For the Middle Aged or Older, Brain Exercises Can Lower Risk of Cognitive Decline

It is well established that regular aerobic exercise is beneficial for overall health and living longer. Moreover, regular physical activity can also boost memory and thinking skills. Several studies have indicated that the parts of the brain that control thinking and memory are larger in volume in people who exercise than in people who don't.

There’s also another activity which can boost mental sharpness, especially as one gets older and into retirement years: Challenging the mind with extensive reading and games involving words and numbers, such as crossword puzzles and Sudoku.

Raphael Wald, Psy.D., a neuropsychologist with Marcus Neuroscience Institute at Boca Raton Regional Hospital.

 

These word or number games are an ideal way to challenge your attention, memory, and ability to problem-solve, explains Raphi Wald, Psy.D., a board-certified neuropsychologist with Marcus Neuroscience Institute at Boca Raton Regional Hospital, part of Baptist Health.

“Sudoku and crossword puzzles are really important for people as they get older because it allows you to exercise your brain,” said Dr. Wald. “The brain is very much like a muscle. The more you use it, the stronger it becomes.”

Sudoku refers to mentally challenging puzzles involving numbers – starting with a grid which is usually made up of nine rows, nine columns, and nine boxes. The goal is to fill in all the empty squares without using the same numeral twice in each column, row, or box, and without changing the numerals that are already in the grid.

Ideally, exercising the brain is part of a healthy lifestyle that includes regular aerobic exercise. ”Exercise – aerobic exercise, specifically – is very important for cognitive health as it keeps our heart and blood vessels healthy,” said Dr. Wald. “The healthier they are, the better they stay at nurturing the brain with the oxygen and nutrition it needs to thrive.”

Doing puzzles and reading books with intricate plotlines are an essential as part of a healthy lifestyle, he adds. “People will go to the gym and work out so they can have stronger biceps or triceps or whatever muscle it is. The brain very much works the same way.”

Recent studies have indicated that certain middle-aged and older adults tend to disengage from difficult tasks and goals after they retire – putting them at a higher risk of cognitive decline as they age.

“Doing these activities allows the brain to continue to be strong,” said Dr. Wald. “And in particular, I really like it when people spend a lot of time reading, especially books. That’s because if your mind is working to follow a plot, it is working harder and it's allowing you to use your memory and a lot of your other cognitive skills -- which keeps your brain strong and works out those muscles.”

Retirement is often detrimental to brain health, studies have confirmed.

“Work gives us a sense of purpose, mental stimulation and socialization,” said Dr. Wald. “Robbing the brain of all of these benefits frequently precipitates cognitive decline. My suggestion is to retire to an activity that will provide all of these same benefits in a less stressful manner.”