of paper into the bin.
3. Create New Experiences in Daily Life
Monotonous routines stifle mental vitality. In her book "Make Your Brain New," Duke University neurobiologist Dr. Katz encourages people to break routine habits and create new experiences. For example, take a completely different route to work or school, notice new sounds, smells, and scenery along the way; eat at different restaurants daily to explore new flavors and enrich sensory experiences.
4. Enjoy the Pleasure of Self-guided Travel
The essence of travel lies in broadening horizons and experiencing stimulation from new environments. Therefore, when traveling abroad, avoid large group tours or guided city tours where Chinese is spoken. Opt instead for independent or self-guided travel, preferably using rental cars or public transportation. Visit local markets, spend extra time exploring spice and herb sections, smell unfamiliar aromas, chat with locals, and keep your brain ready to face new challenges at any moment. Unexpected challenges help promote the formation of new neural connections.
5. Relax with Music
It’s said that listening to Mozart’s music can improve spatial awareness and boost logical brain development. However, professional music therapist Hsu Ch'i-ping, certified by the American Music Therapy Association (AMTA), states that the so-called "Mozart Effect" is a result of media misrepresentation and market hype. The original researchers behind the study later admitted that the sample size was too small and the duration too short to prove long-term benefits of Mozart’s music on brain development. Nevertheless, music still has positive effects on the brain.