How to Exercise Your Brain

Co-authored by Michael Lewis, MD, MPH, MBA, FACPM, FACN

Last Updated: June 24, 2024 Fact Checked

Whether you're trying to get your brain back into shape or you just want to keep it as strong as it is now, there are some things you can do to exercise your brain. You can use different strategies to enhance your thinking and word skills, play games, socialize, engage in life-long learning, and taking care of yourself. You probably won’t see results overnight, but after a few months of using these strategies you may notice a big difference in your memory skills.

Part 1

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Enhancing Your Thinking and Word Skills

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Read as much as you can. Reading is great brain exercise. You can read newspapers, magazines or books but just keep in mind that the more challenging the text is, the more of a workout your brain will get. Like any exercise, start small and work your way up.
- Try reading books that will teach you something new, such as books about history or another subject that interests you.
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Increase your vocabulary. You can also learn new words from a word-a-day calendar or dictionary. This exercises the language portion of your brain.
- Try writing a new word someplace where you will see it often, such as on a whiteboard in your kitchen or on a sticky note on your desk. Choose a word that is challenging to spell and use to get the most out of this daily exercise.
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Writing requires loads of thinking! You can write made-up stories, write down the things that have happened to you, or write articles for wikiHow on the topics you know about and love!
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Learn a new language. Learning a language is like a hack for your brain, opening up all sorts of pathways. This exercises the part of your brain that stores language information, even making you better at speaking your own language.
- Languages are a great way to keep learning new things and challenging your brain.^{[1]
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  Research source} Even if you only learn a few new words or phrases in a language, this will exercise your brain.
- Reader Poll: We asked 308 wikiHow readers and 47% of them chose learning a new language as the skill they’d be most excited to learn. [Take Poll] So you may want to give this a try if you’re looking to exercise your brain in an exciting way!
Consider the different possibilities of how something in your day could have gone, and explore the consequences. This improves creativity and makes you a better problem solver.
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Turn off the television. Television tells you what to think and how to think it, basically putting your brain on autopilot. That's why it's so relaxing! If you want to keep your brain from stagnating, the first thing you have to do is turn off the TV. If you really want to watch, use your brain while you watch. Choose to watch educational programs and if you watch popular programs, choose ones with complex plot lines or character interactions. Think about these while you watch and try to analyze them or guess what happens next.
- You may even consider cancelling your cable or satellite service and only watching things online that are educational. You can find many educational videos online and through subscription services.
Use your left hand if you are right handed or your right hand if you are left handed. This will help to stimulate the parts of your brain that control your muscles.
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Learn to play a musical instrument. Learning how to play a musical instrument or learning how to sing is a great way to challenge your brain because this will engage you in a long-term learning experience.^{[2]
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Go to source} You can take lessons, use videos to teach yourself, or join a group such as choir to engage with music.
- Try learning to play the ukulele. This is an easy instrument to learn and there are even clubs for people who play.

Part 2

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Playing Games to Exercise Your Brain

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Simple puzzles like crosswords can help your brain do some basic work.^{[3]
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Michael Lewis, MD, MPH, MBA, FACPM, FACN
Board Certified Brain Health Physician

Expert Interview. 18 February 2021.} These are easy to fit into your day. You can even find some for free online.
Large, complex puzzles give your brain a stronger workout. These can sometimes take several days to a week to finish but they're worth the effort. This doesn't just mean a puzzle in the traditional sense either. Check out Japanese pocket puzzles for a serious brain teaser that you can do while you're killing time.
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Consider playing chess. Chess is an incredibly strategic and tactical game. Few puzzles surpass chess in working out your brain.^{[4]
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Michael Lewis, MD, MPH, MBA, FACPM, FACN
Board Certified Brain Health Physician

Expert Interview. 18 February 2021.} Chess is simple to learn and easy to play.
- Look into joining a chess club in your area to get more opportunities to play and learn from more experienced players.
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Our Family Plays Games, LLC is a family-owned business based in Omaha, Nebraska. Launched in 2018, their mission is to promote growth and awareness of the modern board game hobby and bring more BIPOCs and families into the board game community. In June 2020 they were featured on Good Morning America and have since been featured on NBC News Online, Senet Magazine (UK), Ligadas.com (Brazil), a variety of YouTube programs, podcasts, and on local television. In January of 2022, they launched a second program on their channel, called OFPG Voices to highlight other underrepresented voices in the hobby. In addition, they make special appearances at board game conventions all around the country and work with board game publishers from around the world.

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Board games stimulate your brain. Engaging in strategic thinking and problem-solving while playing board games can trigger cognitive functions like memory and planning. Over time, these mental workouts can even enhance your cognitive agility. In sum, board games offer a fun and engaging way to keep your mind sharp!
Did you know that playing video games in moderation may actually make you smarter? Puzzle solving games like Mario, Zelda, Scribblenauts, and Myst are like a good cardio workout for your brain, helping you to become a better, more creative problem solver, and a faster thinker.^{[5]
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Go to source}

Part 3

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Socializing More

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Talk with people. Talk with people about things you or they know about. Talking about politics, religion, and other challenging topics (having real discussions, not just arguments), can be a great basic brain workout^{[6]
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Michael Lewis, MD, MPH, MBA, FACPM, FACN
Board Certified Brain Health Physician

Expert Interview. 18 February 2021.}.
- You might even consider joining a group like Toastmasters since they cover a wide range of interests.
Join a group or club for people with the same interests as you. This can be a hobby club, a political group, a discussion group, or anything like that. Talking with people with similar interests will get you using your brain and your skills.
Phones can be a distraction when you are having a conversation with someone, so get into the habit of putting it away when you are socializing. Try putting your phone in another room, or shutting it off when you are socializing with friends. This will force you to focus on the conversation and work on improving your face-to-face communication skills.
Doing volunteer work will not only improve your social connections, it will also provide you with opportunities to build new neurological pathways.^{[7]
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Research source}Try volunteering at your local food bank, animal shelter, hospital, or nursing home.

