In a world that is always busy and full of information, it is easy to forget about the health of our minds, as many people believe that as we age, our ability to think and remember things should deteriorate.
However, science shows us that our brains are very flexible, especially through brain games for adults, what advantages they have, and here are some examples that you can try today.
Intellectual games involve memory, concentration, problem solving, and the speed with which you think. Games can be very simple, like the crossword puzzle you find in the newspaper, or more complex, like a video game that requires careful planning and quick decisions.
When you do something new or complex, your brain has to find new ways to get information, and the more you do it, the stronger and faster your brain becomes. It's a bit like how muscles strengthen when you lift weights.
Playing brain games regularly can lead to many good things for your mind. Here are some of the most important benefits that you may notice:
Improved Memory: Many games ask you to memorize various things, such as a list of words or the location of pictures, and regular practice helps improve both short-term and long-term memory. In practice, you may find it easier to remember names, dates, and other important information in your daily life.
Better Concentration: Games often require you to concentrate for a long time without being distracted by other things, and the skill is very useful at work, at school, or even just when reading a long book without stopping.
Faster Thinking: Logical and strategy games force you to think fast and solve problems and can increase the speed of your thinking and information processing. You may find that you can solve problems faster and make decisions faster and with more confidence in your daily life.
New Learning Skills: Learning a new game, especially one with complex rules, forces your brain to learn new patterns and information and can make it easier for you to learn other new things in the future, such as a new language or playing a musical instrument.
Logic and Puzzle Games: Examples include Sudoku, in which you use numbers to fill in a grid; crosswords, in which you recall specific words based on clues; and puzzles, which help you see the big picture from many small pieces.
Memory Games: You are playing a game where you have to turn over the cards to find matching pairs, or a game where the computer shows you a list of items and you have to memorize them in the correct order. These games are good for strengthening your brain's ability to remember information.
Language and Word Games: A good example is the Scrabble game, in which you make up words to earn points. Other examples are Boggle, which allows you to find as many words as possible in a grid of letters, and word search.
Strategy and Planning Games: Chess is a classic example of this. Checkers is another good example. These games teach you to think about what will happen in a few moves in the future. If you are used to scolding your child for his addiction to computer games, then you should know that modern video games also belong to this group.
Game | Skill It Helps | How It Works |
Sudoku | Logic, problem-solving, number sense | You fill the grid with numbers so that each row, column, and cell has numbers from 1 to 9 |
Crossword Puzzle | Vocabulary, general knowledge, word finding | You find words that fit into a grid based on hints |
Chess | Strategy, planning, thinking ahead | You move different pieces on the board to checkmate your opponent |
Memory Card Match | Short-term memory, concentration | You flip over pairs of cards to find matching pictures or symbols |
Scrabble | Vocabulary, spelling, creative thinking | You use tiles with letters to make words on the board and get points |
The reason brain games work is because of the scientific idea of neuroplasticity, which means that your brain can change and evolve throughout your life.
When you learn something new or perform a difficult task, your brain establishes new connections between its cells, called neurons, which can also strengthen old connections.
Research has shown that as we age, our brains begin to change, but it doesn't necessarily have to be something leading to decline. Here are some important facts from various studies and reports that demonstrate the power of mental activity:
Global Numbers: According to the World Health Organization (WHO), there were about 57 million people with dementia worldwide in 2021. This number is expected to increase dramatically, reaching 78 million by 2030, and reaching 139 million by 2050 if nothing is done.
Economic Cost: The total global damage from dementia in 2019 was estimated at $1.3 trillion and is projected to reach $2.8 trillion by 2030, indicating the enormous social and economic impact of cognitive decline.
Brain Volume and Age:Research shows that after the age of 40, the total brain volume can decrease by about 5% per decade, and this decrease can occur faster in certain areas of the brain that are important for memory and thinking, such as the hippocampus and frontal lobe.
Preventing Decline: Other studies have shown that keeping the mind active, along with other healthy habits, can help reduce the risk of thinking problems. For example, some studies have shown that brain training can reduce a person's risk of decreased functional abilities in daily life by 30% compared to the control group. In addition, a study conducted on people with moderate cognitive impairment showed that taking B vitamins reduced the incidence of brain atrophy by 30% over 24 months compared with placebo.
Long-Term Benefits: A large ACTIVE study, which involved researchers such as S. Ball, showed that cognitive training can have a lasting effect. The participants who completed this training demonstrated improved thinking and information processing speed, and these benefits persisted 10 years after the end of the training.
Immediate Effects: In some studies, older adults who engaged in cognitive training only 10-15 times demonstrated improvements in memory and thinking.
You don't have to spend many hours a day playing mind games to benefit from it. By taking a little time every day, you can make a lot of difference:
Start Small: Try to play an intellectual game for at least 10-15 minutes every single day. You can do this over a cup of morning coffee or before going to bed.
Use Your Phone: There are many free games in the Mind Elevate app for your phone or tablet with hundreds of different brain development games. This makes it easy to play them wherever you are, whether you are waiting for a bus or taking a short break.
Mix It Up: Don't play the same game every day and try different types of games to engage different parts of your brain. One day you can put together a puzzle, and the next you can play with words to develop your brain comprehensively.
Make It a Habit: Try to incorporate mind games into your daily routine, as if you were exercising, and set yourself a notification or alarm clock to create a healthy habit.
Find a Partner: You can play some of these games with a friend or family member, by the way, this option may be especially interesting if you haven't seen a friend for a long time, since during vivid emotional events the brain is as flexible as possible and ready for new information.
After all, mind games are an easy and enjoyable way to improve memory, concentration, and thinking skills. Among so many available games, there is something that everyone will like. The choice is yours - from old classic games like chess to new apps on your phone, and by regularly training your brain, you'll help it stay strong and ready for all life's challenges.
