Exercise Your Mind
Exercising our minds on a regular basis can help prevent effects of dementia, develop problemsolving skills, increase creativity, sharpen focus, and improve memory. Identify a class or hobby
you are passionate about pursuing, and then challenge yourself. Ever want to learn Russian,
pick up needle-point, or take a class in genealogy? Now is the time—just make sure you are
genuinely interested!
You can also try a daily game to keep your mind moving—crosswords, Sudoko, or a Rubik’s
cube are great options. However, these games, and the time to do them, might not always be
available.
Here are ten simple and accessible exercises to keep your mind healthy at all ages!
1. Write a list or note. Putting pen to paper challenges your hand-eye-mind
coordination and forces you to really think about what you are writing.
2. Turn off the TV. Watching TV, even having it on in the background, can affect your
concentration, focus, and creativity.
3. Read everything you see. Reading is a basic exercise with wonderful results. It’s the
“walking” of brain exercise—simple and accessible! For bonus points, take a moment
after reading an article or story to really think about what you read.
4. Increase your vocabulary. Try to incorporate a new word into your vernacular (n.
native language of a specific population) every few days. You’ll wow your friends and
colleagues while improving your memory.
5. Rethink an already solved problem. Consider a problem or issue that you solved
recently. Now think about how that could’ve gone differently, or come up with an
alternate solution. Considering all the scenarios can help build your problem solving
skills for all of life’s twists and turns.
6. Organize something small. Take a few minutes to organize a single drawer, shelf,
or your glove compartment. The task itself will challenge your brain, and just knowing
where something is can be very satisfying!
7. Change your route. If you have a regular driving, walking, or biking route to a
specific destination, mix it up! Take your brain off auto-pilot to recharge and improve
its function.
8. Add it up. Put down the cell phone and use your mental calculator to add up the cost
of a purchase, calculate miles on a road trip, or determine the tip at a restaurant.
9. Stay in touch with friends and family. Being part of a larger social network can be
stimulating and thought-provoking. It takes a lot of focus to follow and contribute to
conversations.
10. Get physical exercise. Physical activity can boost serotonin and dopamine, which
increase feelings of calmness and happiness, helping you to relax and focus.
Visit PacificSource.com for free online tools and resources
As a PacificSource member, you can access CaféWell, an online health engagement portal. To
get started, go to PacificSource.com, log into InTouch, and then click on the CaféWell button.
Visit CaféWell to:
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Complete the health assessment to identify your potential health risks.
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Get your health and wellness questions answered by an expert health coach.
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Connect with family, friends, and others with similar health goals.
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Access helpful tips and articles on health and wellness.
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