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Did you know that the human brain has the remarkable ability to store and recall a staggering amount of information? Up to 1,000,000,000,000,000 or 1 quadrillion pieces of information, to be precise!

As we age, however, our memory may not be as sharp as it once was. Stress, sleep deprivation, and poor nutrition, for example, can cause memory lapses. However, there are many effective methods that can help us keep our minds in the best shape!

So, if you're looking for brain exercises to boost your cognitive performance, we've got you covered! Below, you'll find 18 memory activities for adults that really work!

Key Takeaways

• Challenge your brain with new activities. Do things like counting backwards, spelling words in reverse, or learning new languages. This helps your brain form new connections and improves your memory.

• Play brain games. Activities like word scrambles, memory matching games, and puzzles are great for improving both short-term and long-term memory.

• Use brain training tools. Devices like the Mendi headband give real-time feedback on your brain’s activity to help improve memory and focus. Brain games and mindfulness exercises also help keep your memory sharp.

• Take care of your body. A healthy diet, quality sleep, and regular exercise all support better memory and brain function.

18 Memory Activities for Adults

Memory is at the core of everything we do—from remembering a friend's birthday to recalling the steps in a favorite recipe. As we age, however, we may start experiencing some form of memory loss, even more so if we smoke, suffer from chronic stress, do not sleep enough, and/or don't have a nutritious diet. This is why it's important to actively try to keep our memory sharp, which can be done through various memory activities for adults. But before we present those, let's see the types of memory we have:

• Episodic memory: responsible for remembering particular events from the past

• Semantic memory: responsible for storing general knowledge, such as facts, vocabulary, or concepts

• Procedural memory: responsible for storing skills and habits, like riding a bike

• Short-term memory/working memory: responsible for holding information temporarily, like remembering a phone number before dialing

• Sensory memory: responsible for capturing fleeting sensory impressions

• Prospective memory: responsible for remembering tasks for the future, such as taking medication

As such, here are 18 memory activities for adults that can create new neural pathways and help keep your memory sharp!

1. Think of Things in an Unfamiliar Way

Count weekdays backwards, spell words in reverse, or mix numbers and letters in sequences—these activities force your brain to abandon its usual patterns and create new ones.

It's a kind of mental juggling that stimulates neuroplasticity, the brain's ability to form new neural connections. So, when we do something in a novel way, it encourages the brain to be actively engaged in an activity instead of doing it on autopilot.

These exercises sharpen working memory, which is responsible for holding and manipulating information temporarily. They improve overall cognitive performance, allowing you to adapt your thinking quickly. Over time, this kind of training makes it easier for you to learn new concepts, react and adapt quickly, and switch between different types of information effortlessly.

2. Listen to Podcasts or Audiobooks and Summarize Them

Have you ever listened to a podcast or a chapter in an audiobook only to realize you didn't remember much? This happens because these activities require you to listen passively, meaning you don't have to respond. And passive listening doesn't engage your memory enough to actually remember all the information. But if you summarize what you've just heard—that's a different story!

Summaries help you actively process and register information, especially since you need to use your own words to reproduce the content. They also help you activate episodic memory and semantic memory. This is exactly why listening activities for kids (or even adults—at language courses, for example) work so well—e.g., listening to a dialogue and then answering questions based on that dialogue.

And you don't have to write extensive summaries. It's enough to just open the Notes app on your phone and list some key ideas from the podcast/audiobook.

3. Unscramble Words

Remember those exercises we did in school that required us to arrange letters so they formed a word? This isn't just a fun challenge! It's a fantastic brain game that actively strengthens your ability to recognize patterns and retrieve vocabulary.

When you try to rearrange jumbled letters into a meaningful word, your brain taps into its semantic memory, which stores knowledge of words and their meanings. At the same time, your working memory is in overdrive, as it holds onto possible word formations while trying to decide which one's the best fit.

This process mimics the kind of mental flexibility we use in everyday situations that require us to engage our problem-solving skills. Plus, the more you practice, the faster your brain processes information, which can help with reading speed, verbal fluency, and not only.

4. Train Your Brain with Mendi Neurofeedback

Mendi is a neurofeedback device that helps you train your brain by measuring blood flow and oxygenation in the prefrontal cortex. This is the brain region responsible for focus, decision-making, and other cognitive abilities. Research shows that the prefrontal cortex also plays a critical role in performing working memory tasks. Moreover, it also helps with executive functions, such as planning and organizing.

