By Michele Rosenthal for Rewire Me

If you’re over 40, you’re not going to like this (and if you’re not yet 40, get ready for a reality check): Early in your fifth decade, researchers believe your cognitive brain performance peaks. The good news is that the brain is highly adaptable; in particular, repetitive exercise helps the brain learn, grow, strengthen, and develop. As we age there are ways to combat the reduced function of such mental processes as memory, problem solving, and decision-making. Starting to incorporate easy exercises today can help forestall decline tomorrow.

Adding any of the following cognitive function-building practices will amplify your brain health benefits:

1. Strategize: The more you challenge yourself to do tasks that require logic and reasoning, the more you deepen the neural pathways necessary for this type of brain function.

2. Challenge your memory: Training your memory is incredibly easy and can be done while you commute or listen to the radio: try to learn all the lyrics of a song while you’re driving, or memorize a poem while sitting on the bus.

3. Buff up your lingo: Language games help your brain to understand and recognize words. The more you practice fluency in language, the more quickly your brain will retrieve old words and embrace new ones.

Find out more at RewireMe.com.

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