Did you know that the average adult brain is about 75% water? Did you know that there are 100,000 miles of blood vessels in an adult brain? Or that most people think about 70,000 thoughts a day?¹ In fact, Thomas Edison once said, “The great function of the body is to carry the brain around.”

We are all in possession of this supremely powerful and wonderfully complex organ, the intricacies of which we have yet to comprehend.

And we still lose our keys on a regular basis.

No, our brains aren’t perfect. And as we get older, our brains get older too. And this aging makes them change, sometimes drastically. An aging brain changes from not only a physical standpoint (losing 5% of its weight every decade after age 40), but also a cognitive one, mostly in terms of memory.²

Thankfully, learning is what the brain does best, and that function usually continues as we age. The way our brain learns and the things it is able to recall can change and develop over time, but there’s always potential within our minds.³ In other words, you can teach an old dog new tricks...and his owner can learn some, too.

The brain isn’t a muscle, but it can still be worked and trained the way the rest of our bodies can. You’d never skip leg day, right? Well, Train Your Brain Day is coming up, and it’s not one to skip, either.

Are you trying to remember what you forgot about training your brain? No worries, we’ve got you covered. We’ve got five great suggestions on how you can positively impact your cognitive skills and functionality on Train Your Brain Day or any other day.

1. Puzzles/Games: Who says learning isn’t fun? There are plenty of puzzles and games that will keep your mind alert and your skills sharp. Some of our favorites include:

• You don’t have to be a math whiz to play this numbers game, but you do need concentration, along with logic and problem solving skills. You can easily find books full of Sudoku puzzles at a bookstore, or there are plenty of free online sites with endless puzzles to solve.
• Looking for something a little more competitive? Challenge someone to a game of Scrabble. This famous word game challenges your memory and spelling abilities, and it might challenge your relationships as well. Keep things civil and you’ll get a good social boost along with a cognitive one.
• Ah, the crossword. The time-honored morning practice of newspaper lovers everywhere. Crosswords can get very complicated, very fast (a five-letter word for “copacetic?” I’m out.) but there are also plenty of simpler versions out there as well. A quick Internet search or trip to the bookstore will have you filling in those little square boxes to your heart’s content.
• If Scrabble isn’t quite your speed, Boggle is a good alternative. You still have to come up with the words on your own, but you find them within a set group of letters, rather than creating the words on your own. (You know what? Read the instructions. They’ll explain it better.) This is a game that inspires creative and quick thinking, so it’s a good choice if you’re trying to keep your brain active.
• Brain training apps. There’s an app for, um, everything. There are actually mobile app versions of all the above options (they may have different names but the ideas are the same). Plus, there are even some apps that feature games or puzzles that are specifically designed for brain training. This makes it easy to give your brain a boost while you’re on the treadmill, on your lunch break, or even while you’re brushing your teeth.
  Really, any game that gets you thinking can keep your brain active. So get your head in the game!

2. Write by hand: Step away from the keyboard and sharpen those pencils, because it turns out that writing by hand can actually benefit your brain. First of all, writing by hand requires a little more brain power than typing, since letters require multiple, varying strokes, while typing produces a complete letter in a single action.⁵
   Writing by hand also helps you retain information better than typing does, so you’re more likely to remember what you write⁴ (and isn’t that why you’re writing it down in the first place—because you want to remember it?). This is thanks to the reticular activating system (RAS), the small area of the brain that is in charge of deciding what information is important enough for your brain to try to process, and what excess information you can ignore.⁶ Writing activates this section of the brain,⁷ so the information you’re writing is more likely to stick, both in the short-term, and the long-term.
   Writing is also good for emotional health and mood. Writing can help you process trauma and negative emotions.⁸ What’s more, writing down your goals and dreams can actually make it so you’re more likely to achieve them, thanks again to the RAS.⁹
   So let’s review: writing by hand makes your mind healthier and happier. So taking the time to put pen to paper is really a no-brainer...for your brain.

