5 Ways to STAY SHARPER Longer

SOME ADVICE FOR BRAIN STRENGTH, LIKE EATING A HEALTHY DIET, is pretty straightforward. Other recommendations, however, have become so broad-Do crossword puzzles! Get more sleep!-that you may feel stuck as to how to reap the brain benefits. Here, experts share what to focus on.

- JIHAN MYERS

Cross-train your brain.

If you're on your 500th Wordle, you may want to put the phone down-at least for a bit. When it comes to the benefits of puzzles for brain function, Zaldy S. Tan, M.D., M.P.H., director of the Memory & Healthy Aging Program at CedarsSinai, recommends doing other brainboosting activities, not just repeating the same types of exercises. "Brain games, crossword puzzles, and Sudoku are meant to challenge specific areas of the brain, but our minds are complex, and different areas serve different functions," he says.

WHAT TO DO:

Try puzzles one day, read a book the next; take a Spanish class, go to lunch with friends. In fact, socializing may be particularly beneficial. "Social interaction is quite demanding in that you have different types of stimulation, including planning the outing as well as interacting with others, which fulfills the reward pathways of the brain," Limon says. Whatever you choose, engaging in a mix of activities may strengthen brain circuits and stimulate new brain connections, which can help you function if typical brain networks are disrupted due to disease. "Think of it like cross-training for the brain, because different activities give you a better chance of having the totality of your mind stimulated and engaged," says Dr. Tan.

Move your body.