Games are often just seen as a way to pass the time (a good way, of course), but the truth is they can be a lot more than filler – they can actually also keep your mind really active, challenge your thinking, and give your brain regular exercise without putting it or you under a load of unnecessary pressure. With that in mind, keep reading to find out more about how games can keep you on top of your cognitive health.
Why It’s Important To Keep Your Brain Active
Our brains are just like our overall bodies in that they completely respond to being used, and when you think, problem-solve, and make any kind of decision, big or small, you’re using different mental skills like memory, attention, planning, pattern recognition, and much more on top.
And of course, daily life already uses these skills quite a bit, but routines can make things feel rather competitive, whereas games introduce a touch of novelty and challenge in a controlled, enjoyable way. That mental stretching is the thing that keeps your brain engaged rather than just on autopilot, and that’s what keeps it working well.
Games Encourage Problem-Solving
A lot of games ask you to think ahead, weigh up your options, and adapt when things don’t go according to plan, and even simple card games or puzzles ask you to do things like recognise patterns, make choices, and change your strategy if you need to.
That kind of thinking is useful in everyday life as well because it helps with decision-making, organisation, and staying mentally flexible. In the end, the key is really that games can make problem-solving fun rather than stressful, and you’ll learn how to use that skill in various other areas of your life.
You Can Enhance Your Memory Too
There are some games that can help with your memory, which is never a bad thing. You’ll need to remember rules, patterns, and sequences, for example, and there are other games that mean you need to keep previous moves in mind and track what’s happened so far. They might only seem like small things, but the fact is that these memory challenges can help to keep your recall skills active.
And what’s even better is that you’re not studying or memorising lists, which can be quite boring, and instead you’re using your brain in ways that can boost your memory and over time this kind of regular use can make everyday recall much faster and easier, and that’s clearly going to have a number of different benefits.
Focus And Attention In Short Bursts
One of the hardest things in modern life is keeping your focus because of all the notifications, emails, and various other constant distractions you’ll have to deal with all the time. But games can help you to learn how to focus more on one task for a set period, even if that set period is only for a few minutes.
Short games are particularly useful for this because they fit neatly into your day, no matter how busy you might be. You can play during a break, on a commute, or while you’re waiting for something to happen or to be ready, and the great part is that just those few minutes of focused attention can reset your mind and get you ready for your next task with more motivation and energy.
Why Are Simple Games Important?
Something that’s definitely important to be aware of is that you don’t need fast, complex games to stay mentally engaged – in fact, the simpler the game, the better because that leads to slower, more deliberate thinking and you won’t feel rushed and stressed. A classic example is solitaire, because you’ll need to plan moves, manage limited resources, and think a few steps ahead, all of which can boost your brain.
And because it’s familiar and easy to pick up, it’s not going to feel difficult and demanding, but despite that, your brain’s still going to be working. That’s the ideal balance of low stress and mental effort, and it’s that that makes simple games appealing.
Games As Stress Management
You might assume that good cognitive health is all about brain power, but the fact is that stress and fatigue can have an effect as well, making it harder to think. Luckily, games can help to reduce stress because they give your mind a break from worries and responsibilities.
When you’re focusing on a game, you’re a lot less likely to start worrying about other problems or try to multitask just to get things done, and that little mental break can be enough to improve your mood, and stop you from feeling mentally overloaded, and that’s going to be good for cognitive health.
Social And Solo Cognitive Benefits
Some games are social, like board games or multiplayer online games, and they need you to communicate, have a strategy with others, and co-operate as a team, and all those things use different cognitive skills. And even better is the fact that social interactions themselves have been linked to mental engagement and wellbeing.
On the other hand, you’ve got solo games, and they’re great for independent thinking and self-paced challenges. And don’t worry because one’s not better than the other – they both offer plenty of benefits, and changing between them and doing both can definitely keep things interesting.
Choosing Games That Suit You
In the end, the very best games for cognitive health are the ones you actually enjoy. Some people like logic puzzles, some like card games, some want to play word games, and others always choose strategy games – and many people will just mix and match however they want, depending on what they feel like that particular day.
The point is, there’s no best option, but it’s wise to bear in mind that if you don’t like a game, it’s going to feel like a chore and not be enjoyable, and that’s really not the outcome you’ll want. However, if it feels relaxing and a bit of a challenge, it’s more likely to become something you stick with, and that’s going to improve your cognitive health over time.