3. Exercise: Remember how we said the brain wasn’t a muscle, but can be worked like one? That’s true, and it’s also true that working the other muscles in your body can benefit your brain and cognitive function.
   Exercise actually has a physical impact on your brain, as it stimulates chemicals that lead to more (and healthier) brain cells, as well as more blood vessels in the brain. Need proof? Research has been done that indicates that the areas of the brain that control thought and memory are actually larger in people who exercise than in people who don’t.¹⁰ How’s that for motivation?
   Exercise can also improve your ability to focus¹¹ and help you sleep better,¹² which definitely improves your cognitive ability.
   While single workouts will give you a bit of a mental boost, regular exercise throughout your life will also help.¹² It’s never too late to start, and even simple exercises like walking and stretching will provide some benefit. And we probably don’t have to tell you that exercise is really just a good habit to get into in general (for, you know, heart health, weight loss, improved mood, more energy...need we go on?), so there’s no time like the present to get moving.¹³

4. Meditation/mindfulness. Take your brain from “Um?” to “Om.” Okay, no, you don’t have to chant while you meditate, but you do you. Either way, meditation is a popular tool to have in your mental health toolbox these days. Lots of people are recognizing the mental clarity they get from regular meditation. One benefit of meditation is mindfulness, or the ability to be fully aware of your thoughts, feelings, and surroundings without distraction. This allows you to be fully present in the moment, which is important when it comes to things like stress and anxiety.¹³
   Meditation and mindfulness have other cognitive benefits as well. Mindfulness can actually help you pay attention,¹⁴ with some results showing that even as little as four days of meditation have a positive impact on your attention span.¹⁵
   Moreover, meditation can help with memory loss,¹⁵ which is the signature problem of an aging brain.
   Another benefit of meditation? It’s very physically undemanding. Like, you literally just sit there. It’s not exactly easy, mind you, because you will have to train your mind not to wander like crazy. This is why guided meditations (many of which are available for free through apps or the Internet) could be very useful as you start getting into meditation. Find one you like and take a few minutes to meditate every day. Your brain will thank you.

5. Edge. Just like we sometimes need a little help when it comes to weight loss or nutrition—in the form of vitamins, healthy drinks, or meal replacement shakes—we can sometimes also use some extra help when it comes to keeping our minds focused and sharp.
   That’s where Plexus Edge^® comes in. Plexus Edge provides a healthy, sustained source of energy, without the crash. Edge’s natural source of caffeine (Coffea robusta) and L-Theanine work together to reduce the jitters that come with other options. It also promotes mental focus and sharp thinking, so you can power through your day with your brain on your team.*
   It’s just what you need to give your brain an easy, healthy boost, every day.*
   You only get one body, and it only gets one brain. Take care of your brain this Train Your Brain Day, and every day after, with these cognitive training exercises and lifestyle changes. Even aging won’t be able to slow you down.
   (But, let’s be honest: you’ll probably still lose your keys. One thing at a time, okay?)

 

References/Sources:

1. https://www.piedmont.org/living-better/10-fun-facts-about-your-brain
2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2596698/
3. https://www.health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/how-memory-and-thinking-ability-change-with-age
4. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/educationnews/8271656/Write-it-dont-type-it-if-you-want-knowledge-to-stick.html
5. https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052748704631504575531932754922518
6. https://study.com/academy/lesson/reticular-activating-system-definition-function.html
7. https://www.ragan.com/infographic-how-writing-affects-your-brain/
8. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/fulfillment-any-age/200912/tracking-your-travels-through-time-the-benefits-writing-in-diaries
9. https://www.huffingtonpost.com/thai-nguyen/benefits-of-journaling-_b_6648884.html
10. https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/regular-exercise-changes-brain-improve-memory-thinking-skills-201404097110
11. https://www.rd.com/health/fitness/6-ways-exercise-makes-your-brain-better/
12. http://time.com/5294493/exercise-healthy-brain-aging/
13. https://www.mindful.org/what-is-mindfulness/
14. https://link.springer.com/article/10.3758/CABN.7.2.109#page-1
15. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/12-benefits-of-meditation#section6