Part 4

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Making Learning Lifelong

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Going back to school is a great way to get that brain working again and more education has obvious benefits. You don't even need to get a whole degree. Your employer may be willing to help you finance classes that further your job skills, or you can just take a single class in a subject that interests you.
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Take free classes. If you just don't have the money or time, there are also a number of free classes available online. Some are even from top universities, like Harvard. Try Coursera, Khan Academy, or even just Ted Talks to get the university experience, without the price.
- You may even be eligible to take a free course at a local college or university. Some colleges and universities offer free courses for mature learners.
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Use skills you have already gained frequently. With your brain, much like your muscles, it's kind of a "use it or lose it" situation. The longer you go without using information and skills, the rustier they get. Frequently use basic skills, like doing math, in order to keep those skills fresh and ready to use.
- Try using skills that you have not used in a while, such as woodworking, knitting, sewing, or doing home repairs.
Learning a new skill is also a great way to give your brain a workout.^{[8]
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Rahti Gorfien, PCC
Life Coach

Expert Interview. 17 December 2019.} Creative skills especially, like music, dance, and visual art, will exercise different parts of your brain and all have incredible benefits.
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Build things. Whether you're building robots or a new bench for your hallway, using your brain to figure out how to make something (especially from scratch with no instructions) is a great workout. Get some basic building skills and then get your brain limber with some practical creativity.
- Try doing a do-it-yourself project to learn new skills and make something in the process.

Part 5

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Staying Healthy

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Diet and exercise actually play a role in the health of your brain as well.^{[9]
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Rahti Gorfien, PCC
Life Coach

Expert Interview. 17 December 2019.} If you want to keep your brain in peak condition, eat a healthy diet rich in protein and omega 3 fatty acids to keep your brain physically fed. Drink water as much as you can. Physical exercise can also keep your body healthy, reducing the chance of stroke and increasing oxygen saturation levels.
Learn exercises or how to play new games to increase your hand-eye and body coordination. Tai-chi and pinball are both examples of this.
Scientists are actually discovering that sleep plays an absolutely vital role in keeping your brain healthy. While you sleep, your body cleans toxins out of your brain (in addition to making repairs). ^{[10]
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Research source} If you want to protect your brain, make sure you get a full night's sleep as regularly as possible.
Try commuting with varied routes, to prevent the brain from feeling too neglected as the result of a monotonous day. You can also change how you work, by introducing an exercise ball or other factor into how you work.

Brain Exercises and Resources

Crossword and Puzzle Worksheet to Exercise Your Brain

Online Resources to Exercise Your Brain

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How can I become mentally strong?

Rahti Gorfien, PCC
Life Coach
Rahti Gorfien is a Life Coach and the Founder of Creative Calling Coaching, LLC. She specializes in working with artists, entrepreneurs, and college students in creative fields. Rahti is accredited as a Professional Certified Coach (PCC) by the International Coach Federation, an ACCG Accredited ADHD Coach by the ADD Coach Academy, and a Career Specialty Services Provider (CSS). In addition, she has personal experience in the fields she coaches - she is an alumnus of the New York University Graduate Acting program and has been a working theater artist for over 30 years. She was voted one of the 15 Best Life Coaches in New York City by Expertise in 2018.

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Expert Answer

I recommend learning how to meditate. Meditation is the process of learning how to separate your reactions from what you are observing. It can help you experience life in a balanced way and accept change.

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Are hobbies a waste of time?

Rahti Gorfien, PCC
Life Coach
Rahti Gorfien is a Life Coach and the Founder of Creative Calling Coaching, LLC. She specializes in working with artists, entrepreneurs, and college students in creative fields. Rahti is accredited as a Professional Certified Coach (PCC) by the International Coach Federation, an ACCG Accredited ADHD Coach by the ADD Coach Academy, and a Career Specialty Services Provider (CSS). In addition, she has personal experience in the fields she coaches - she is an alumnus of the New York University Graduate Acting program and has been a working theater artist for over 30 years. She was voted one of the 15 Best Life Coaches in New York City by Expertise in 2018.

Rahti Gorfien, PCC

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No! Not only can hobbies add pleasure to your life, they're also good for your brain health. Take time to engage in hobbies you enjoy.

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How can I remember things easily and for a long time?

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There are many ways to improve your memory. Most people benefit from writing things down. Try writing down the things you want to remember, and then keep looking at the list until you remember them.

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Try doing a few things regularly, like memorizing something each day, or using a Rubik's cube for 15 minutes a day.

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When exercising, try to walk-backward (the reverse direction of the usual walking pattern) to tease the sphere of the brain.

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Remember to exercise your body - a healthier mind results from a healthy body. Get plenty of physical exercise.

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