The Ultimate Brain Health Playbook: Assess, Read, and Recharge Your Cognitive Power!
- Kylle Clemons
- Nov 6
- 3 min read
If you're like me, you wonder how "fit" your brain is today. You may ask, is my memory as flexible and quick as it used to be? You also may wonder whether you can take steps to improve brain health and prevent early decline. I was a bit nervous to take cognitive assessments and at the same time I was feeling a competitive drive as I completed the online puzzles. Whatever our age, we need to develop healthy habits in order to keep our brain in tip top shape. Here are just a few of the many online options as well as a few of my favorite books on brain health.
Where are you now?
Online cognitive assessments that offer a real-time snapshot of where your memory is at the exact moment are listed below. These are just a few of many - happy hunting!
MindCrowd offers a memory and attention test in a game format. It takes about 10 minutes to play the games. Results are immediately available so you can compare your scores with others in similar categories. The best part is that participation directly helps universities and research groups who are studying the brain.
AARP's Staying Sharp Program provides free cognitive assessments and information on how to improve brain health. They provide information on how to incorporate cognitive skills to improve your daily life! Free Cognitive Testing - Staying Sharp
Wanting to test multiple aspects of brain health such as face and name recognition, speed naming of objects and numbers, and matching puzzles? Cogniciti offers an excellent 20-minute comprehensive cognitive assessment for free. Upon completion, you receive a score and are able to save your results for future reference.
How can you learn and improve?
Any readers out there? There are so many excellent books on brain health, aging well, and activity books to keep your brain agile. This list of books is a mere scratch on the surface of the world of knowledge that can be found in a book. I checked these books out at our local library, but they are also available online and most likely at a bookstore near you.
The Memory Bible: An Innovative Strategy for Keeping Your Brain Young by Gary Small. Dr. Small was the Director of the UCLA Center on Aging. His book provides a memory program, brain fitness exercises, dietary recommendations to improve memory and an overview of medication. This book is a must read for those wanting to learn what to eat, the findings on supplementation, research on fitness in relation to brain health, and the most effective cognitive exercises to improve memory.
Keep Sharp by Sanjay Gupta, M.D is easy to read with personal stories and scientific explanations of brain health. As a neurosurgeon and CNN correspondent, his timely advice is based on current research and years of experience in the field of brain health.
The Brain Fitness Book by Rita Carter is packed full of information about brain health and how to improve it. The simple format is visually engaging and is sprinkled with activities and puzzles to keep your mind active and healthy.
Where will you go?
Our brains crave learning. Challenging our brains is vital to cognitive health and the saying "Use it or Lose it" is spot on! Day by day, you can make purposeful changes that over time will strengthen neural circuits and keep your brain active. Physical and mental fitness can be tested, measured, and even improved. Once you know your baseline, strive to continue learning and progressing both your body and mind.
A few final tips - socialize often, laugh frequently, move daily, nourish your body, sleep well, and enjoy something learning new every day!
"Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever." — Mahatma Gandhi
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