7 Brain Games to Keep Your Mind Sharp
| 3 min read
As you go through life, your body isn’t the only thing that needs exercise – your brain needs it, too! According to research, seniors who stay mentally active are 2.6 times less likely to develop Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia than those who do not. And the benefits are long-lasting. A recent study published in the Journal of American Geriatrics revealed that cognitive exercises help older adults hold on to improvements in their reasoning skills and processing speed for up to 10 years.
The good news is that you don’t have to go back to school to boost your brain power—online brain games make staying mentally fit as easy as pressing a few keys. Ready to get started? Here are seven of our favorite brain games to keep your mind sharp:
- BrainHQ: Developed by a team of top neuroscientists, BrainHQ has games ranging from memory exercise to navigation exercise. Not only are these games fun, they are also extremely effective. Over the past few years, there have been dozens of published studies that show the real and lasting improvements in brain function as a result of doing BrainHQ exercise. Try one of the exercises for free today!
- Braingle: This free site has more than 20,000 brain teasers, riddles, logic problems, puzzles and more to choose from. All of the games are ranked by users so you can easily find the best and most effective exercises for your brain.
- SharpBrains: SharpBrains is an independent market research firm tracking health and wellness applications of brain science, so they know what works. Their site not only includes more than 50 brain teasers to select from, they also have a variety of articles around the brain for those interested in learning more.
- Writing in the Stars: If you like crossword puzzles, this is the game for you. Users are given a list of nine words and must find the six that connect in order to form a six-point star and move on to the next round.
- Private Eye: What doesn’t belong? In this game, users are asked to use their “private eye” to peruse a grid full of intricate symbols and letters in order to identify the one item that doesn’t fit.
- WordCrunch: WordCrunch is a fun new spin on online word search puzzles that can keep you entertained for hours. It’s the ultimate test on your mental speed and visual acuity – plus the site changes themes daily to keep you on your toes.
- Wordle: This game may be basic, but it’s definitely not simple. The object is to build words with the six letters you are given. Once you fill all of the slots, you are scored based on the difficultly of the words you built.
Photo credit: Niels Linneberg
