Crosswords, the perfect exercise to keep your memory

Crosswords, the perfect exercise to keep your memory

Much has been said about games like crossword puzzles, but science says: It improves memory, attention and thinking skills. In short, they help keep your brain sharp and young for longer.

in 2019, researchers They showed it People over 50 who regularly do crossword puzzles have brain function equivalent to people under 10 years of age.. A new study has just confirmed the benefits of crossword puzzles on brain health.

They can slow cognitive decline. Solving crosswords keeps the brain in good working order for longer. The new study looked at people between the ages of 62 and 80 with mild memory decline. It showed that after 3 months of practice, their thinking and memory skills actually improved.. Conversely, the other group in the study that made brain-training games, supposed to work on memory, got no such results.

The brain shrinks less quickly

With age, parts of the brain shrink, which explains why people have poor memory. In the study, subjects did crossword puzzles for half an hour daily, 4 times a week, for 3 months, and then split sessions over a year. An MRI of the brain was done and they found that it slowed down the shrinkage of their brainsincluding the hippocampus, which plays a central role in memory, and the cortex, which produces thought.
Researchers have not observed this effect in people who play memory games.

Why are crosswords useful?

In fact, the brain works like a muscle, shrinking if you don’t use it. Compared to other games, crossword puzzles have the advantage of engaging many areas of the brain to find the correct word. The clues given to finding the words of the grid force us to make connections to ideas that we wouldn’t have made otherwise, fostering new brain connections.
Sudoku also improves cognitive functions.

It appeals to the faculties of thought, but there are fewer possible associations than with words. This is also good, but you need to do something else. Moreover, this is the secret to keeping the brain in shape: you have to change your activities.

See also  Tunic - tunic test - what does the fox say? / Update 01.10.2022: Switch version testing

Variety of activities to make the brain work differently

Those who do not like crossword puzzles can be reassured. Many other activities stimulate the brain, such as reading, music, drawing… The important thing is that Get out of your comfort zone and always learn new things. Through contact with others and exchange. to herForget oxygen because, as scientists say, Physical activity is also effective in keeping the brain young for longer.

The editorial board recommends

News from the RTL editorial staff in your mailbox.

Thanks to your RTL account, subscribe to the RTL newsletter to follow all the news on a daily basis

You May Also Like

About the Author: Octávio Florencio

"Evangelista zumbi. Pensador. Criador ávido. Fanático pela internet premiado. Fanático incurável pela web."

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *