So how do you keep your brain active and your mind sharp these days? If you’re a lover of brain games, we’ve got good news. More and more research seems to confirm that challenging yourself with a good digital puzzle or mixing things up with a variety of mental challenges can boost your memory and support your cognition, even if you’ve been diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment. So let’s challenge your mental acuity and take a look at some of this recent research.

First, a study published in Helyon looked at the impact of game playing on younger and older adults to examine the impact of brain games on memory and concentration. What they found was that for older adults (60 and above) digital puzzle games (like those played on your phone, computer, or game console) helped participants avoid distraction and improve their memory (in younger adults it was found that strategy games achieved this result). As one of the study co-authors stated, “Puzzle games for older people had this surprising ability to support mental capabilities to the extent that memory and concentration levels were the same as a 20-year-old’s who had not played puzzle games.” Recognizing that puzzle games might be just the ticket to bolstering your mind and memory, we recommend a few resources to help add to your puzzle collection. Take a look here and consider a slew of new brain-enhancing puzzle books put out by Maria Shriver here.

A more recent study published in the Journal of Cognitive Enhancement found that engaging in puzzles and other brain-stimulating activities could slow cognitive decline, even if you already have a mild cognitive impairment diagnosis. In this study, data from almost 6000 adult participants, at least 50 years old and with a diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment, was examined to determine the impact of activities such as game playing, reading, or hobbies on mental faculties, including memory, attention, and processing speed. What they discovered was that those with the highest level of participation in these sorts of mentally engaging activities had the highest cognitive function levels during the study and maintained those levels of functioning in comparison to study groups that were less engaged in these brain-stimulating activities. As a result, experts recommend older adults engage in these sorts of activities 3-4 times/week. While more research needs to clarify whether different activities distinctly influence certain cognitive functions, there’s no doubt that including brain-engaging activities in your everyday life is beneficial for your cognitive and mental health. 

Finally, a recent study examining memory in older adults found that diverse cognitive stimulation, rather than the repetitive practice of the same activity, is more likely to improve your learning and memory. For example, practicing the same piece of music at the same time every day under the same conditions may be less valuable for your working memory than switching up what you practice and how you practice, challenging your brain with a bit of mental juggling. As researchers reported, “Older adults learned a memory task best after practicing multiple related tasks, suggesting that diverse cognitive training supports mental sharpness as we age.” So rather than just doing your Sudoku daily as a way to engage your brain, mix it up with also attending a lecture, socializing with a friend, or reading a favorite novel. While we missed celebrating National Read A Book Day on Sept. 6th, you needn’t miss out on the brain-boosting benefits of reading a book along with doing your games and puzzles. The goal is to regularly stimulate your brain with a broad variety of engaging activities to keep your mind sharp well into your later years.