Age-related dementia is an upsetting diagnosis, and it’s one that nearly 6 million Americans currently face. About 5% to 8% of adults over 65 have some form of dementia, and the risk doubles every five years as people get older.
But there’s good news: keeping your brain active may help preserve memory and thinking skills.
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Dr. Gary Small, a brain health expert and chair of psychiatry at the Hackensack University Medical Center in New Jersey, says mental stimulation can make a real difference. His book, Brain Games to Exercise Your Mind, offers more than 90 puzzles, riddles, and teasers designed to keep minds sharp as people age.
Use It or Lose It
“It turns out that the old adage ‘use it or lose it’ not only applies to our bodies, but applies to our brains,” Small tells Newsmax’s “National Report.” “So doing puzzles and playing games actually strengthens the brain.”
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He notes that even simple activities can boost brain health. “In my own studies, I found that even searching online will activate multiple neural circuits, making it just one form of brain training,” he explains.
Other researchers have found that extensive game playing can actually enlarge brain volume in areas that control memory and thinking. “And we know that a bigger brain is a better brain,” adds Small, who is also the physician in chief for Behavioral Health Services at Hackensack Meridian Health.
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Find the “Sweet Spot”
Not all games are equally beneficial, however. “It depends on the type of game and its challenge level,” Small cautions. “If a game is too easy, it won’t activate those brain circuits and players will get bored. If it’s too difficult, it becomes stressful and players will give up. So, you want to find that sweet spot where you train, but you don’t strain, your brain.”
A Practical Tool for Brain Health
Dr. Small’s book, Brain Games, offers a wide variety of puzzles and logic exercises that strike the right balance between challenge and enjoyment. The goal is to strengthen memory, focus, and problem-solving skills — all critical for maintaining independence as we age.