Train your brain: Playing games keeps the mind active and socially engaged

Health care professionals agree that just as we exercise our bodies to stay fit, we should exercise our brains to keep them sharp. The good news is, exercising the brain is fun!

Board games, card games, bingo, trivia, computer games, crossword puzzles, jigsaw puzzles and drawing are just a few of the ways to give the brain a good workout.

"Trivia gets the brain moving again and helps with Alzheimer's and dementia. To get the mind moving is an excellent thing," says Megan Wells, volunteer coordinator and bereavement coordinator with Legacy Hospice. As an outreach of Legacy Hospice, Wells travels to senior centers throughout Southeast Missouri to host trivia games and sometimes bingo. "When we talk about the past, it's amazing how quickly their memory comes back," she adds.

Barbara Barklage plays her hand during a bridge party at Saxony Village in Cape Girardeau. (Laura Simon)

Dr. A Basit Chaudhari, a neurologist with Southeast Neurology in Cape Girardeau, explains that the brain has hundreds of billions of neurons that send orders to and receive impulses from the brain. Over time, there is a decrease in the number of those neurons. And, just as our bodily muscles weaken and atrophy without use, the same can happen to the remaining brain cells.

According to Chaudhari, playing games keeps the brain cells active and ready to replace the ones that are naturally lost over time. Games help the brain practice judgment, processing information, sequencing and responding to nonverbal stimuli.

"You can train the surviving neurons to prepare to take over the function of the neurons that are lost over the years," he says. "We are virtually improving the function of the neurons that have been lost. We're improving the structure and qualitative integrity of the neurons." In addition to games, Chaudhari says mathematical calculations and drawing are brain-healthy activities. Drawing clocks, especially, works on the brain's ability to construct an image, follow a sequence and use spatial arrangement.

Dr. Sandra Zakroff, family physician at Jackson Family Care, says some games, like jigsaw puzzles or ones that involve physical activity, also boost hand-eye coordination, fine motor skills and balance. She adds that eating healthy foods and getting plenty of exercise maintains a healthy blood flow to the brain.

Games with a social aspect have added benefits: spending time with people helps you exercise your personality and remember how to respond in various situations, says Chaudhari. Zakroff believes people who interact socially are healthier overall.

"Social interaction is stimulating to people's minds," she says, and can help keep them from getting depressed.

Dolores Pobst, activities director at Saxony Village in Cape Girardeau, organizes a number of games and outings for residents, ranging from bridge parties and bingo games to winery trips and washers tournaments. She also gets residents together once a month for trivia and "reminiscences," or simply visiting about the past. The result, she says, is a family atmosphere where residents are comrades as well as neighbors.

"Laughter is such a big part of wellness. Anytime anybody is feeling down, they can get together for encouragement and talking and remembering the good things," says Pobst.

She adds that many residents have friends outside of Saxony, belong to book clubs and civic organizations, volunteer in the community and frequent the senior centers for lunch -- all important for keeping the mind active.

Wells also recommends volunteer work as a way to keep the mind active -- but if you're more of a homebody, simply spending time with your grandchildren or neighbors will keep you plenty busy.

"Talking with a toddler will boost anybody's memory," says Wells. "Playing 'I spy' or hide and seek will keep the mind moving as well as the body."