Neither crossword puzzles nor Jeopardy!: the game that experts recommend to preserve memory for the over 65s
A look at some of the games and puzzles that can keep your brain young, to keep your memory sharp as you age.
Looking to enhance your memory? Do you have a Rubik’s Cube lying around your house? Puzzles and memory games are an excellent way to boost your brain health, especially as we age. The Rubik’s Cube, a popular puzzle, is a fantastic way to keep your brain active as it requires memorization and pattern recognition to complete.
A recent study published in the European Journal of Educational Research found that children who practiced with a Rubik’s Cube improved a crucial skill for reading and learning known as Rapid Automatized Naming (RAN). Compared to a control group that had not engaged with the puzzle, the children who did perform better on the study’s tests.
However, the findings are not yet conclusive for those outside the age group included in the study, which tested children aged 7 to 9 years old. The research team plans to replicate the study with a broader population to investigate potential benefits across various age groups.
Other brain boosting puzzles and games
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Sudoku, the Japanese number puzzle, is another effective game that seniors (as well as younger adults and children) can play to improve their memories. Keeping your brain active has been shown to reduce the risks of diseases like Alzheimer’s. A study authored by Yaakov Stern in 2012 was interested in further examining why researchers had been able to find that “the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease is reduced in individuals with higher educational or occupational attainment.” Sudoku is just one example of a game that can be used to continue putting pressure on the brain to ensure it remains active, even in retirement.
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