Playing Your Cards Right: Can Games Boost Brainpower?
Staying sharp, staying social, and staying joyful are all potential deterrents of dementia. Whether it’s a spirited round of bridge with friends or a quiet afternoon crossword with a cup of tea, playing games isn’t just fun, it might also be doing your brain a big favour.
Let’s unpack the benefits of games and puzzles, and whether they really help keep your mind in top shape.
More Than Just Entertainment
From Rummikub to Scrabble, games are often a staple of retirement community life. But beyond the laughter and friendly competition, games offer structured opportunities to engage memory, logic, strategy, and focus. These skills are essential to maintaining cognitive health as we age.
Dr. Elissa Epel, a renowned professor of psychiatry emphasises the importance of cognitive stimulation through meaningful activities, especially those that combine enjoyment, learning, and social interaction, like playing games. These activities are not just hobbies, she says; they are “protective habits” that help the brain stay flexible and resilient.
She states: “Mental and social engagement, especially when it’s enjoyable, are essential for building cognitive resilience as we age. Activities that are stimulating and meaningful, like games or group learning, may help delay or prevent cognitive decline.”
Brain Training or Brain Maintenance?
While online “brain games” often promise to make you smarter, experts suggest it’s less about increasing intelligence and more about maintaining your cognitive edge.
Games that require memory, reasoning, and quick decision-making can help improve certain mental functions, but the key is regular and sustained play.”
Classic games like chess, card games, or Sudoku might not cure cognitive decline, but they keep neural pathways engaged and adaptable. In other words, think of them as a daily workout for your mind.
Remember, the brain functions much like a muscle. If we don’t use it, we lose it. That’s why it’s important to give our minds a regular workout and keep them stretched and stimulated.
Socialising is Part of the Magic
One of the strongest predictors of brain health? Connection.
“Playing games with others offers double the benefit, cognitive stimulation and social interaction,” says Dr. Denise Park, director of the Center for Vital Longevity at the University of Texas at Dallas. “Engaging socially has a protective effect on the brain, especially in older adults.”
So those weekly bridge games aren’t just socially friendly, they’re brain-friendly, too.
Try These Brain-Boosting Favourites
Want to keep your mind limber? Here are some games and puzzles that pack a mental punch:
- Bridge & Rummy – Great for memory and strategic thinking.
- Crosswords & Wordle – Strengthen language, recall, and pattern recognition.
- Sudoku & Kakuro – Excellent for logic and number sequencing.
- Jigsaw Puzzles – Boost spatial reasoning and attention to detail.
- Dominoes – Enhance memory and visual pattern tracking.
- Board Games like Scrabble or Sequence – Combine strategy with social fun.
Just 20–30 minutes a day is enough to see benefits over time.
Engaging in activities that bring joy and meaning, whether it’s a walk in nature, a painting class, or pulling out the cards for a competitive game of canasta are so important as we age. We may not be able to control every aspect of our health, but we can choose how we spend our time, and playful mental engagement is a powerful choice.
“It’s never too late to challenge your brain,” says Dr. Park. “What matters most is that you enjoy what you’re doing, that’s what keeps you coming back for more.”
Keep the Good Times, and the Good Thinking Rolling
So next time you’re invited to a game night or tempted by a crossword in the newspaper, remember that these little moments of play are also moments of growth, connection, and cognitive strength.
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