Workout Your Brain and Have Fun with These Memory Exercises

Your brain, like the other systems of your body, needs to be properly exercised to stay healthy.

Just like your body needs regular exercise to stay fit, your brain also needs stimulation to function at its best. Why does exercising your brain matter? Working out your brain helps increase focus, memory, and concentration.

Not sure where to begin? Here are a few easy brain exercises to keep your mind sharp! 

1. Crossword Puzzles

Crossword puzzles are a timeless way to keep your brain sharp. These puzzles for your brain challenge vocabulary, reasoning, and problem-solving skills. The process of figuring out the correct words to fill in the blanks requires critical thinking and a keen understanding of language. Additionally, crosswords are available in varying levels of difficulty, allowing you to gradually increase the challenge as your skills improve. 

If you love to pick up the Sunday paper and fill out the crossword puzzle, or if you have found a source of crossword puzzles to do online, keep at it! If you find that they’re getting too easy, consider alternating with word-search games of different formats.

2. Memory Games

Remember the Memory game you used to play as a kid? The classic children’s game, Memory, is also one of the best brain games for adults. Matching pairs of cards requires you to remember the location of different images and find their pairs. So get ready to walk down memory lane and play this classic childhood game! 

If you’re getting good at the game and finding it too easy, change the layout of the play. Instead of a neat rectangle or square, lay out the tiles in a random display and see if you can still remember. This is one of the best brain exercises for memory because it offers various levels of difficulty and different themes, keeping the challenge fresh and engaging.

3. Peg Word Lists

The peg word system is a mnemonic device that helps you memorize lists by associating each item with a rhyming word and a vivid mental image. This is one of the top exercises for memory because it leverages the brain’s natural ability to recall visual images, which can make it easier to remember information. It’s often used for remembering sequences or lists, which can be great for work, study, or daily life.

For example, if you’re going shopping and need bread, juice, and eggs, pick three peg words that rhyme with one, two, and three, such as fun, shoe, and free. Then, make a mental image of having some fun with bread, pouring juice into your shoe, and getting some eggs for free. Make a game out of remembering longer and longer lists.

4. Brain-Training Apps

The rise of technology means the ability to put effective memory exercises in the palm of your hand on your tablet or smartphone. You can purchase or download apps that help challenge your thinking and boost skills such as problem-solving, memory, and flexibility. 

These apps often present you with brain-strengthening games like puzzles and challenges that increase in difficulty as you progress, keeping your brain actively engaged. Popular brain-training apps provide structured exercises that can be easily integrated into your daily routine, making it simple to commit to regular brain workouts.

5. Online Games 

The beauty of the 21st century is that technology offers access to many things, including games. Online games are convenient and easy to do! You can play memory games, solve brain-teasers, word puzzles, math puzzles, matching games, or competitive games against other players.

Online platforms provide a huge range of mind-stimulating games that cater to players of all levels. So whether you’re a beginner or a veteran in the world of online games, there’s something out there for you!

6. Sudoku

Sudoku is a classic puzzle game — and for good reason. This number puzzle requires logical thinking and problem-solving skills, great for challenging the brain. The objective is to fill a grid so that every row, column, and section contains all the numbers from 1 to 9 without any repetition. This puzzle encourages strategic thinking, as you must consider multiple possibilities and eliminate incorrect options to solve it. 

Regularly engaging in Sudoku can sharpen your logical reasoning and decision-making abilities, making it one of the best games for your brain. No matter how you prefer to play, both mobile options and pen-and-paper options are available.

7. KenKen

Tired of Sudoku? Try KenKen! This logical and arithmetic puzzle was invented by a Japanese math teacher back in 2004. The goal is to help train the brain, and just like with Sudoku, you’re required to fill a grid with digits. You’d use the numbers 1-3 for a 3x3 grid, 1-5 for a 5x5 grid, or 1-9 for a 9x9 grid. Grids vary in sizes from 3x3 all the way to 9x9.

It’s a great way to challenge yourself if you’ve become a Sudoku master. You can find KenKen on most online gaming platforms, so give this modern twist on Sudoku a shot! 

8. Card Games

A card game can do wonders for putting your mind to work. Whether you enjoy complex brain workout games like bridge, rummy, hearts, and poker, these games help boost strategic thinking, planning, and often quick decision-making. 

Don’t have a partner? Play solitaire! The flexibility of card games — played alone or with others — makes them an easy and fun way to exercise your mind.

9. Reading and Storytelling

You don’t need to play games to strengthen your brain. Reading is an excellent activity for keeping your brain engaged. Whether you enjoy novels, non-fiction, or articles, reading stimulates several different areas of the brain. And who doesn’t love curling up with a good book? It’s a great way to relax while giving your mind a workout.

Storytelling, whether you’re writing a novel or telling loved ones an epic story, allows you to practice organizing thoughts and crafting narratives. This process can help cognitive skills and reinforce your ability to communicate ideas effectively.

10. Learning New Skills

It’s never too late to learn! Taking up a new skill, such as learning a language, playing a musical instrument, or trying a new hobby, is one of the most effective ways to engage your brain. This is because learning something new requires the brain to adapt, which can help create and strengthen neural connections.

No matter what you’re interested in, you can learn it. Whether it’s cooking, painting, or coding,  engaging in learning a new skill can stimulate the brain — and make life a bit more interesting.

11. Board Games

Ready to plan more family board game nights? These fun evenings aren’t just great for bonding — they’re great for your brain too! Board games offer a great way to enjoy some social time while giving your brain a workout. Simple word games can help get your brain going, while more complex strategy games like checkers or chess provide a greater challenge. 

Whether you're playing with family or friends, board games often include strategic thinking, planning, and even negotiation skills!

12. Puzzles and Jigsaws

Puzzles, particularly jigsaw puzzles, are a great way to improve spatial awareness and concentration. As you work to fit individual pieces together, the brain works to recognize patterns and visualize the completed image. This mental workout challenges your brain to think ahead and focus on the task at hand.

Jigsaw puzzles are also a great way to unwind while keeping your brain engaged, offering a blend of relaxation and mental stimulation. Want more of a challenge? Try solving the puzzle without the final image to guide you! 

13. Cryptograms and Nonograms

If you're looking for unique brain activities for adults, cryptograms and nonograms are excellent choices.

• Cryptograms are word puzzles made up of encrypted text. The goal is to decrypt the text by deciphering a simple substitution cipher, where each letter in the alphabet is replaced by another. 
• Nonograms, also known as Picross or Paint by Numbers, are picture logic puzzles where you fill in a grid based on numerical clues to reveal a hidden image. The puzzle can be black and white or colored, and solving it involves both logic and creativity.

14. Dancing

This one might surprise you, but dancing is great for the body and the brain! It involves using motor skills, balance, and learning new movements, which can all act as a brain exercise. Whether you take a dance class, follow along at home with a dance workout video, or just groove around your living room to your favorite tunes, dancing is a fun and energetic way to keep your mind engaged. Get movin’! 

Support Healthy Brain Function with Prevagen

Including brain exercises in your routine can significantly contribute to overall well-being. Another great addition to your routine? Memory supplements from Prevagen can provide support for cognitive function. Prevagen is formulated with apoaequorin, a unique substance originally discovered in a species of jellyfish known as Aequorea victoria.

Ready to get started with brain exercises for memory? Embrace the challenge, have fun, and play your favorite games!