Harriet Vines, Ph.D., an experienced author and retired college professor, sends us a few fun brain exercises to train our attention and working memory (the ability to keep information current for a short period while using this information). Given them a try! They are not as easy as they may sound…

1. Say the days of the week backwards, then in alphabetical order.

2. Say the months of the year in alphabetical order. Easy? well, why don’t you try doing so backwards, in reverse alphabetical order.

3. Find the sum of your date of birth, mm/dd/yyyy. Want more exercise? Do the same with friends’ and relatives’ date of birth.

4. Name two objects for every letter in your complete name. Work up to five objects, trying to use different items each time.

5. Wherever you are, look around and within two minutes, try to find 5 red things that will fit in your pocket, and 5 blue objects that are too big to fit.

 

– Harriet Vines, Ph.D.   is the Author of Age Smart-How to Age Well, Stay Fit and Be Happy, where she shares results from 15 years of consultation, workshops and lectures at Leisure World, Canyon Ranch, Independent Retirement Communities, and Adult Education Programs.

Note: if you have brain teasers, news, or articles you’d like to share, please email us at information (at) sharpbrains (dot) com. Looking forward hearing from you!