Our brains are one of the most important organs in the body. It controls our ability to see, talk, feel, remember things and even breathe, among others. Brains also plan and coordinate all the movements that take place in our bodies.

Fun fact, did you know that when a person dies, the brain is the last organ of the body to switch off? One of the important functions of the brain is its ability to remember. There are numerous ways to improve our memory, who doesn’t want to effortlessly remember even the smallest details, right?

1. Word search puzzles

Before I get down to the facts, enjoy this word search I made especially for you ;). Comment and tell me which two words you find first!

(I actually did make it) – Scroll to the bottom for the answers!

“Working memory” is a mental skill that enables a person to store information in their brain when it is needed in the short term, it later helps to transfer the information to the long term memory. Other word puzzles such as crosswords also help in improving the working memory of a person. Not only are they fun, but they also exercise your brain, that’s a win-win situation if you ask me! Experts claim that they can also prevent or delay neurological disorders like Alzheimer’s and dementia. 

2. Chess

Playing chess is accompanied by benefits such as improvement of brain function, cognitive abilities, attention span, strategic thinking and memory. Chess requires a person to remember the rules of the game, for example, how each piece moves. The player would also play better if they remembered and avoided their past mistakes, and if they studied and memorised their opponents playing style. Chess can also improve a person’s verbal skills. Scientists have claimed that playing chess can improve a person’s mental age. On average, chess players tend to exhibit superior cognitive abilities as compared to non-chess players. Plus – of course you need to know how to play chess after Queen’s Gambit!

3. Sudoku

Your neuroplasticity increases when you play sudoku. Increased neuroplasticity allows you to view things from better angles, anticipate and understand new patterns. A Lot of people will want to finish their sudoku faster than they did before, this can improve your mind’s speed when it comes to thinking about everyday things. It also helps to delay Alzheimer’s, dementia and declining of the brain.

4. Jigsaw puzzles

Jigsaw puzzles are such good exercise for our brains, this is because both the left and right sides are used. The left side is methodical, logical and objective while the right side is intuitive, creative and emotional. Both sides of the brain work together when you solve a puzzle resulting in increased cognitive function. Neural connections are also strengthened and new connections are generated which increases your thought process and mental speed. Short-term memory is improved and mental declination is decreased. 

These are only a few benefits that I found while I was doing my research. Out of all these, word searches are my favourite, I literally do them all the time! What’s your favourite one and did you know about all these benefits? Feel free to let me know in the comments 🙂

Wordsearch answers: (The words in the puzzle are sunny, unity, kindness, love, success, beautiful, winner, peace, worthy and happy).

Do you do any brain training? Let us know in the comment section below! And be sure to rate this article too! We’d love to get some more ideas!

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