Do you realize that the brain weighs at least 3 pounds and has more than 100 million neurons that transmit data to more than 100 trillion neurons in our body that are connected to over 100 billion nerve cells?
Maybe maybe. However, you’ll surely be aware that your brain’s the largest organ in the human body, and it is one of the primary organs responsible for our daily functions. It is therefore essential to engage in exercise to the brain for the optimal functioning of the brain.
The brain operates round the clock and is constantly learning. A part of the brain’s learning process continues even when we sleep. The brain’s learning process becomes a memory.
Defining Memory & Learning
Simply put, it is memory. Memory refers to the information we gather through our five senses- hearing, smell, and taste. It also includes sight, smell, and touch. It is information that the brain stores to be used in the future. The brain acquires information through our senses; it saves as memories.
Memory is a vital part of every aspect of our lives on earth. Memory determines the grades we earn as students.
Memory is essential when carrying out any job or chores for the home or office. It is crucial to the security and safety of our human existence.
The brain doesn’t stop working until we’re alive. It’s constantly discovering new things almost every minute. It is therefore essential to keep our minds active and intelligent. A more sharp brain is more efficient in learning.
Because of modern technology today, it’s easy to ensure that we keep our minds well-informed and sharp. There are a variety of time-tested and tested brain exercises that can help us continue to learn.
Also Read: How to Become a Data Scientist in India & Why it’s a Hot Career Choice in India
15 Best Brain Exercises to Keep Learning
“The key to success is a dedication to life-long learning,” Professor Dr. Stephen R. Covey, the author of the bestseller “The Seven Habits that Make Highly Effective People,” is also a motivational speaker.
The quote speaks directly to the importance of continuous learning. This is why we review some of the top brain exercises to help keep you in the process of learning.
1. Take Free IQ Test
Intelligence Quotient or IQ is a result of various tests that test human intelligence. Most people have IQ scores between 80 and 119 as per the most current standards of the Stanford-Binet intelligence scale Fifth Edition.
Nowadays, employers typically ask job seekers to take IQ tests to assess their level of intelligence.
Take a no-cost IQ test using the Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale. Fifth Edition is one of the most effective brain exercises to assist you with your work and studies. It’s a widely known fact that people who have IQ are more efficient learners.
There are also a variety of free IQ tests that are available on the Internet. You can also try them. But sure of these free tests might not conform to Stanford’s Intelligence Scale 5th Edition standards. However, they’re worth a try and provide great entertainment, too.
2. Read ‘The Net and The Butterfly’
A fantastic book called “The Net and the Butterfly ” was written by Olivia Fox Cabane and Judah Pollack. In the book, the brain is described as a gorgeous butterfly that’s difficult to capture. Therefore, we require a net to catch this “butterfly.” That means we need some time to train our brains and utilize them to gain the maximum benefit.
This book is accessible on the Internet as well as in upscale bookshops in India. It’s an exciting book to read. It also has intriguing, innovative, and fascinating exercises for your brain that you can do at work or home.
One example of these activities is to imagine living on a planet that is not weighed down by gravity. Take a look at these revolutionary brain exercises in The Net and the Butterfly to continue learning.
3. Solve Crosswords
Crosswords are available in the daily paper as well as in the language you prefer. You may have observed elderly persons reading a newspaper, pencil or pen in hand and searching for solutions to daily crosswords.
If you think that crosswords only appeal to retirees or people who do not have any other job, take a second look. Crosswords are fantastic brain workout games that help you learn new words and increase your vocabulary in all languages.
The first word that was a word crossword in a paper was published on the 21st of December 1913, in The New York World. In the 1920s, many major American newspapers were beginning to include crosswords in their weekly or daily editions.
The system is now popular all over the world. The daily paper will feature one as well.
They have incredible health benefits for your brain. However, there’s some controversy regarding whether they enhance your vocabulary.
4. Go for Quiz Contests
The basic quiz we participate in in a high school or higher education is a great brain exercise that will keep you studying. It doesn’t matter if we participate in a contest or listen to one on the radio or watch television; a quiz constantly stimulates our brains.
Correct answers give you satisfaction, while a wrong answer allows you to gain knowledge.