The Mendi headband doesn't only measure prefrontal cortex activity. It also provides you with real-time feedback, which is shown on a game in our app. If your prefrontal cortex activity increases, you receive positive feedback. If it decreases, that positive feedback is taken away. This method teaches your brain to reproduce behaviors associated with positive outcomes and is rooted in a learning concept known as operant conditioning.

So, if you're looking for a cutting-edge way to boost memory and cognitive function, Mendi could be an exciting tool to add to your routine!

5. Take Mental Pictures

Did I turn off the lights? Where did I put my phone? Did I lock the door? If you've ever felt that immediate panic trying to remember these things, you're not alone! And the problem isn't that you forgot—it's likely that you never truly registered the moment in the first place. This often happens when we do things on autopilot—we physically engage in an activity, but our minds are elsewhere.

So, just try to stop for a minute and take a mental picture of the activities you know you usually struggle to remember. This way, you consciously register the information while strengthening your memory.

6. Take Notes During Appointments or Meetings

We've all had that moment of leaving a meeting and realizing we barely remember what was discussed! This is why taking notes is really helpful. It is a memory exercise stimulating different types of memory and other cognitive abilities. It doesn't only help you keep a record of the meeting; it helps you actively process and remember information.

Writing things down engages multiple processes at once: motor skills, visual processing, and working memory. Moreover, if you're a visual learner, for example, you can write things down using diagrams. This will make it much easier to recall details later. Plus, taking notes during meetings also supports prospective memory, helping you remember future tasks and deadlines easier.

7. Associate Names with Pictures

If you've ever watched a TV show and struggled to remember character names, challenge yourself next time with this excellent memory strategy: when you begin a new TV show, watch it for a bit until you are introduced to the main characters, then pause the episode, and try to associate the names with the characters in your imagination. If you do this regularly, you can keep your memory sharp and enjoy even more your favorite TV shows!

8. Play Scrabble and Solve Puzzles

Scrabble, crossword puzzles, sudoku puzzles, jigsaw puzzles (and many more!)—they all are excellent memory games that give your brain a serious workout! Why? Because they force you to recognize patterns, retrieve information, and solve problems.

For example, when you're playing Scrabble, you're engaging your memory, trying to remember words that fit. The same goes for crossword puzzles. Jigsaw puzzles also help you recognize patterns and piece together information efficiently.

Moreover, these games also improve problem-solving skills and other cognitive functions. And they're fun activities you can play with other family members!

9. Memory Matching Games

Memory matching games challenge your brain to make quick associations between visual aids and stored information. Every time you flip a card and try to recall its location, you're exercising your working memory and visual memory skills.

You're also strengthening your pattern recognition skills and improving your reaction time—the more you play, the faster your brain becomes at making these connections!

10. Read Books

Reading is actually an incredible workout for your brain! Books challenge you to store, organize, and retrieve complex information.

For example, while reading a classic like War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy, you're forcing your brain to remember numerous characters and events. Otherwise, you won't be able to understand the plot as it progresses.

Book series are equally useful in this regard, especially if they are fantasy or sci-fi books. Besides engaging your imagination, they also encourage your brain to remember all the details and make connections.

You can also join a book club, where you have the perfect opportunity to recall what you've read and discuss everything with other readers. This activity strengthens memory and critical thinking, which are essential for work and academic performance.

11. Learn a New Language

When you learn a new language, you have to memorize vocabulary, understand and remember grammar rules, and process new sounds, all of which stimulate different types of memory, including semantic and working memory. For example, if you want to learn or improve your German language skills, you'll have to learn adjective declension by heart, which is an excellent memory activity!

Studies have even shown that bilingual individuals have denser gray matter in brain regions linked to memory and attention, so they can perform better at processing and retaining information. Moreover, when you switch from one language to another quickly, you're also training your ability to switch between tasks and recall information quickly.

12. Try New Recipes

When you follow a recipe, you have to keep track of multiple steps—and their order!—and measure ingredients accurately. This activity trains your memory and other cognitive skills, engaging even your sensory memory, thanks to the fact that you work with smells, textures, and flavors! So, next time you don't know what to cook, just pick a random new recipe and try it!

