Mind Matters: Strengthening Your Brain Health

Cognitive health — your ability to think, learn, and remember — is essential for living a full, independent life. Adopting healthy habits can keep your brain sharp and may reduce your risk of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias.

Just like physical fitness, brain health depends on regular care and attention. Eating a balanced diet, exercising, getting quality sleep, and staying socially connected all support a strong mind. On top of these essentials, challenging your brain with new activities and experiences helps strengthen cognitive function and build long-term resilience.

Exercise Your Brain

Your brain thrives on mental stimulation. Research shows that “brainy” activities may help strengthen connections between nerve cells and even encourage new cell growth — building neuroplasticity, your brain’s ability to adapt and stay resilient over time.

Do the Right Activity

To get the most from brain training, follow these three simple guidelines:

  • CHALLENGE: Push your brain by trying something new or raising the bar on a familiar hobby. Even improving skills in an existing activity — like improving your score on Wordl or a video game — counts.
  • COMPLEXITY: Choose activities that engage multiple thought processes, like strategy games, crafts, or learning choreography.
  • PRACTICE: Regular practice strengthens memory, focus, and overall brain function. The more you engage, the more your brain benefits.

Try These Brain-Boosting Habits

  • Challenge yourself: Try crossword puzzles, word games, sudoku, jigsaw puzzles, or strategy games like chess or checkers.
  • Learn something new: Take a class, learn a new language, or practice a musical instrument to activate new parts of your brain.
  • Get creative: Engage in hands-on hobbies like painting, woodworking, drawing, knitting, photography, or dancing. Activities that combine physical and mental coordination can be especially beneficial.
  • Listen and visualize: Music can boost mood and cognition, while visualization — forming detailed mental images — can help with organization, memory, and decision-making.
  • Play mind-training games: Certain apps and games designed for memory and focus can help keep your thinking sharp.

By staying curious, learning new things, and keeping your body and mind active, you can strengthen your brain’s resilience and protect your cognitive health for years to come. It’s never too late, or too early, to start giving your brain the workout it deserves.

Source: health.harvard.edu