Mind-training exercises keep your brain fit as you grow older, according to Joseph Mercola, D.O., an osteopathic physician and author. Performing brain exercises, according to Mercola, is helpful for improving your memory and acquiring new skills; it is especially important if you are 40 years of age and older. To optimize the benefits of mind-training exercises, you should perform your exercises in a quiet environment.
Juggling
According to a study conducted by the Department of Systems Neuroscience at the University of Hamburg and published in a 2008 edition of the "Journal of Neuroscience," elderly people who learned three-ball cascade juggling showed gray-matter changes related to skill acquisition, which were evident in the middle temporal area of their visual cortexes. Additionally, stated the researchers, elderly volunteers who learned to juggle showed temporary increases in gray matter in their left-sided hippocampus and in their nucleus accumbens--an area of the brain believed to be involved with pleasure, laughter, aggression and fear--on both sides of their brain. These findings indicate that the human brain, both young and old, is capable of considerable structural plasticity, which is your brain's ability to alter its structure as a result of stimulation. It is likely that juggling, which involves the convergence of two important brain pathways, vision and movement, along with the constant repetition required for proficiency, stimulates neuronal connections and is a beneficial exercise for your brain.
Practicing Art
The Harvard Medical School touts participation in artistic endeavors, such as writing, playing music, learning to paint, practicing origami and designing a garden, as an important and constructive method for you to maintain sound mental functioning as you age. Stimulating your brain with mental exercise is thought to activate processes that help maintain your individual brain cells and promote communication between them, says the Harvard Health Publications website. Participating in art projects requires you to be creative, perform fine motor skills and use your analytical skills. As an added bonus, participation in art is also pleasurable, challenging and rewarding. The sense of satisfaction that you derive from your creative process is as important as the mental exercise you get from your participation.
Learning a New Language
Learning a new language is a challenging, yet powerful mental exercise. According to the British Broadcasting Corporation, researchers from the University College London found in 2004 that learning other languages affects your gray matter--your brain's information processing area--in the same way that exercise builds muscle. People who learned a different language at a younger age also had a greater likelihood of possessing more advanced gray matter than those who learned later, according to the researchers. While increasing your gray matter is a tangible benefit of studying a new language, less tangible benefits also exist, including an increased likelihood of understanding others' cultural traditions and life philosophies, all of which further stimulates your mental processes and improves your quality of life.
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