Sharpen Your Brain With Five Simple Exercises

June 9, 2008 — -- Conventional wisdom assumed losing your mental edge was just part of aging, but that may be incorrect. Scientists believe working out your brain -- just like you would your body to keep in shape -- could ward off the dulling of mental faculties and strengthen connections between newly-generated brain cells, which people make throughout life.

Use it or lose it. Neurobics may help maintain your mental reserves and ensure you'll keep your mental edge clear into your elderly years. It's like cross training, and researchers have found it's never too late to start, even in people who have some degree of dementia.

"Good Morning America" medical contributor Dr. Marie Savard breaks down the things you can do to keep your mind in tip-top shape, and what bad habits may harm you.

The thinking is that anything good for the heart is good for the brain, and we don't do enough good things. The big things are stress, exercise, diet, and sleep, but the good news is we can make our brains better.

When you think of stresses in your life, you should know that the stress hormone cortisol depresses the growth of nerve cells and the connections between them. Then there's sleep. Time and time again, researchers emphasize the importance of a good night's rest. It's true. Sleep is important, because it's when we lock down our memories and process them. So, if we're not getting enough sleep, it's bad for our ability to remember things.

The premise of these brain aerobics or neurobics is to do familiar things, but do them slightly differently.

So, a really easy thing to do is to try one of your daily activities -- brushing your teeth or dialing a phone number -- with your non-dominant hand.

I used my left hand to brush my teeth this morning and it's a lot harder than you realize. I really had to concentrate. And basically, what that does, apparently, is strengthen those pathways and connections in the opposite side of your brain.

We used to say it takes 21 tries to learn a new habit. But brain exercise is something you should be doing constantly throughout the day. Try to integrate it into all of your daily activities. We have to constantly reroute activities throughout the day. But a lifelong habit of challenging the brain gives you a greater reserve of mind muscle to use. Think of it as your retirement account. Add to your 401k of the brain so you have more to draw from when you need it.