10 ways to exercise your brain in 5 minutes or less!

Here at Real Advice Gal we talk about health a lot. Healthy eating, exercising, etc. But being healthy isn’t always about how many calories you consume, or how many squats you did this morning. We can’t forget about ways to exercise your brain! Making sure your brain is active is just as important as making sure your body is active. Exercise for your brain  will help you with your memory, reduce stress, and help you absorb information more easily. A win win in my book! 

Being a busy mom, I don’t have a lot of time to concentrate on myself, but I have promised myself 30 minutes a day to do what I want to do. and 5 minutes of that is dedicated to exercising my brain! Do you have  5 minutes a day to dedicate to yourself? If so….

Here are 10 ways to exercise your brain in 5 minutes of less:

1. Read! Yes, really. Reading is one of the easiest ways to exercise your brain! Anything from tabloids all the way up to college text books. Start small and move your way up. The harder the content, the more exercise your brain gets.

2. Learn New Words! Increasing your vocabulary is a great way to exercise your brain and doesn’t take long at all to do. There are apps that will teach you a new word a day (search for a word-a-day calendar) or just grab a dictionary. Easy Peasy.

3. Play Video Games- Yes moms, this kids are telling the truth, video games are great for your brain. Not only is it great for your hand eye coordination, it’s also great for exercising your problem solving skills. Puzzle and who-done-it games are best!

4. Learn to play an instrument- Learning how to play an instrument is good for your body, mind, and soul! Learning to read the music is great exercise for your brain and also helps your hand eye coordination.

5. Build Something- whether it’s building with legos with your kids, or breaking out the saw to build with wood, following directions and using your hands is great for your brain. It’s also pretty fun too.

6. Eat well and exercise- I know earlier I said that eating healthy and exercise wasn’t the only thing we needed to worry about, but it does play an important role in keeping your brain fit. Pick foods that are high in omega-3’s and protein rich. When it come to exercise make sure you pick something you enjoy.

7. Learn a new language- No matter what age you are, learning a new langue is great for your brain. It forces you to look at (or listen) to something that is completely different than the norm and decipher it’s meaning. Think of it like learning a new word as being a push up, but for your brain!

8. Turn off the TV- Watching TV basically put your brain on auto-pilot. It tells your brain what to think, because you are not activating it, you are just observing. Turn the TV off and let your mind wander for awhile.

9. Write with your non-dominant hand – Writing with your non dominant hand forces your brain to think differently about writing the words from the opposite side of your body. Great warm up for your brain! 

10. Watch this video, and learn it- The YouTube video below shows you how to physically exercise your brain. It’s simple motions that anyone can do, but it makes a big impact on your brain! 

How do you like to exercise your brain? 

Also check out our other posts:

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27 Free Weight Watchers Recipes with Points Plus for Dinner