There are many fantastic competitions for quizzes. They include the world-renowned “Who Wants To Be a Millionaire?’ Starring world-renowned celebrities, to its Indian version, ‘Kaun Banega Crorepati’ where Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan features as quizmaster.
You can also download quiz apps to a smartphone and then answer questions to test and improve your general information. Some apps pay cash to the winners from their contests online.
5. Name, Place, Animal, Thing
Did you ever play Name Place Animal and Thing, a simple game when you were a young child? I remember playing it and being the winner on a couple of occasions.
This simple game from childhood has become very well-known across the globe as an excellent practice for the brain to continue learning. You can play it online using a computer or by downloading an application on your smartphone.
This is the answer if you’re wondering why this simple game works as an excellent brain exercise. It only takes a few minutes to complete your answers and remain in the game for a while.
This race against the clock automatically activates your brain. To identify the right solutions and then write them in only a few seconds, you need the proper general knowledge.
6. Mind Mapping
Mind Mapping? Yes. Mind Mapping is a method developed in the late Tony Buzan, an English educator, and author. It’s a practice for the brain to improve memory. It helps you discover new information, increases your memory, increases your thinking skills, and improve your analytical abilities.
The only downside is that Mind Mapping isn’t cost-free. However, you can download a trial version for free using their official performance and test it out.
In reality, Mind Mapping is a technique that many global companies use to serve a range of reasons. It lets them assess job seekers’ abilities and level of intelligence and helps keep employees focused for higher productivity.
The process of creating a Mind Map is a highly advanced brain exercise game. If you’re able to pay the price of $100 for home use, It’s certainly worth it.
7. Drawing
The drawing was something we practiced when we were children at home as well as students in school. Over time we lost this basic art form as the complexities of life began to take over. However, it’s never too late to get back into this art and get started drawing.
Drawing is an excellent brain exercise that helps you continue learning, even when you are an adult. In his book “Stick Figures: Drawing As a Human Practice, Design scholar DB Dowd writes that drawing has more benefits than entertainment.
He can point out that drawing anything helps us be more aware, better think and make us better human beings. The book explains that drawing helps to improve observation, boosts analytical abilities, builds perseverance, and builds confidence.
The act of taking a pen and paper or pen and drawing something out of your imagination or memory is among the most effective exercises for learning these essential abilities, he states.
8. Sudoku
For those who aren’t aware, Sudoku is a Japanese game that is based on numbers. It comprises nine grids in which you need to fill in numbers between 1 and 9 without any repetition. Nowadays, all major publications include a Sudoku puzzle along with a crossword and others.
As a brain-training game, Sudoku is said to help prevent or delay the development of the onset of dementia caused by aging. It also promotes reasoning skills and helps you build patience and determination.
Start by playing an easy Sudoku made in a newspaper, or attempt a free version online on the official website.
In Japan, most employers in Japan request applicants to solve a Sudoku before hiring as it shows their ability be reasoning, problem-solving, and analytical skills. Sudoku is among the most enjoyable brain-training games to develop essential life abilities.
9. Math Workouts
The mere mention of math could make me cringe when I was a student. It was the subject that I was most opposed to, and I am still not a fan of math. No matter how much we enjoy it, math is a vital subject in colleges and schools.
The highest math scores can grant you into prestigious courses like engineering or accounting. This is especially important to be able to become wealthy because math and money are inextricably linked.
In my school days when I was a student, the Internet was an unimaginable thing. However, now it’s a reality, take pleasure in Math Workouts online. This is a brain exercise game that allows you to increase your knowledge and improve your math abilities.
They are available for free online as single, dual, or multiple players exercises. You can download the app and play math while you are free. The math exercises can benefit everyone, from children to seniors, because mathematics is the universal language.
10. Play Chess
No. Chess isn’t a game as many think. Yes, it includes many elements of sports, including rules and rules, tournaments and championships practices, and even training.
However, Chess isn’t a sport. It is described as a physical exercise that involves a lot of brain exercise games and physical fitness.
Any player can be able to test your ability to think, alertness as well as your cognitive capabilities, and more.
Participating in a chess game at home, in a club, or even online can be a great mental stimulation to help you develop different essential skills needed to succeed in the real world.
You can learn sportsmanship discipline, discipline, the value of time and being a competitor, solving problems, and many other essential lessons when you play the game of Chess. You don’t have to be a master to enjoy the game.
