Brain Exercises: 12 Ways to Boost Memory, Focus, and Mental Skills

A rich vocabulary has a way of making you sound smart. But did you know you can also turn a quick vocab lesson into a stimulating brain game?

Research shows that many more regions of the brain are involved in vocabulary tasks, particularly in areas that are important for visual and auditory processing. To test this theory, try this cognitive-boosting activity:

• Keep a notebook with you when you read.
• Write down one unfamiliar word, then look up the definition.
• Try to use that word five times the next day.

The Centers for Disease Prevention and Control notes that learning new dance moves can increase your brain’s processing speed and memory. In other words, bust a move on the dance floor and your brain will thank you.

Want to test it out? Give one of these dance activities a try:

• Take a salsa, tap, hip-hop, or contemporary dance class.
• Try a Zumba or jazz exercise class.
• Watch an online video with fun dance moves you’ve always wanted to learn.
• Grab a partner and learn to ballroom dance.
• Gather your friends and go line dancing.

A 2015 Reasearch Report suggests that using all your senses may help strengthen your brain.

To give your senses and your brain a workout, try doing activities that simultaneously engage all five of your senses. You could try baking a batch of cookies, visiting a farmer’s market, or trying a new restaurant while you focus on smelling, touching, tasting, seeing, and hearing all at the same time.

Learning a new skill is not only fun and interesting, but it may also help strengthen the connections in your brain.

also shows that learning a new skill can help improve memory function in older adults.

Is there something you’ve always wanted to learn how to do? Perhaps you’d like to know how to repair your car, use a particular software program, or ride a horse? You now have one more good reason to learn that new skill.

One of the best ways to expand your learning is to teach a skill to another person.

After you learn a new skill, you need to practice it. Teaching it to someone else requires you to explain the concept and correct any mistakes you make. For example, learn to swing a golf club, then teach the steps to a friend.

Do you want an easy way to increase your creative brain power? The answer may lie in turning on some music.

According to a 2017 study listening to happy tunes helps generate more innovative solutions compared to being in silence. Which means, cranking up some feel-good music can help boost your creative thinking and brain power.

And if you want to learn how to play music now is a great time to start because your brain is capable of learning new skills at any point in your life. That’s why you’re never too old to start playing an instrument like the piano, guitar, or even the drums.

Don’t get stuck in a rut when it comes to your daily tasks. Instead, be willing to try new ways to do the same things.

Choose a different route to get to work each week or try a different mode of transport, like biking or using public transport instead of driving. Your brain can benefit from this simple change, and you might be surprised by how easy it is to change your thinking.

Daily meditation can calm your body, slow your breathing, and reduce stress and anxiety.

But did you know that it may also help fine-tune your memory and increase your brain’s ability to process information?

Find a quiet spot, close your eyes, and spend five minutes meditating each day.

According to numerous studies, bilingualism can contribute to better memory, improved visual-spatial skills, and higher levels of creativity. Being fluent in more than one language may also help you switch more easily between different tasks, and delay the onset of age-related mental decline.

The good news is that it’s never too late to reap the rewards of learning a new language. According to researchers, you can boost your memory and improve other mental functions by becoming a student of a new language at any time in your life.

It’s no secret that tai chi can benefit your health in many ways, including your mental health. Plus, it can also help center you when life seems out of balance.

Taking up a regular practice of tai chi can help reduce stress, enhance sleep quality, and improve memory. A 2013 study found that long-term tai chi practice could induce structural changes in the brain, resulting in an increase in brain volume.