Many people turn to brain games, crosswords, and math puzzles to enhance memory. However, neurologists caution that these activities might not address specific causes of mental fog.
Targeted Exercises for Specific Issues
Dr. Rhonda Voskuhl, a neurology professor at UCLA and co-founder of Cleopatra RX, emphasizes the need for exercises tailored to specific mental functions. Generic cognitive activities may not be effective.
“You can’t perform random cognitive exercises,” Voskuhl explained during the Livelong Women’s Health Summit. “They need to address the exact problem.”
The primary issue lies in verbal memory. Voskuhl highlights that math exercises do not aid in verbal memory improvement. Common brain games like Sudoku do not specifically target the brain’s areas linked to verbal memory loss.
Impact of Hormone Changes on the Brain
Mental fog, particularly during perimenopause and menopause, affects specific brain regions. Estrogen decline does not impact overall intelligence or basic logic, but it does slow down verbal memory and processing speed.
Sudoku and similar puzzles exercise logic and math, but do not help with word-recall challenges. The brain does not suffer global atrophy; instead, there are localized issues, often visible in the hippocampus during MRI scans.
Understanding Memory Stages
Experts differentiate between two memory stages: encoding and retrieval. Mental fog tends to impact retrieval, meaning words and names remain in memory but are harder to access.
Effective Brain Exercises
Exercises to address brain fog should focus on word finding and quick thinking. Voskuhl recommends tasks that push processing speed and active recall.
- Timed word games: Set a timer to list words in a category (e.g., animals) within 60 seconds.
- Speed reading and summaries: Read short articles and summarize them quickly.
- Rapid recall drills: Use flashcards to name objects or people swiftly.
These exercises specifically target processing speed and active word recall.
Choosing the Right Games
Instead of generic apps, focus on where you face daily challenges. Select games that address specific difficulties.
“People know themselves,” Voskuhl pointed out. “Identify what you struggle with or used to excel at but now find challenging.”
Choose games that challenge you and push your limits to enhance cognitive abilities.
Khloe Quill, a lifestyle writer with Fox News Digital, covers a range of topics, including food, travel, and health.