Aside from your regular “brain” games (scrabble, sudoku, jigsaw puzzles, etc), there are many ways nowadays to strengthen your mind. As our technology gets more and more progressive, activities such as learning languages become more and more accessible! If you have ever had any interest in learning a new language, there are numerous games that help to both improve your cognitive function, and specifically target certain things you may want to work on, such as memory or math.
Some of these games are easy to do at home, some you can order online, and some are games you can play on your computer or phone.
As far as online games go, there are many websites that help you with mental exercise. My personal favorite is Luminosity. There is also Dakim, Happy Neuron, and many more! When it comes to mental exercise though, maybe staring at a screen isn’t how you think it should work. With home games, you can achieve the same result.
If you have a chess set laying around, it may be time to blow the dust off of it and start playing! Chess is proven to improve memory functions as well as use both hemispheres of your brain, as you are working with object recognition and pattern recognition. If chess has never interested you, there’s always sudoku and crossword puzzles. If absolutely none of these things interest you, you can always play a game with yourself called “The Tray Game.” Place random objects on a tray, cover them with a towel or cloth, and try to write down every item that was on the tray. Although it sounds silly, it really does help with improving your memory.
Don’t forget to exercise your brain every day. Even just ten minutes is enough to keep it healthy and active!