How to Keep Your Mind Sharp

Do you sometimes feel like your brain is starting to slowly melt out of your ears? Sometimes you can feel like this when you're bored, or when you've been watching Friends for 36 hours straight. Even though you need to use your brain for plenty of things, from working to cooking, it's easy to think that maybe you're not using it enough. When you've forgotten how to solve a basic math problem or can't grasp the word you want to use, it can seem like maybe you need to be more active with that gray, mushy thing in your head. So how can you keep your mind sharp if you're not a brain surgeon or rocket scientist?

Actively Watch, Listen and Read

Watching TV or a movie, reading or listening to something are all ways to entertain yourself, which don't always take a lot of effort. You can feel like they're very passive activities, especially if you're watching or listening to something. However, you can be more engaged with these things in a variety of ways. Reading is a more active pastime, and will easily get your brain going. However, you can also use your brainpower more when watching and listening to things. Engage yourself critically, ask questions, and consider how you feel about what you're watching or listening to. You could even write down some things and perhaps engage with fellow fans, both online and offline.

Learn Something New

It's never too late to learn something new. If there's something that has always interested you or that you have always wanted to learn more about, you could pick up a new interest. You might learn in a formal way by taking lessons, attending a course, or aiming for a qualification. However, there are also ways to learn more casually and at the pace that you want. You can read books, watch documentaries and videos, learn from tutorials, attend talks and readings, and more. However you like to learn, you can find ways to take in new information and pick up new skills.

Do Puzzles and Quizzes

For a way to spend a few fun minutes a day exercising your brain, there are fun puzzles and quizzes of all different kinds. They're ideal for getting you to concentrate on something for a while and shut out everything else. Puzzles come in all levels of difficulty, from dastardly cryptic crosswords to word searches. At https://www.pennydellpuzzles.com/fill-ins/books/ you can find a take on crosswords, which gives you the answers to make it much easier. Instead, you simply work out where the words belong in the grid. If words aren't your thing, there are puzzles with numbers, spatial awareness, and more.

Be Creative

Are you someone who is more creative, rather than someone who wants to do number problems? There are lots of creative activities that get your brain working in different ways. Sewing can require you to use your spatial reasoning skills, and knitting can mean you have to use your memory and count stitches. You can try painting, sculpture, pottery, or any other creative pursuit that you think might suit you. If nothing else, they will all require your focus and creativity. You can find lots of resources to teach you new skills, or you can just dive right in and see what you can do.

Stay Socially Engaged

Social isolation can have an effect on your brain as it means that it's not as active. There is also evidence that it could lead to anxiety, depression, and other problems. Fortunately, there are plenty of ways to stay social. As well as spending time with family and friends, you can get out to meet new people. It's also possible to socialize online if you want to communicate with others without having to go anywhere, or maybe even while you're on the move.

Let Your Brain Rest

Another important element of keeping your brain sharp is ensuring it has time to rest. When you're always busy and stressed, you can get burnt out. It's especially easy for your brain to get tired when you're always online, using devices and checking social media. A digital detox can help if you need a break. Meditation and other methods of relaxation can also be very helpful. Getting plenty of sleep is important, too, helping to ensure your brain is well-rested and has time to reboot.

No matter your age, keeping your mind sharp can help you stay healthy and engaged with the world.