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The information on this website is designed to offer self-care tips and recommendations based on evidence-based research and literature from professionals in each field. It is not intended to diagnose or treat any specific medical condition. Please consult with your healthcare provider before making any health-related decisions.
If I were to ask you about your weekly workout routine, you might mention activities like sprints, squats, bench presses, or curls. However, what may not be included is exercising your brain. The brain is the most important muscle—the command center of the human body.
Who among you wants to improve memory, enhance sleep efficiency, boost concentration and energy, reduce symptoms of anxiety, depression, and ADHD, or improve critical thinking, problem-solving, and rapid decision-making abilities? Who wants to build cognitive resilience to better withstand the environmental factors that affect brain health?
In this article, I will share evidence-based cognitive exercises that enhance memory, concentration, and cognitive abilities. These exercises are backed by research, and by incorporating them into your routine, you’re taking a proactive approach to maintaining brain health. I’ll also introduce you to mobile apps and resources that have proven effective in strengthening cognition.
To begin improving your brain health, there are a few things you can do right now with items you likely already have at home.
Daily Exercise. The CDC has found that cognitive decline is twice as high in those who do not exercise compared to those who do. So, how does exercise improve brain functioning? When exercising, there is a significant increase in neurotransmitters and hormones that maintain and repair brain cells.
Mindfulness and Meditation. Mindful meditation is a powerful technique to enhance focus, calmness, and happiness. It also has a direct impact on brain functioning. In a 2019 study, researchers found that mindfulness decreases inflammatory markers in the brain, which can otherwise impair brain functioning and damage brain cells. A 2020 study further revealed that daily mindfulness can lead to brain growth, highlighting the long-term benefits of this practice.
Learn a new activity and teach someone an activity. Engaging in new activities and teaching them to others can stimulate neuron activity in the frontal lobes, enhancing critical thinking and memory retention. Activities like arts and crafts, learning to play a musical instrument, or repairing and restoring items are especially beneficial for the brain. These activities encourage creative thinking and activate more brain areas than simpler tasks, leading to greater cognitive engagement and growth.
Learn to do Tai Chai. This only requires you to look up a Tai Chai instructional video on YouTube. Research demonstrates that Tai Chai not only relaxes your mind and helps treat mental health difficulties, but the movements and memory requirements exercise the brain to improve cognition.
Reflective Journaling. Not only is there evidence-based data to support reflective journaling as a cognitive exercise, but I have personally seen its benefits. When I struggled to recover from my traumatic brain injuries, I began to research self-care methods I could apply in addition to what the providers were doing in treating my brain injuries. After a few months of reading research, making sense of it, and writing about it, I noticed my memory improved.
Now, here are some mobile applications and programs that are evidence-based and proven to strengthen your cognition.
Dual N-Back. Peer-reviewed studies have demonstrated that the Dual N-Back mobile application improves working memory and fluid intelligence, which refers to the ability to reason and solve new problems. This app isn’t easy and may frustrate you in the beginning.
Brain HQ. The Brain HQ website describes its app as a personal gym for the brain, where you exercise your memory, attention, brain speed, people skills, intelligence, and navigation instead of your abs, delts, and quads.
A few others with free and paid features are Lumosity, Elevate, CogniFit, Peak, and Clockwork Brain Training.
I challenge you to plan for and schedule a daily cognitive exercise. Everyone can benefit from improved cognitive and mental health; you can find this improvement through the activities shared in this article. Prioritize cognitive exercises like food and water; make them a necessity and priority in your life, and you will see the benefits.
As you embark on your journey to strengthen your brain, remember that incorporating cognitive exercises into your daily routine can have profound benefits. These activities can significantly enhance your memory, focus, and overall cognitive health, whether through physical exercise, mindfulness practices, learning new skills, or engaging in reflective journaling. Moreover, mobile apps like Dual N-Back, Brain HQ, and others can provide structured and effective ways to challenge and grow your mental capabilities.