Unconventional Brain Exercises to Keep Learning
The above ten exercises for the brain to help you keep moving are commonplace across the globe. There are many ways to create some of your own. Here are some unique brain exercises you might never have heard of. They can be enjoyable and help you develop essential skills.
11. Clean Your Room in Dark
Who could do the job of cleaning a room in darkness in the age of electricity? What would you discover, you may ask? I’ll inform you that keeping your house in the dark can be an excellent way to exercise your brain.
Its roots are in monasteries and homes once common in Asia and Europe, where monks cleaned their rooms in the darkness to conserve time to make the most of daylight and dawn.
Cleansing your home in darkness is an excellent brain exercise to continue to learn new aspects. It will teach you to handle fragile things carefully, avoid bump into objects by knowing the best place to put things, locate directions, and most importantly, the importance of teamwork.
This type of brain exercise is expected in the militaries around the world. It is possible to try this exercise with your friends, but be cautious.
12. Budgeting Exercises
Are you looking to teach your children and teens about the value of money? Take a look at this fantastic budgeting exercise by Ulster Bank. It is a brain-training game that is for people between 5 and 18 years.
The exercise for the brain is accessible online on Ulster Bank’s website. Ulster Bank. It is a simple exercise for younger children that involves collecting coins, weighing them, and then figuring out ways to purchase something.
The process gets more complex and challenging for older children. It involves challenges like making and managing the budget for the household, taking loans and credit and their repayment, managing college expenses, and many other essential aspects. It is an excellent way for students to continue learning tips and tricks to improve their understanding of saving or budgeting.
13. Referring Dictionary at Random
The act of referring to a dictionary on your own is an excellent method of learning new terms and their meanings. Learn more about the words you already know and are likely to use frequently.
We would typically browse a dictionary just when necessary and when encountering a seldom often used word. Unfortunately, no one uses these uncommon words anymore.
The only examples you’ll encounter are in books where the author uses an obscure word to describe the subject.
Open a dictionary randomly and look up any word. Research the word, the correct pronunciation, and where it came from (etymology). A few dictionaries have examples of sentences that use these words.
Make a couple of sentences using your new vocabulary. Some of the results could be funny. However, this exercise can help you develop an excellent grasp of a spoken language for a duration.
14. Search Garbage Cans
You’ll likely think I’m crazy to even think of this. What kind of brain exercise have to offer and what’s in it to help you keep learning, you might like to know? Many that’s my honest opinion with solid arguments too.
A garbage bin symbolizes your college, school, your home, community, or neighborhood. The people throw out all kinds of unneeded items ranging from leftover food items to old clothing, broken electronics, the list goes on. It is possible to learn things to learn in a trash can certainly.
A large portion of what is thrown away is harming our environment due to environmental pollution. Perfectly edible food ends up in the garbage since people don’t want take in leftovers or old food items.
Scraps of vegetable and meat scraps can are more useful if one is willing to put in the extra effort. The garbage can teach you many things about how you can help the environment from being polluted. It also stimulates your thoughts about how you can use the trash for more beneficial purposes.
15. Eating Blindfolded
Another brain-training game to try is eating blindfolded. This means that you can’t be able to see what you’re eating.
It isn’t usually. If you need to, you must; if you need, ask a family member or friend to help you eat when food in your mouth could be an issue. Whatever you decide to do to eat, do it blindfolded. It’s a mental exercise to continue studying.
Research across the globe has proven that people can appreciate food better when they are blindfolded. Because they can’t see the food, they rely on other senses, such as the taste, smell, and feel, to be aware of what they’re eating.
This can help them discover new flavors similar to the food they eat, like spinach. Play these brain exercises frequently to learn the authentic taste of food.
Wrap Up
In addition to these brain exercises to help you keep learning, you could also perform a couple of other ways to improve your memory while avoiding the onset of cognitive diseases and dementia. It is possible to practice daily meditation, avoidance of smoking and drinking, regular sleep, a balanced diet, and regular physical activity.
There are many instances where individuals of old age have sharp memories of specific events. This is only possible with the proper care of the brain and body.
So, I would suggest that you take care of your brain and body and do these exercises for your brain to boost memory retention and improve studying.
