We all know the importance of staying healthy because a healthy body should give us longevity and an enjoyable life well into our twilight years. So, a balanced diet, frequent exercise, and staying hydrated has been the method for most of us.

Physical exercise is essential to living a long and healthy life, but mental ones are just as important. Your brain copes with a lot during your hectic day, from managing schedules to coping with increased stress levels, not to mention the barrage of stimuli that comes your way the second you go online – it’s a lot. 

That is why it is essential to exercise your brain to stay sharp while young and to decrease cognitive decline as you age. It is never too late to start! Below are five of the top brain-boosting games to keep your brain in peak condition:

  • Chess

Chess is one of the most effective and popular ways to exercise your brain. It increases your IQ, improves memory retention, and helps develop higher levels of creativity and problem-solving skills.

Chess exercises both sides of the brain and can help to prevent dementia in older adults. Regularly playing chess can improve cognitive skills and help to deepen focus and develop perspective.

  • Crosswords

Published studies have shown that people who experienced mild memory problems and started doing crossword puzzles showed a vast improvement in both cognitive abilities and memory retention compared to those who played other online games.

Solving crosswords reduces stress levels, boosts your mood, and improves problem-solving skills. People who solve crossword puzzles weekly are generally better at solving problems and are more articulate than those who don’t.

  • Poker

Poker drastically ups your thinking ability, strengthening your brain and improving its health.

Becoming a great poker player can improve your memory, give you better mental flexibility, and drastically improve your reaction times. Poker isn’t just great for social skills; it is a fantastic form of mental exercise too – and with plenty of online options available, you can start today.

  • Scrabble

To improve your brain’s performance, play a simple game of Scrabble. Scrabble not only enriches your vocabulary and word recall abilities but can also help with neurodegenerative disorders. 

In our fast-paced world, being able to focus is a luxury at times. We’re so used to processing information at lightning speeds and multitasking to such an extent that we almost grow more arms, so it’s natural for focusing to be difficult at times.

  • Puzzles

The origins of jigsaw puzzles go back to the late 1700s when European mapmakers glued maps onto wood and cut them into pieces. John Spilsbury was a mapmaker credited with inventing the first jigsaw puzzle in 1767 – and people have loved them ever since.

Puzzles can improve cognitive and visual-spatial reasoning. The health benefits are aplenty – including improvements to short-term memory and problem-solving skills.

To End

Educational games like these listed above are fun for people of all ages, will help to sharpen your brain, and are easily accessible for most people. Choose any of these for an effective way to get a satisfying mental workout.