Many of us have replaced learning with entertainment. We rent movies, remotely control hundreds of television stations, and spend hours surfing the Internet, but most of our entertainment is more mind-numbing than exhilarating. We have forgotten how fun learning and challenging the brain can be!
Exercising our little gray cells is important and beneficial to living a happy and healthy life. Brain challenge makes us more alert and mentally agile. Learning, even later in life, can make us happy, reduce stress, improve memory, increase our self-esteem, and can actually help us live longer, more fulfilling lives. Even doing simple mental exercises helps keep our neural pathways active and builds our problem-solving skills. Here are some ways to give your gray cells an easy but steady workout.
Read an encyclopedia entry every day. You can get old encyclopedias for next to nothing at garage sales or thrift stores. There’s probably one already in your basement or attic. Just read an entry or two a day. You’ll expose your mind to a wide variety of topics and learn new things in less time than a TV commercial break.
Take a prep book and answer a few questions every day. General ones like GED or SAT are the least intimidating and most accessible. Take your time with the questions; No hurry. It feels great if you answer the questions correctly, but don’t worry if you get it wrong. As long as you try, you still exercise your gray cells in the process.
Solve puzzles. Puzzles combine play with learning. Puzzles are cheap and easy to find both in stores and for free online. Even simple puzzles keep the gray cells going. One or two a day is enough. Just mix the gentle of puzzles you do. Word puzzles, logic puzzles, trivia quizzes, crossword puzzles, math puzzles, number puzzles, and picture puzzles use different clues from neurons in your brain.
Wait to read. Combine a social activity with a learning experience by attending a lecture at your local museum or library. Bookstores often have author readings or topical discussions. Local colleges and universities often hire guest speakers for special topics, and you can probably attend for free even if you’re not enrolled in school.
Join a reading group. Reading groups are quite common across the country. A group of people agree to read the same book and then get together to talk about it. The meetings are usually social, but often very engaging and stimulating. You could make some interesting friends on the deal.
Take a class. Your local college or university probably has a community education program. Registration is usually cheap and there is no pressure to get good grades. The subject you choose to study is not as important as the learning activity. As long as the topic holds your interest and you stay active in class, you’ll be reaping the benefits of an active mind.
Learning and brain challenge are not just for kids. Human beings are naturally wondering and learning creatures at all stages of life. Just a few minutes a day with a puzzle or learning activity can keep your gray cells active, and you’ll have taken a fun but important step toward a healthier, happier life.
