Our brain is a natural storage device, which can retain up to 2.5 petabytes of information. Thus, they have the capacity to store around 3 million hours of television content. However, retrieving this huge amount of information is also quite a huge task. This requires constant training of the brain and sharpening its abilities. There are so many mental games available online. If you are looking for creative game then you can play minecraft with the help of Skyblock Servers.

Regular exercise and consumption of healthy food can assist in boosting our memory. Along with that, we can also play certain games which can assist in sharpening our long-term and short-term memory.

Must-Play Mental Games

There are many games which help in sharpening our cognitive and reasoning skills. Some of them have been mentioned below:

Playing Crossword Puzzles- But not too often

Crossword puzzles give us the best opportunity to test our cognitive skills. Studies suggest that developing a habit of playing crossword puzzles help in delaying the onset of dementia. The only issue with this game is that if they regularly complete the game in record time, then they are not giving themselves the required challenge. In such cases, one can alternate crosswords with other word-search games.

A Game of Shopping is Effective

Individuals can memorize small shopping lists while they go to the market. For example, if they need milk, eggs, and vegetables, they can memorize the items as numbers. As a result, milk will be ‘number 1’, eggs will be ‘number 2’, and orange juice will be ‘number 3’. So, if eggs are second in your list, then you will remember that you have to purchase milk first. This will help you in not only remembering the item, but also, where it is in the list. This can also help in splitting expenses among friends and family, where one can figure out who made what expenses and in which order.

Solving Jigsaw Puzzles

While solving jigsaw puzzles, the brain has to deal with a variety of colors and shapes in order to assemble a complete visual piece. The more number of pieces, the harder the brain has to concentrate. Research shows that placing a piece of puzzle at the right spot produces dopamine, which can help in increasing concentration. Also people can experiment with smaller puzzles by flipping and joining the pieces.

Multitasking Videogames

Playing shooting games on TV can be fun, but they don’t necessarily boost one’s cognitive function. Individuals can opt for games which require them to react to a stimulus. Features like a road sign or a new environment can assist in improving working memory. They can also enhance the ability to recall information while solving a problem. Research states that such activity enhances brain’s activities and assists in better coping with interference and distractions.

The Suitcase Game

A group of people can also engage in a game where the first person declares that they are packing a suitcase with one item. The next person repeats the declaration and adds another item. This way, every person adds an item to the previous list. A player is disqualified if they miss a previously inserted item. This game enhances an individual’s concentration and induces brain activity.

Concentration Game

We may have played variety of concentration games in childhood – games with cards, dices, and so on. But another interesting alternative to this exercise is to opt for the ‘spaghetti’ variation. In this game, individuals can arrange cards or similar items in a messier way. This will make it difficult to remember the location of cards. As a result, it will make the players concentrate hard on figuring out the card’s location, in turn, boosting their memory.

Sudoku

Sudoku has been a staple game published in newspapers for years. This is because it makes the players rely heavily on their memory. In this game, individuals have to remember a series of numbers while rehearsing their placement in the nine-space grids. This game makes the player rely heavily on working memory. Initially, it can be a very challenging and effective game, but once an individual’s brain gets used to organizing the numbers, things get easier, and it’s time for players to try another new and challenging brain game.

Chess

One of the most popular, intellectual, and challenging games is chess. For new players, dependence on short-term memory to analyze the board and plan their next move is quite natural. While, there are many experienced players who use long-term memory to strategize a fool-proof plan of how to beat their opponents in a game.

Brain Yoga

Individuals can also try brain yoga, which is very interesting and can be tricky at times. In this, individuals can take their left hand and extend their thumb. They need to do the same with the right hand, except they have to extend the little finger in this case. While doing so, people will realize that this activity is not that easy to carry out. It requires proper concentration and coordination. This results in strengthening neural connections, which in turn improves memory and gray matter functions.

Healthy Food and Regular Exercise- The Supportive Factors

Good mental health requires intake of healthy food products like fish, green leafy vegetables, eggs, olive oil, nuts, and so on. Also, if people exercise regularly, it will be beneficial not only for the brain, but for their body as well. For better results, participating daily in such activities is essential for every individual.