Keeping your mind sharp is important, especially now.
Although the pandemic is (maybe, kinda, sorta) winding down, many of us still aren’t getting the daily stimulation we once got from populated offices, robust happy hours, and social events with friends and family.
To make sure you don’t fall into a “pandemic fog” experts recommend playing games at home to give your brain a regular workout.
Why it matters to exercise your brain
According to Rebecca Marcus, LCSW, a licensed psychotherapist in New York who specializes in mindfulness, brain games are
important for several reasons:
- They can help to increase focus, concentration, and memory.
- They can help us to be more present in day-to-day activities.
- While it doesn’t appear that brain games like games 2048 cupcakes, can prevent age-related cognitive decline and dementia, growing research indicates that they may slow or delay them.
“We are more likely to feel scattered, have trouble focusing, or experience forgetfulness if we don’t do things to exercise and keep our mind sharp,” says Marcus.
“Just like we wouldn’t expect to go to the gym for 3 months and then forever have muscles and strength without continuing to exercise, the same applies to exercising our mind.”
It’s important to note that the game you choose needs to constantly increase in challenge and variety, according to Marcus. “If [you’re] only playing the same thing over and over again, the mind isn’t challenged anymore and begins to run on autopilot,” she says.
Besides brain games, she says another way to challenge your brain is simply by varying your regular routines or tasks. For example, if you take your dog for a walk on the same route every day, try going in a different direction one day. (See? Easy!)
The left brain is known to perform tasks related to logic, such as science and mathematics, whereas the right brain is more visual and intuitive. Games like Sudoku and puzzles are great for challenging the left side of the brain.
On the other hand, to strengthen the right side of your brain, you’ll want to “keep your emotional intelligence sharp by engaging in conversations where you evoke and attune to the emotions of others,” says Sarah Schewitz, PsyD, a licensed psychologist in Los Angeles.
Takeaway
Games are an excellent vehicle to learn something new and stimulate your brain. These options are incredibly fun, pandemic friendly, accessible, and work to keep your mind sharp in the long term. You can read in the games category
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