As the years go by, memory and mental agility are lost, and they seem less intelligent than they really are. This is usually when you reach a certain age, although they are also situations that can occur in younger people, especially because they do not memorize or exercise the brain as much as before. They are everyday cases that cause the brain to lose its plasticity. But is it possible to avoid it? Here, we explain how to exercise the brain.

How to exercise the brain?

This is a consequence of several factors such as the advancement of new technologies and their use both on a day-to-day basis (they are no longer remembered, for example, telephone numbers). In the classroom, because everything can be searched on the Internet to find the answer.

Actually, on whether it is possible to increase intelligence, there are many opposing theories. Everything depends on what is understood by intelligence and the theory chosen and its author. So far, science has shown that it is possible to improve everything that is related to logical reasoning. In addition, you can also optimize the attention capacity and performance in the tasks that require it, apart from the executive or creativity functions, among others. And, of course, memory.

Regardless of the dilemma of whether you can get smarter, it is true that there are a series of exercises that help, at least, have greater mental agility, more reasoning ability and more memory, among other benefits. What would be popularly defined as a “more awakened brain”?

Exercises to be smarter

For many experts, the brain is like a muscle that has to be exercised. And, for this, there are a series of exercises and activities that are very beneficial:

Hobbies: It is an entertaining way to gain concentration and mental agility, among other benefits. Among the most suitable is the Sudoku because mental operations must be done mentally. But they also serve the most popular pastimes of looking for words, linking with each other or the soups of letters, as well as finding differences between images.

Games: Puzzles and all those geometry games that require the assembly of pieces or compositions are another excellent alternatives.

Read: Reading also helps to exercise the brain and improve memory, being convenient to memorize some fragments. Something that is usually easier with poetry. Another option is the lyrics of your favorite group.

Mathematics: The truth is that doing mathematical operations manually and with the mind (you’ll have to say goodbye to the calculator), is the best way to exercise the brain. If you do not have much knowledge, you can do basic exercises with addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. The benefits are also noticed, even if they are simple operations.

Test: Games that are about solving questions of different topics are also very useful. In addition, there are many applications for mobile devices that offer a wide range of issues that, in addition, are intermingled between different themes to surprise the brain and force it to work more for resolution.

Changing routines is beneficial for the brain

Another way to exercise the brain to be smarter is to say goodbye to routines, start doing new things and give up day-to-day habits. This is simple and easy to introduce, so there are no excuses for lack of time. For example, you can:

• Change the hand with which the brushing of the teeth is usually done or the hair is combed.
• Modify the route that is followed to go to work, but without using the GPS or another system that indicates the address.
• Use the mobile with the other hand so that the other hemisphere of the brain works.
• Alternate routines from day to day at home. For example, if you first buy and then clean the house, you can do these tasks in reverse order.
• Start new activities such as going to dance classes, playing a musical instrument and even attending lectures or conferences.

In summary, any other gesture or action in our day to day that does not involve a routine. You have to kill them and make the brain active and think. This is another way to learn how to be smarter without studying.

Working the body and mind benefits the brain

For the benefits of exercising the brain to be noticed, the person also has to feel good inside and work the body. You have several options:

Sports: The practice of some physical activity or sport is showing that it helps to feel better, but also activates the mind. And is that the brain has to be alert and alert, for example, follow the ball or the actions of other players, among other aspects. This helps the mind to be more agile, but also more awake. In addition, tensions and stress are eliminated.

Gym: These are benefits that you can also get with activities that you can do in a gym, for example, with step classes, aerobics or zumba because you have to learn the movements to the rhythm of the music.

Meditation: The activities or disciplines that work the mind and the interior of the body are equally beneficial. In this group, all those that go from the meditation itself in its more strict concept to yoga or taichi. Also, mindfulness is another good option. All of them work the body and the mind at the same time and without much effort, at least, apparently.

With these practices on how to exercise the brain to be smarter, you can perform different activities each day to avoid falling into the routine.