Game Time, Part 2: How to Sharpen Your Mind

When you think about doing things to sharpen your mind, do you pass it off as something only people over a "certain age" have to worry about? Think again. If you want to stay mentally sharp today and throughout your twilight years, now is the time to begin fine-tuning your cognitive skills.

"Cognitive skill" basically refers to any mental skill that you use in an effort to gain knowledge; so memory, reasoning, and concentration are all important cognitive skills. Unfortunately, some experts indicate that these skills may begin to decline as early as our mid-twenties! This is why it is so important to start challenging your mental abilities on a regular basis at a young age.

Play Games to Sharpen Your Mental Acuity

Okay, you say, I'll bite. How do I keep my mind alert and my mental state sharp?

Well, actually, there are lots of different things you can do. It's all a matter of choosing where your interests lie.

One of the best places to begin is with games. Games that test your mental skills include Sudoku, cross word puzzles, word jumbles, Rubik's cube, brain twisters, Taboo, Scrabble, Balderdash, Scattergories and Boggle.

Or, you can simply challenge yourself by creating lists. It's easy. Select a category of objects (for example: types of fruit, states in the U.S., breeds of dog, etc.). Start with the letter A and work your way through the entire alphabet to see how many items you can name in each category.

For instance, if you choose fruit as your category, you're likely to identify A is for apple and B is for banana. But what are you going to do when you get to Q?

You might also want to check for games online. There are brain teasers, word games and logic puzzles (just to name a few) all over the Internet. In fact, playwithyourmind.com has over 100 different mentally challenging games for you to try.

Mental Sharpness Isn't Just About Game Playing

To keep your thinking sharp, it takes a lot more than just playing a game or two each week. There are other factors including physical exercise and sleep, as well as your individual personal history, that all affect your mental acuity.

In fact, research has found that seniors who exercise at least once a week, graduated high school with at least a ninth grade literacy level, don't smoke and remain socially active are more likely to maintain their cognitive skills. So, healthy living is important to maintaining not just your physical health, but your mental health, too. As if there was ever any doubt...

It's important to note that research has also shown that each cognitive skill requires a different type of brain game to improve its effectiveness. And just like physical exercise, mental exercise requires a routine regimen in order to remain effective. So don't expect to play a game or two and be set for the rest of your life. Good health - mental and physical - is a long-term commitment.