8 Surprisingly Simple Ways to Boost Your Brainpower
Turn Off the Sat Nav and 7 Other Brain Boosters
We all want to stay sharp as we age. While we often think of "brain training" as sitting down with a difficult puzzle (which is great!), a recent report highlights that many opportunities to train our brains are hidden in our daily routines.
According to a recent article in The Sun, simple lifestyle tweaks can have a massive impact on cognitive function. Here are the 8 surprising ways to keep your gray matter glowing.
1. Be a Babysitter (or Just Act Like One)
You don't need to be a grandparent to benefit. Interacting with children—helping with homework, playing games, or making meals—requires multitasking and adaptability. Studies show that older relatives who care for children demonstrate better cognitive function.
2. Close Your Eyes
Try doing routine tasks, like showering or dressing, with your eyes closed (safely!). Eliminating visual input forces your brain to rely on other senses and memory, which can improve recall accuracy by up to 44%.
3. Turn Off the Sat Nav
Relying on GPS lets your brain get lazy. Navigating solo forces you to build mental maps, improving spatial memory and cognitive competence. Next time you drive a familiar route, trust your gut, not the robot.
4. Do a Jigsaw or Puzzle
Manual dexterity tasks strengthen the brain. Whether it's a physical jigsaw, a Crossword, or a card game like Memory Match, solving scenes and patterns reinforces neural pathways.
5. Learn New Words
Expanding your vocabulary aids processing power. Try this challenge: Pick one new word today and use it five times in the next 24 hours. (Need inspiration? Play our Word Scramble game!)
6. Switch It Up
Break your autopilot. Brush your teeth with your non-dominant hand. Walk a different route to the shop. Doing simple tasks in a new format forces dormant neural pathways to fire up.
7. The "Home Workout"
You don't need a gym. Strenuous household tasks like mowing the lawn or spring cleaning get your heart pumping. Aerobic exercise increases blood flow to the hippocampus, which is critical for memory.
8. Stay Curious
Never stop asking questions. Participating in quizzes (or just shouting answers at the TV) hones focus and recall. A curious brain is an active brain.
Read the full original article here: [The Sun: Turn off the sat nav, do a jigsaw and six other surprisingly simple ways to boost your brainpower](https://www.thesun.co.uk/health/38039618/health-brain-boost-brainpower/)