The brain is a part of your body; therefore, it requires training to boost its strength. As adults, you can help your brain with brain-boosting hobbies.
Challenging hobbies are fun; they are also effective ways to maintain the adult brain fit, nimble, and strong. Be it new passion project, personal growth, or some mental stimulation, these brain-enhancing hobbies are sure to stretch your intellect and have your neurons firing. So, here are 5 of these hobbies and how they can be used to fire up your cognitive life.
Puzzle Building
Solving puzzles is a great solution to test your logic and spatial senses, and also a rewarding experience. It is an all-purpose mental exercise that improves your thinking skills and stimulates your brain to make new connections.
You might know how it goes with the usual 1000-piece cardboard puzzles but you can put in that extra effort to add depth to the puzzle with 3D puzzles and mechanical models.
ROKR offers an extensive collection of these puzzles for elegance and creativity. We have a variety of teams that appeal to every interest and personality. Each of them challenges your dexterity.
With the ROKR Magic Piano Mechanical Music Box puzzle, you get a classical touch and it is an essential replacement to any music lover.
Benefits of Puzzle Building:
- It enhances the memory as you attempt to remember shapes, colors, and patterns.
- Every puzzle is different, improving the critical thought process and problem-solving abilities.
- It trains your brain to increase focus and concentration for extended periods of time.
- Studies show that it slows down the rate of cognitive decline; thus, you enjoy mental agility as you age.
- It relieves stress and promotes satisfaction.
Learning a New Language
Learning a new language goes beyond knowing how to build rapport with people; it is a formidable asset in keeping your brain functioning. Language stimulates the brain parts responsible for memory and reasoning.
It is never too late to learn a new language; you can start now. The more you try to recall new words and grammatical structures, the stronger your brain becomes. This hobby provides infinite depth to adults who would like to have a healthy challenge.
Benefits of learning a language:
- It improves memory and verbal skills through recalling words and grammatical sentences.
- It improves multitasking as you are able to switch between languages as you please. Besides, it allows you to control distractions.
- It slows down brain aging as studies show that those who engage in this have a lower risk of developing dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.
- It enhances brain plasticity, which enables it to change and expand even at a later age.
- Enriches your overall life by expanding your circle and making you have real fun.
How to Get Started:
- Use apps that can provide structured learning. Duolingo, Babbel, or Rosette stone can do the basics..
- Take advantage of the media. To learn more, watch movies, listen to music, and/or podcasts, and read books in your target language.
- Do not overlook the importance of native speakers. Consider joining language classes or groups in-person or online to fire your neurons.
Playing a Musical Instrument
Like language, music is a great exercise for the brain, activating parts responsible for memory, learning, and reasoning. Learning how to play an instrument is a multi-sensory activity that can improve overall brain function.
It is never too late as an adult to learn a musical instrument. You are presenting yourself with a gift that will last you years. It takes consistency and discipline, yet these are traits that you will need in your daily life.
Benefits of playing a musical instrument:
- It toughens verbal and audial memory as you make attempts to read music, memorize songs, and understand pitch.
- The use of your hands, eyes, and brain in striking those keys helps to improve dexterity and hand-eye coordination.
- It is also curative, stress-reducing and concentration-enhancing.
- It develops emotional and creative expression.
- It enhances language and math ability, due to overlap in the brain parts that are concerned with these abilities.
Best Instruments to Try:
- Violin or cello for adults who love music in orchestral settings.
- Piano for visual learners
- Guitar for learners who enjoy playing chords
Strategic Games
Strategic Games such as Chess and Go are a brain workout. They are easy to do, yet challenging for your memory. Board games, such as Terraforming Mars, make the game more complex yet bring the sense of fulfillment.
Benefits of Strategic Games:
- Fine-tune critical thinking because they compel you to think, consider all possibilities, and strategize how to act next.
- Enhance your mental growth and memory abilities as you learn to recall the rules and patterns.
- Enhances mental agility as it compels you to improvise and acquire problem solving skills.
- Encourages teamwork and negotiation skills, particularly where you will be playing in a team.
Games you can try:
- Sudoku
- Chess
- Go
- Cross-word puzzles
- Cards (solitaire, poker, hearts etc.)
Crochet
Often considered old-school, crocheting is among the supreme brain-boosting hobbies you can engage in. It is a relaxing, warm craft that incorporates hand to eye movement, creativity, and pattern recall to keep the brain healthy.
While it involves effort and patience, it is worth trying. You don’t need much to get started – just a yarn and a hook. You can customize colors, patterns, and textures that fit your interest. Moreover, it is a rewarding activity that helps you multitask. Yes, you can crochet and watch a podcast or listen to music or even have a conversation with your friends.
Benefits of Crocheting:
- Develops dexterity in hands due to some repetitive movements.
- Eliminates stress through promoting mindfulness
- Increases short term memory and recalling of sequences
- Designing complex patterns enhances neural networks that enhance thinking capacity.
Conclusion
One of the best forms of engaging in a healthy, fulfilling adult life is brain-boosting hobbies. The trick to commitment is to engage in a hobby that suits you and make the little victories count.
Contact us now at Robotime to find out more about our new and best-selling 3D puzzles, mechanical puzzles, and miniature products.
