Many people don’t start thinking about brain health until they notice some cognitive changes and memory loss.

In a message sent Monday to UWindsor faculty and staff, Human Resources shares suggestions for things to do throughout a lifetime to help improve mental performance and keep sharp and healthy:

• Learn something new. Taking an online course, learning a new language, or taking up chess causes the brain’s neurons to form new connections while making existing pathways stronger or weaker.
• Start a jigsaw puzzle. The act of finishing a puzzle helps connect brain cells, enhances short-term memory, and increases your brain’s speed.
• Cook complicated dishes. Consider picking up a recipe that requires more detailed measurements and more complicated steps. This can help improve your memory over time.
• Read more books. Reading helps activate the parietal lobe, which is responsible for turning letters into words and making sense of those words. It can also enhance your writing skills and help develop the occipital lobe, which processes visual information.
• Take up a musical instrument. Learning how to play a musical instrument can help change the brain function and structure for the better, and help you to be more mentally alert.

Read the entire Wellness Tip of the Week.