13. Try a New Sport or Adopt a New Hobby

If you've always wanted to try a new sport, now's the perfect time to do this! Every time we learn something new, we prompt the brain to form new neural connections. If it's a physical activity, we also stimulate the parts of the brain that help us coordinate movements. So, if you want to play tennis, swim, or dance—go for it! The more you practice, the sharper your memory. Over time, the movements that felt impossible during your first training will become automatic.

Learning a new craft or hobby (like playing a musical instrument) has the same benefits as practicing new sports. So you can try knitting, painting, woodworking, pottery, or anything else you find entertaining.

14. Keep a Journal

Writing about your experiences in a journal engages your episodic memory, which helps you recall past events more vividly. This activity helps your brain organize and structure information, as well as find the right words to put it on paper.

You can write just a few lines every day—it's enough to solidify details in your mind and force your memory to work! Besides, journaling has a myriad of other benefits! It can help reduce stress, break negative thought patterns, and regulate emotions.

15. Adopt a Healthy Lifestyle

Your brain is just like the rest of your body—it needs to be well taken care of to function at its best. This is why it's of the essence to have a healthy diet, especially one that is rich in antioxidants, vitamins, and omega-3 fatty acids, as these are important for brain health!

It is equally important to get enough quality sleep. Restorative sleep does wonders for memory consolidation! Hydration is important too. Even mild dehydration can negatively affect brain function.

And don't forget about physical activity! Moving your body every day can increase blood flow to the brain, promote neuroplasticity, and even reduce stress hormones that may interfere with memory.

16. Practice Meditation and Mindfulness

Meditation can be an excellent working memory exercise, as it trains your brain to focus on the present moment and filter out distractions that can interfere with your ability to remember things.

When your mind is calm and centered, it's much easier to process, store, and retrieve information. Therefore, mindfulness and meditation can also help consolidate events in your memory, thus keeping your long-term memory sharp.

Meditation and mindfulness have also been linked to reduced stress and anxiety. Given that these are two major culprits of forgetfulness, they can be really beneficial if you have memory deficits!

17. Try Dual N-Back Training

The Dual N-Back game is an excellent activity for adults who experience working memory deficits. It is one of the few brain training exercises that is backed by scientific research.

This game involves remembering a sequence of visual and auditory stimuli presented at different intervals. This forces your brain to juggle multiple pieces of information at once, strengthening working memory.

Some studies have shown that with practice, the Dual N-Back exercise can also increase IQ and improve cognitive processing speed, which can help you learn new skills more quickly.

18. Seek Professional Help

While memory lapses are a normal part of life, if you experience persistent or worsening memory issues, you may be dealing with an underlying health condition. For example, stress, depression, or neurological disorders can affect memory function and affect your daily functioning.

So, if you notice significant memory problems that interfere with your daily life, it's important to seek professional help. Depending on your condition, your doctor may suggest memory activities designed specifically for you.

Plus, they may also recommend medication or different therapies that can help. For example, speech therapy can be incredibly beneficial for those who have memory difficulties, especially when they're caused by age-related cognitive decline or brain injuries. Adult speech therapy sessions include cognitive-linguistic memory strategies aimed at strengthening memory, attention, and other cognitive skills.

Get Your Mendi Today!

With real-time feedback on your brain activity provided by the Mendi headband, you can enhance your focus, memory, and overall cognitive performance!

Our device leverages the advanced functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) technology that has been extensively used in research settings—now you can reap its benefits from the comfort of your home!

Join thousands of other Mendi users who are already benefiting from neurofeedback!

Frequently Asked Questions

What are good memory activities?

Good memory activities include spelling things backwards, solving word scrambles, playing Scrabble, solving puzzles, training with neurofeedback, and writing down summaries after reading or listening to something.

What activities help with working memory?

Activities that help with working memory include solving word scrambles, counting backwards, memory matching games, learning a new language, playing Scrabble, and solving puzzles.

How can adults improve working memory?

Adults can improve working memory by adopting a healthy lifestyle, ensuring they eat a nutritious diet, get enough quality sleep, and engage in regular physical activities. They can also try various brain games like Sudoku or Scrabble, and other memory-boosting exercises.

How does physical activity enhance cognitive function?

Engaging in regular physical activity significantly boosts your cognitive function because it enhances processing speed, attention, and problem-solving skills.

What are the benefits of learning a new language?

Learning a new language sharpens your memory and enhances cognitive function, giving your brain a workout and keeping it active.