As you age, it is very important to take care of your minds as well as your bodies.
Although most seniors are in good health, many are at risk of developing an aging disease like dementia. Also, they can get neurological and mental health disorders especially depression.
Do you know what the good news is?
Well, regardless of your age, there are proactive steps you can take to keep your brain healthy. This reduces your risk of developing dementia, depression, or other mental conditions.
What Are the Best Psychology Games?
Doing a lot of physical exercises is one of the best things that we can do for remaining fit.
This is only a beginning. Our brains need to be stimulated as well, especially as we get a little older.
Fortunately, it is very important to keep the brain healthy. Make sure you involve in an activity that is not boring or repetitive.
In fact, one of the best ways to keep our minds in great shape at any age is playing free Psychology Games.
Here are 5 Psychology Games that will make everything interesting.
- Online Crossword Puzzles
- Sudoku
- Mahjong
- Chess
- Jigsaw Puzzles
1) Crossword Puzzles
For the ones who don’t like math brain games, online crossword puzzles is the best bet.
Plenty of people spend their commute to work while completing crossword puzzles helps in enhancing their vocabulary and memory.
psychology board games are challenging. But in this super-stressed world, it is the best way to relax. You can start playing any day.
Start an online puzzle on Sunday and pick it up throughout the week. However, there is no pressure to finish in one sitting.
You can invite a friend for help, discuss with family members, and feel a sense of pride when the rows line up in perfect harmony.
It is true that doing online daily puzzles can prevent or slow down dementia.
According to a long-term study by the Albert Einstein College of Medicine found that elderly who did crosswords four days a week had a 47 percent lower risk of dementia than those who only did them once a week.
fun psychology games are good for your mental health and are a stress-free way to exercise and keep the mind in shape. Wealth Words is one of the best games you should give it a try.
2) Sudoku
After mastering pronouncing the word “Sudoku,” you should know how to play it.
Are you wondering why Sudoku is a great brain game for people of all ages?
Sudoku is a game of logic where you have to spot patterns, think strategically, and finally solve problems.
When you get older, you should establish familiar patterns in our lives. You walk the same way to the shops and try to be super organized.
This is mostly to save time, get through the day efficiently, and remember where we put things.
However, establishing predictable patterns, while it is comforting, does not stimulate the brain.
This game trains the mind to use logic and reasoning skills to solve unpredictable patterns.
All the skills can be used in the real world. Especially when assessing the implications of a decision we have to make.
There are some studies that depict playing psychology games to play with friends like Sudoku might help people reduce the risk of dementia as they get older.
The best part is, the benefits of playing Sudoku include getting a sense of accomplishment from unraveling a problem, creating order, and finishing tasks.
If you are someone who enjoys bringing order to a situation of uncertainty. Or you want to experience the feeling of accomplishment that comes from completing tasks.
Sudoku is for you!
3) Mahjong
Mahjong is one of the most played psychology games online that supercharge your mind!
This one is definitely different!
Mahjong is a game of matching tiles that have long been popular with elderly people. Initially, it was a game played in Asian countries and it has now gone global!
When you compare it to more solitary games like Sudoku and Solitaire, this unique is also a great way to socialize, as you can play the table game version with multiple players.
The type of social connection that comes from playing games like Mahjongis simply amazing.
According to neurologists like Dr. Alan Mazurek at Mt. Sinai Hospital, it is one of the most important elements of keeping your mind healthy.
How to play Mahjong?
It is a simple and straightforward tile-matching game. In this, you have a goal to get all 144 of your tiles into four sets and one pair.
In Asian culture, the game even has a philosophical significance as players sit around the table. They would be seated at north, south, east, and west position, representing a connection to nature.
The best way to play the game is online. It is a psychology brain game for people of all ages, but it’s especially popular with the elderly.
The ones who are looking for unique and challenging ways to keep their minds sharp, have fun, and stay connected to global culture.
4) Chess
Yes, Chess.
The most strategic game of all time.
This game has been around for centuries. Initially, it was first played in the 7th century by kings in India and is now a global phenomenon. There are two ways of playing it, either on the board or online.
Chess has always carried a stereotype that you have to be a nerd to play. As per a study conducted in Venezuela over several years, children who took chess classes for just 4 ½ months increased their IQ scores.
Chess also gives perspective about life. As the Chinese proverb says, “Life is like a game of chess, changing with every move.”
It keeps encouraging you while boosting concentration and focus. All this further helps in making decisions.
When playing chess, you have to think a few steps ahead and create scenarios in your mind. For example, “If I do this, then these two or three things might happen next.”
