Mental Exercises

So, I’m nearly 57. Dad had Alzheimer’s diagnosed 4 years ago. I exercise physically on a regular basis, but am starting to think it would be good to get into a habit of ‘mental exercises’ to keep as sharp as I can for as long as I can.

Work is mentally stimulating, with some critical thinking, problem-solving, analysis & professional judgement, but hope to retire at least in part in 5-7 years, so want to establish some good habits before then.

So, what do other folk do?

Crosswords? Wordle? Any other suggestions?

Cheers (I’m not gaga yet!)

I am not suggesting relying solely on Tai Chi but I would suggest considering including it as just one element in a wider package of exercises to stimulate your brain

https://www.health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/a-sharper-mind-tai-chi-can-improve-cognitive-function

Crosswords, jigsaw puzzles, Lego. DIY, bike and vehicle mechanics, sudoku, reading. New music and old.

I’m a semi retired teacher who’s working three days per week. Lot’s of interactions with a wide range of people.

My late mum was terrified of dementia. Smoking got her instead.

And if course, riding my bike. New places are always stimulating. I’ll pore over maps for hours, both prior to and subsequent to the trip.

Practice your memory while you still can.

Try to memorise texts …

Human ability to remember and to memorise is slowly degenerating due to technology advancement as they are taking over our ability to use our brain.

Also if you struggle to memorise texts etc then it is a sign that the brain is no longer able to memorise as it used to be.

Learning a musical instrument

Learn a foreign language?  Even if its just 5 mins a day of Duolingo, it is very easy to fit in and something different to challenge the brain.

I was thinking the other day…dangerous, I know…

We always associate mental agility with problem solving and thinking exercises, but really, the brain has to work pretty hard to control your body, so should things that improve dexterity/movement also be of benefit? See Tai Chi, above.

I’d push for learning an instrument, it’s a bit of both worlds.

Go with the science…learn an instrument………

https://bmcneurol.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12883-022-02902-z

Do lots of reading about science of SGLT-1s….

https://www.theguardian.com/society/article/2024/aug/28/type-2-diabetes-drug-associated-with-35-lower-risk-of-dementia-study-finds

Chess, both online and a local club. It’s partly why I took it up again a few years ago, something intellectually challenging to do into my dotage post-retirement. Of course it’s important that I enjoy it, I’m not just doing it for the supposed benefits! But I also see that it’s helped my uncle (living alone for a while now) maintain some social interaction and mental activity along with his music group, which I don’t do.

My mother does various puzzles and is pretty sharp at 87, FiL always did crosswords and sudoku in the daily paper and only eventually succumbed to alzheimer’s in his 90s. They both also do/did a reasonable amount of exercise in the form of walking around at least. My Dad was lazier both physically and mentally and died of alzheimer’s aged 82. Of course a few anecdotes don’t prove anything and I don’t think there’s a magic bullet but I agree that some mental exercise probably helps to stave off the effects whether or not it actually affects the brain chemistry significantly.