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Whether you’re relying on a music-identifying app for the name of that 2010s banger, or on the maps app for your morning commute, screens are basically an extension of your brain these days. But, it turns out that all that on-demand knowledge might not be doing your *actual* brain any favors.
Why activate your thinking cap when you don’t have to? Because independent thought supports a healthy noggin, and according to neuroscientist Faye Begeti, PhD, supporting brain health is essential for physical and emotional wellness.
“Every single thing we do, every action we take starts off as a bit of electricity in our brain,” she says. “It is important to [support] our most powerful organ to be able to cope with a variety of situations [and] make the most of our life.”
One way to support mental sharpness? Brain teasers, like the three fun and simple exercises we created with brain health experts and Neuriva—the supplements formulated to help support five indicators of brain performance (learning, memory, focus, accuracy, and concentration).
Add in an active lifestyle, a healthy sleep routine, and a meditation practice—Dr. Begeti’s recommended trifecta for supporting cognitive function—and you’ll be well on your way to following the doctor’s orders for better brain health.
Picture This
Brain
Games
Pictionary, upgraded. Identify the common phrase represented by image pairings, and don’t forget to put your wellness cap on. Keep track of how many you can nail in a minute.
Why images? Your brain processes them more quickly and effortlessly than letters and words, and they aid in comprehension, learning, and long-term memory, according to a 2015 study.
Quick tip: Coffee cherry extract—as in the fruit, not the bean—has been shown to support brain health. You can get in on it with Neuriva Plus, which is packed with 200 milligrams of the extract.
Ah, the good old-fashioned word search. Scan the grid and see how many hidden words you can spot. If you want to raise the stakes, set a timer.
What goes on inside your noggin while you’re studying the scramble? Your brain relies on clues from letter combinations to identify full words. It’s similar to the method your mind uses for memory retrieval: “When we forget something, it’s not because the memory has not been stored, but because we are not able to access it—this is why getting a hint or a clue to the answer is helpful,” Dr. Begeti says.
Once you’ve found all the words, keep practicing memory retrieval by having a friend quiz you on them. Both quizzes and socializing come with major brain benefits, Dr. Begeti says.
And if you really want to go the extra mile, consider adding B vitamins to your daily routine—studies show that they can offer significant benefits to brain health. Pro tip: you can find both B6 and B12 in Neuriva Plus Capsules.
Find the Words
Run it back to math class with arithmetic riddles. Keep a scratch pad handy to jot down numbers and notes (order of operations, is that you?), and encourage friends and family to play along.
“Social interactions have extra brain benefits,” Dr. Begeti says. And making it all feel fun is another boost for neurological health. “Pick something that you find enjoyable as this will release feel-good chemicals, like dopamine, in the brain.” Winner picks the game next time.
For another boost, try a supplement that contains phosphatidylserine, which was shown to support cognitive health and memory in a 2015 study. (Psst: you can find it in Neuriva Plus Capsules.)
Crunch the Numbers
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Seven
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X is an odd number. Take a letter away from X and it becomes even. What is that number?
Riddle:
3 (the grandmother is also a mother,
the mother is also a daughter)
A grandmother, two mothers, and two daughters go to a concert together and buy one ticket each. How many total tickets do they buy?
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1, 2, 3
You are given 3 positive numbers. Whether you add or multiply these numbers together, the result will be the same. What are the numbers?
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