Chess is one of those psychology memory games where the elderly encourage creativity and out of the box original thinking.
There is a long list of free online chess games so you can pick any.
5) Jigsaw Puzzles
We have known about Jigsaw puzzles since we were kids. We became a master of joining pictures to shapes and these were the first brain games most of us play.
Even when you are working on the simplest of jigsaw puzzles, it is using all cells and parts of the brain.
Working on puzzles can also help in lowering your heart rate and breathing rate.
In fact, solving a jigsaw puzzle is also a kind of meditation. Concentrating the mind on the same image for a long duration inculcates calmness and a sense of peace.
In some important ways, a jigsaw puzzle is a metaphor for life, which is made up of many different pieces in different shapes and sizes. You try to put the right piece at the right place.
We all know it sometimes gets too overwhelming!
If you are struggling with a 1500 piece puzzle in your life, it’s no surprise you get stressed.
The best way to resolve this is to prioritize and focus on the simple 120 piece puzzle that you can manage and complete.
Have you played any of the social psychology games? If yes, which one has been your favorite and if no, what are you waiting for? Go ahead and try!
How to Make Mind Stronger?
Following are seven ways you can keep up your mental fitness:
a) Practice using your memory more
Engaging in memory exercises helps in improving both short and long-term recall.
You can make a list of grocery items. For example, you can do the best to memorize the list. Next, test yourself an hour later to see how many things you remember. Various ideas for practicing memory skills must be doing calculations in your mind.
Draw a map of somewhere you have recently been. Or you can memorize the lyrics to a popular song.
b) Play ‘thinking’ games
Research has shown that different brain training games for adults help in keeping the memory of the elderly sharp for as many as 10 years longer.
Whether it is a daily crossword puzzle or Sudoku, Scrabble, or any other game that excites you.
You should never hesitate to make an effort to engage in games or puzzles that pushes you to think.
If you are looking for online resources, Wealth Words is one of the best brain games having plenty of interesting crosswords for seniors.
c) Learn something new
Taking on a new hobby or skill can enhance cognitive functioning and your sense of well-being as you age.
The best you can do is to learn a new foreign language. This turns out to be a process of listening and internalizing new sounds that stimulate the brain.
Similarly, it is for new artistic or athletic pursuits. Well, it can be anything like cooking, painting, tennis, a musical instrument you’ve always wanted to learn etc. Getting engaged in a new hobby is an excellent way to keep your mind active.
d) Seek out social interaction
When you start indulging in social activities while having stimulating conversations, the elderly in the family are less likely to develop depression or dementia. You can also invite loved ones to spend time together or give them a call if they’re far away.
Always keep an eye on what is happening in your community. Maintaining these connections is one of the best ways to keep your spirits high and your mind busy.
e) Keep stress and anxiety at bay
Chronic stress has the ability to wreak havoc on the mind and body, especially as we age.
We know, it is not always easy to let go of worries, fears, or responsibilities. But is extremely important to take out time each day to relax and reflect.
Whether it is about meditation, exercise, treating yourself by playing online puzzle games, having a spa treatment or spending time with pets, etc.
However, all of these help in taking active steps to reduce stress helps you ward off depression and other mental health concerns.
f) Maintain physical fitness and a healthy diet
An active, healthy body is significant in maintaining an active, healthy mind.
In fact, Dementia research suggests that having certain lifestyle changes can do more to ward off memory loss than drugs or medical treatments.
When you eat a balanced, healthy diet, and enjoy a physical activity like community exercise classes. It is a key way to maximize brain function and enhance overall health.
g) Know where to get help if you need it
You will become familiar with various signs of depression and then look for professional help right away if you think you or a loved one is depressed.
Your seniors at home offer individual counseling, offering a safe space to explore difficult thoughts and feelings.
If anyone in your family or close ones is experiencing memory loss on a regular basis, they seek counsel from your physician.
Many centers provide personalized care plans for people with dementia. You can have practical and emotional support for families.
Today, we would like to discuss the importance of brain games for seniors.
But, answer the question first?
“How many hours a week do you exercise?” I had to laugh. Hours? Surely you jest!
Your weekly exercise routine can be more accurately measured in “minutes.” However, do you know what exactly counts as “exercise” anyway?
It is not just lifting a mug of tea for a sip? Turning the pages of a magazine? Typing? And, what else?
When you decide to take a morning walk as per your daily routine, you feel good. Isn’t it? The same is with trying brain games.
Now, let’s come to the main topic.
Looking to give your brain a boost? Try out these games.
