Ways to train your brain that you may not know about

There are numerous ways to improve brain performance, with many people turning to brainteasers or number games such as Sudoku. But there are many other activities that provide benefits for the brain. We're going to cover some of the more obscure things that you may not have thought of before, which will get your brain working hard and performing better overall. Take a look here...

Physical exercise

Exercise is not only good for your body's health, but your mind's too. If you think about it, the brain is a muscle that needs to be exercised just as much. According to a study, even briefly exercising for 20 minutes facilitates information processing and memory functions. On top of that, exercise increases the heart rate, which pumps more oxygen to the brain. It also aids the bodily release of various hormones, all of which participate in aiding the growth of brain cells.

Card games

Challenging card games improve concentration, memory and analytical skills. Try to mix up the card games played to keep the competitions more challenging as well - hop from Solitaire to Gin Rummy to Whist and back again. There is a fun and challenging free quiz on Ladbrokes' site, where you can test your card game prowess and see how games benefit your brain.

Using your non-dominant hand

Using your 'other' hand always feels wrong - try locking the front door or brushing your teeth and you'll know what we mean. And we've all tried writing with our other hand too. But it's said to improve creativity and helps your brain to better integrate its two hemispheres. Not only that, it can actually make you more open-minded. Studies show that we often favour things that fall on our preferred side and discard those on our clumsy side.

Reading out loud

Read aloud and reap the benefits. A lot of people do this when proofing some words and discover mistakes that weren't spotted before, already proving how beneficial this activity is. More specifically, it is said to sharpen your focus, increase your vocabulary, allow greater comprehension, gives you the opportunity to play, exercise your body, challenge your use of intonation, and improves listening and reading skills.

Sleep

A good night's sleep can make all the difference in the world. It can improve mental health (reducing depressive symptoms), make your memory sharper, help with decision making and more. Quite simply, it can also put you in a better mood - people who don't get enough sleep are always grumpy and irritable, which is never good for your mental state.

Have a think about which activities you could try to improve your brain - a combination of all or most of them would work a treat, and they're so simple to integrate into your life.