Keep your brain boosted with these free interactive games
Getting plenty of physical exercise is one of the best things that we can do for our bodies and minds, but this is not the only form of exercise we need.
Our brains need to be stimulated as well, especially as we get a little older.
Researchers continue to believe that playing what they call “brain training games” can help keep the mind sharp. They may not prevent a brain from normal aging, but they can help keep a brain healthy, alert and finely tuned. These mentally stimulating games can play an important role in aging well.
Fortunately, keeping our brains healthy does not have to be boring, repetitive or time-consuming. In fact, one of the best ways to keep our minds in great shape at any age is with online brain games like Sudoku, Mahjong and Chess.
Silversurfers has recently launched a new games section featuring all your favourite games with many more to come in the pipeline!
Mahjong is a great game that helps to keep your brain sharp and supercharged! Mahjong is a game of matching tiles that has long been popular with older people in Asian countries and has now gone global!
Chess has been around for centuries. It was first played in the 7th century by kings in India and is now a global phenomenon.
Chess has always carried a stereotype that you have to be intelligent to play, and in fact, playing chess might make you smarter! According to a study conducted in Venezuela over several years, children who took chess classes for just 4 ½ months increased their IQ scores.
Chess also teaches us about life. It encourages concentration and focus around forward-thinking, which is useful when making decisions. When playing chess, you are prompted to think a few steps ahead, and create scenarios in your mind, like, “If I do this, then these two or three things might happen next.”
Chess helps older people navigate options in life and encourages creativity and out of the box original thinking.
Solitaire is another great brain game to keep your memory sharp.
It is a solitary game, but it is simple, rhythmic and easy to play. Playing solitaire is a simple and predictable activity that allows us to relax and reduce emotional stress. It is a game we’ve played since childhood and feel completely comfortable with.
Solitaire gives us an easy and familiar way to “challenge” our brain just a bit each day. As we’ve seen, staying intellectually engaged in this small way may give our brains some added protection against memory loss.
