The other day, I was working at a café when in walked a group of women who slid a couple of tables together, spread out a table cloth, and proceeded to set up for a game of Canasta. I couldn’t resist approaching them and chatting about the benefits of ‘exercising’ our brains to keep them young and vital, and I mentioned my competitive card-playing parents—whose brains are remarkably youthful for being in their 80s.

Yes, research has shown that regularly making our brains ‘work’ is one strategy for keeping our wits about us.  Anything that stimulates the formation and strengthening of new neuronal pathways, like learning a language, reading, singing (which is also great for stress reduction and getting oxygen to the brain), solving the crossword in the Sunday paper, and even meditating and/or praying (which my parents also do for several hours daily) keep our brain cells healthy and firing.

Of course, there’s more to maintaining a healthy brain than belting out a daily tune—like a healthy diet. And if you had to pick a good reason to get physical exercise, consider preservation and even optimization of brain health.  If the benefits are not immediately obvious to you, here are a few:

• Better delivery of oxygen and nutrients to brain cells
• Balancing neurochemicals and neurotransmitters like serotonin, dopamine, norepinephrine, and GABA for better moods, focus, and concentration
• More restful sleep
• Optimal blood sugar management which can help brain cells maintain insulin sensitivity and stave off neurodegenerative diseases, like Alzheimer’s Disease
• The production of neural stem cells and the maturation of neurons and oligodendrocytes—the cells that insulate the neuronal axons and enhance signal transduction and that are attacked by the immune system in multiple sclerosis

These are all good reasons to make sure you’re getting regular exercise and many of these same benefits can be applied to the health of your entire body.  You can’t go wrong with exercise—that is, when you do it within your physical limits, you do it in a safe manner, and you don’t overdo it.

BTW, I checked in on the ladies before I left the café and they were still having a ball playing cards.  One in particular had a pretty good hand—as you can see, that she was excited to show me.  Meeting these women reminded me that maintaining your brain doesn’t have to feel like work. It can be fun.