Brain Drills During Exercise to Improve Brain Health

• Facebook
• Tweet
• Pinterest
• Reddit
• Email

Combining brain drills with physical exercise is an effective way to boost both cognitive function and physical fitness. When you engage both the body and mind simultaneously, you stimulate brain health, improve focus, and enhance problem-solving skills.

---

Incorporate brain drills into your workout routine: it’s important for overall brain health

Add Mental Tasks to Aerobic Exercises

When doing aerobic activities like walking, running, hiking, cycling, or swimming, incorporate mental challenges such as counting backward, reciting a poem, remembering a list, or solving simple math problems. This increases cognitive demand while your body is working, which improves memory retention and cognitive function. For example, while running, count backward from 100 by threes. This keeps your brain engaged, enhancing problem-solving skills and focus.

Practice Dual-Tasking

Dual-tasking involves performing two tasks at once, requiring coordination between the body and brain. For example, while performing lunges, try reciting the alphabet backward or naming a different animal with each step. You can also use memory-based games, like recalling specific details from a podcast you’re listening to during exercise. These dual tasks enhance multi-tasking ability and strengthen the brain’s executive function, the area responsible for managing tasks and decision-making.

Balance and Coordination Drills

Exercises that require balance and coordination, such as compound strength movements, yoga or tai chi, naturally engage the brain. To enhance the cognitive benefits, challenge yourself to memorize new sequences or poses. Alternatively, practice balancing on one foot while doing mental tasks like naming all the states or completing multiplication tables.

Use Brain-Training Apps During Cardio

Many brain-training apps like Lumosity or Peak offer games and challenges designed to improve memory, attention, and problem-solving. While doing light cardio on a treadmill or stationary bike, engage with these apps or perhaps use an app to learn a new language while you’re performing cardio. By training the brain while keeping your body moving, you can improve both cognitive function and fitness. 

Dance and Learn New Moves

There is a saying that states “You don’t get old and stop dancing. You stop dancing and get old!” Dancing is a fantastic full-body workout that requires mental effort to learn and memorize new sequences. Dancing improves cognitive functions such as spatial awareness, memory, and coordination. Learning new choreography regularly forces the brain to adapt, strengthening its ability to form new neural pathways. This is true for all sports that require strategy and improve your ability to think while you move like pickleball and tennis. 

---

Integrating brain drills into your exercise routine strengthens the connection between physical and mental fitness. Physical exercise increases blood flow to the brain, delivering oxygen and essential nutrients, while brain drills stimulate neuroplasticity—the brain’s ability to form new connections. This combination boosts memory, enhances focus, and reduces the risk of cognitive decline as you age.

Regular mental and physical activity is essential for long-term brain health, helping to maintain sharp thinking and emotional well-being throughout life.

Yours in health & fitness,
Sherri McMillan