8 Ways to ‘Exercise’ Your Brain
As we age, the need to keep our brains healthy becomes more important than ever before.
According to a January 2025 study in Nature Medicine, new cases of dementia are expected to double by the year 2060. After age 55, approximately 4 in 10 adults can expect to develop some type of dementia. The lifetime risk of developing dementia is higher for women, Black adults, and people who are carriers of a gene variant called APOE ε4.
Fortunately, you can take action in a myriad of ways to boost your brain health and function. Try a few of these (mostly fun) ways to take care of your brain:
- Drop into downward dog daily
- Build with LEGO
- Dance it out
- Vacuum your living room
- Squat and lunge
- Do your Duolingo
- Plant a vegetable garden
- Get season tickets to the theater
Drop into downward dog daily
Yoga lovers will tell you that yoga isn’t just about moving your body through a series of poses. It’s a mind-body practice. As you get older, your brain becomes more vulnerable to the effects of too much of the stress hormone called cortisol over a long period of time. Together, the acts of breathing and moving during yoga can help bring down your stress levels. Research suggests it helps protect your brain and preserve cognitive function—or your ability to think, remember, learn and solve problems. Ultimately, a regular yoga practice can help you learn to manage your stress, both short-term and long-term, as you get older.
Build with LEGO
Looking for something to do with your hands while you listen to music or watch a game on television? Try building a sculpture with LEGO bricks. Young children develop spatial reasoning skills when they build with LEGO bricks or other small blocks. LEGO-based therapy has even been used with success to address cognitive impairment in kids with epilepsy. But LEGOs aren’t just for kids! They can help adults lower their stress levels and calm their brain. You don’t have to stick to a set—you can create your own piece of block art. You might even find that it inspires you to be more creative. Not a LEGO fan? Try putting together a jigsaw puzzle instead.
Dance it out
Whether you prefer Zumba, line dancing or salsa dancing, dancing is a great way to get your body moving. Dancing can promote better cognitive function overall and boost memory, attention, visuospatial skills and balance. A 2020 study found that ballroom dancing improved executive function in adults at increased risk for dementia. A 2022 analysis showed that doing “open” dance skills—not following a routine or specific steps—was even better than “closed” dance skills. So, while dance classes are great, you can simply dance around your living room by yourself. If you work from home, perhaps take “dance breaks” in between work calls.
Vacuum your living room
Cleaning likely doesn’t top anyone’s list of fun activities. But does it help if you know you’re giving your brain a good workout? Researchers looked at the effects of household activities that give you a combo of mildly intense physical activity and a sense of accomplishment. They found that an activity like vacuuming activates the prefrontal cortex, which is the area of the brain responsible for thinking, problem-solving, decision-making and managing your emotions. In other words, vacuuming may improve your executive function. So, when you need to think through a difficult situation, haul out the Hoover.
Squat and lunge
Whether you are healthy or have some cognitive impairment, your brain can benefit from strength training. Research suggests that the benefits may come from increased blood flow to the brain, as well as changes in hormone levels. You don’t have to go to a gym or buy any fancy equipment to do strength training either. Instead, stay home and try basic strength-building exercises using your own body for resistance, like squats, lunges, heel raises and glute bridges.
Do your Duolingo
If you spend a few minutes studying a new language every day, you’re challenging your brain in a positive way. Experts say learning a new language can strengthen connections between different parts of your brain. Even more, it may actually delay dementia symptoms by four to five years.
Plant a vegetable garden
Regular exercise is known to help reduce the risk for developing Alzheimer’s disease. Brisk walking, running, cycling, swimming — all of these types of aerobic activity can do the job. But yard work can also meet the criteria for moderate or even vigorous physical activity. This kind of activity can reduce inflammation markers, including neuroinflammation that’s associated with Alzheimer’s. If you’re not up for heavy yard work, you can still reap cognitive benefits from planting a vegetable garden. Research suggests that planting a garden can improve levels of brain nerve growth factors, which can lead to improved memory. Plus, you’ll get some healthy, tasty veggies later on.
Get season tickets to the theater
Regular theater-going isn’t just for fun. Research suggests that it can delay cognitive decline and improve your memory. A 10-year study found that adults over 50 who regularly attended plays, concerts, opera performances or museum exhibitions had smaller declines in cognitive function than people who didn’t. There could be several reasons for this, including social interaction with other theatergoers. Either way, the benefits seem to accrue when people commit to going regularly.
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