Dementia expert reveals best brain exercises to stay sharp

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It’s just as important to exercise our brains as it is our bodies, leading dementia researcher Professor Kaarin Anstey said.

Prof Anstey said the key is challenging your brain by doing something you find difficult, such as a crossword or game “so you have to engage in all sorts of different ways”.

“Effectively, do something you’re bad at – if you can finish a cryptic crossword in a few minutes that is probably not challenging you,” Prof Anstey, who is Director of the UNSW Ageing Futures Institute and conjoint senior principal research scientist at Neuroscience Research Australia (NeuRA), said.

“Taking up something new like learning a foreign language or musical instrument, enrolling in a course, or volunteering in a role that keeps you thinking on your feet are all likely to be beneficial – it’s a different kind of work out for your brain, just like people change up their gym routines.

“It’s always good to exercise your brain with mental challenges, but the benefit of cognitive exercise seems to be greater in later life. Often people have a lot of mental stimulation with their work and hobbies but these may drop off after retirement,” Prof Anstey, who is throwing her support behind news.com.au and The Australian’s Think Again campaign, said.

“I would use the principle of identifying mentally challenging and enjoyable activities that keep you mentally active – things where you need to solve problems, remember stories, select responses under time pressure, use strategies, manipulate number or objects mentally or learn new skills,” she said.