How can I prevent my brain becoming stagnant?

Do a free on line course, or even one you pay for if you have money to spare . That will stimulate you😊

Where I live various groups have popped up called Games Group, people meet to play scrabble, chess or dominoes, anything they enjoy. I like scrabble do in September I hope to go to one. Enquire at your local library if you are lucky enough to still have one.

I'm learning a new language on Duolingo (free).

We do Wordle, Blossom, Words with Friends, Sudoku in the morning and the cryptic crossword in the afternoon (which we photocopy so we have our own copy to do)

I think social interaction is vital so try to find something to do with other people. Volunteer, join a walking group, U3A.

I set myself a little learning task every day!
I play wordle, connections and crosswords as well as doing battle sudoku where you play against someone matched to your level.
I go to quizzes (won last week!) and do on-line quizzes too.
I read, I write, I paint and I challenge myself to do new things.
Once you begin to learn again I am convinced those grey cells spring back into action so don't waste time doing stuff that doesn't interest you anymore- get out of your comfort zone and try new things.
Another thing I do is write down random things you want to do, put them in a jar and pick one out now and again- but you have to try to do them that day!
These things seem to work for me anyways...

I am learning Welsh on Duolingo.It certainly keeps me thinking🤯

I found my brain was foggy and slow and my memory not good . I volunteer and try to keep active . I read a lot too . About 2 months ago a friend suggested I take lyons mane drops . I now do each day . I was sceptical . But for me I can honestly say the fog has cleared and I'm sharper in my head . It may not work for everyone but I will definitely keep it up .

Play three puzzles online every day, we’re in a quiz team at our local pub once a week and we visit there at other times, it’s a very sociable hub in our village.
Voluntary job on Mondays, involves spreadsheets, talking to people on the phone and some logistics.
I plan and plant our garden, I'm also helping a friend plan theirs in a new build.
Book club once a month means I’ve met new people and at least tried books that are new to me.
I agree with kitty social interaction is important.

Going for a 30 min walk each day helps me. I find when J get to a certain house number,I am thinking of positive things I can do. Believe me, it's not a brisk walk these days but a slow wobble but even so it helps.

I watch film and TV in other languages with the subtitles on.
Focuses attention (visual and auditory) and stimulates memory.

If it's a rusty language I could understand and speak decades ago, my "ear" retunes to it and eventually I can turn off the subs and give the brain a work out. Also gives my vocabulary a modern-day update.

Learning a language or a musical instrument is supposed to be very good exercise for the brain.
I did take up the piano again (from a very low 50 year old base) after I retired, and did a lot for a few years, up to about G5 standard, but that’s rather gone by the wayside now.

I did try Duolingo Welsh for a few months but eventually their teaching methods defeated me. I should probably try an easier one I already have some knowledge of, e.g. my rudimentary Greek.

Now I stick to word puzzles every day in the paper, and the (easy!) arithmetic brain trainer. Numbers were never my forte.

I think human interaction is key especially interaction with young people.

kittylester

I think human interaction is key especially interaction with young people.

So true.
I have a good friend in her early 80’s , highly intelligent, a former Primary Head whose great love is literature.
Her DH died just before Covid and she admits she is quite content to be alone in her bungalow, just reading all day.
Fine, don’t we all love losing ourselves in a book but she often doesn’t speak to a soul for days (being quite deaf, phone calls are challenging) and I have noticed that when we meet for coffee or shopping in Waitrose, she repeats herself a lot, has little else to say and IMO has aged visibly.
So while I don’t necessarily agree the interaction has to be with young people, I would say “people who are young in spirit”

Definitely human interaction.
That persuaded DH that he really did need hearing aids, when he had to ask others to repeat themselves.
Meeting up for coffee or walking the dog or chatting to our neighbours as we garden all counts.

On and off through the day, we do all the puzzles on The i Paper app and one or two like Connections on nytimes.com. There’s a good mix. We also like Solitaire on mobilityware.

I like knowing what’s going on in the world (various sources) and of course GN also has its uses for chat or even hot debate.

Re languages: If you can’t get to a class, Duolingo is fun if you want to know what a neushoorn is, but I like Memrise because it has “real people” conversations.

You are right, of course, Maw, young in spirit!

Learning something, while obviously worthwhile, seems a bit two dimensional when compared with talking to people.

My late Mum-in-law was a great believer in crosswords. I play Maj- Jong every day on my phone, read a lot and do word searches. I do attend a book group once a month and meet friends or family at other times. I try to go out once per day, even just taking my book and going for a coffee.

We own and play a range of brain-stimulating board and table top games with the teenage grandkids. Good fun, keeps you on your toes, and the older we all get the more often they beat us.

If you are physcially well, try bowling. Good hand eye coordination needed. Great for your balance too. Plenty of social interaction as well with people of all
ages and different walks of life.
As others have said find out about bridge or whist groups and board games. All good fun and very sociable. 😊

There is one free game per day on the 1% app. I love to do it first thing.

I play Solitaire and Scrabble online and in a group that meets in person regularly. I do wordsearches and Codewords daily.
Best of all I sing in three choirs. That is good for body, mind and soul.

Are you interested in researching your family history? It's like fitting together an enormous jigsaw puzzle and some of the stories and unknown relatives you may find could amaze you.

As well as researching online, there may be local Family History groups you could join, their stories can be very interesting too.

Susan56

I am learning Welsh on Duolingo.It certainly keeps me thinking🤯

😂😂😂

I'm not sure I can think that much!

Perhaps my brain is saying Araf!

I would recommend a MOOC (massive, open, online course). Free to do in any subject you can think of, entry level and from some fabulous teachers from around the world. Plus if you don't enjoy it you can stop at any time.
They are usually about 6 weeks long and a few hours a week. All reading material is provided free too.
I love them and have enjoyed solving a crime, learning about modern art and social psychology to name a few.

Allira 😂my brain definitely says araf😂