Memory-Boosting Exercises You Can Try Today

Maintaining and even enhancing your mental abilities can be both fun and rewarding. Engaging in cognitive exercises that improve memory, focus, and concentration not only sharpen your mind but also make daily tasks easier to manage. Here are some effective exercises to boost your memory:

Puzzles

All types of puzzles are mental exercises at their essence, this includes:

Jigsaw Puzzles: The visual-spatial reasoning and problem-solving skills required to assemble a jigsaw puzzle are vital for memory enhancement. By looking for the appropriate pieces and joining them together, you’re training your brain to recall particular components while visualizing the whole picture. [2] [3]
Crossword Puzzles: Crosswords are great for expanding your vocabulary and strengthening connectivity between different parts of the brain. They help enhance memory recall and mental agility as you retrieve words from memory and match them with clues. [4] [5]
Sudoku Puzzles: This number-based challenge improves logical reasoning and concentration. Sudoku requires you to use deduction and problem-solving to fill in the grid, stimulating your mind and enhancing focus. [5]

Card Games

A 2015 study published in PubMed Central found that card games, like the ones listed below, positively impacted memory and cognitive skills. [1] [6]

Solitaire: A classic card game that improves memory and concentration through remembering the order of cards, planning moves, and strategizing to complete the game. [7]
Matching Pairs: A simple yet effective game, matching pairs helps improve short-term memory and visual recognition. [8]

Learning

Learning something new challenges your brain and strengthens the connections within it, which encompasses:

New Skill: Whether it’s learning to cook, code, or knit, acquiring new skills forces your brain to adapt to new information and improve memory function. [1]
New Instrument: Playing a musical instrument uses different parts of your brain at the same time. It exercises the memory system through simultaneous processes of reading sheet music, remembering melodies, and analyzing chord progressions. [9]
New Language: Not only can it improve creativity and visual-spatial skills, learning a new language also improves memory through memorizing vocabulary, grammar rules, and pronunciation. [1] [10]
New Vocabulary: Many regions of the brain, particularly auditory and visual processing, are involved in vocabulary tasks. By learning new words and phrases, you’re increasing the number of concepts you can recall and express. [1]
New Dance Moves: Learning new moves has been shown to increase brain processing speed, coordination, and memory. It involves remembering routines, following rhythms, and coordinating movements. [1]