Forg train try b stret

Or listen to a podcast on a topic you know nothing about.

“As we age we tend to do things we’ve always done, but routine activities don’t challenge the brain,” says Dr Brennan. “Your brain benefits from dealing with something it hasn’t encountered before – it doesn’t matter what the activity is as long as it challenges you and involves learning something new.”

So if you’re clueless about science, tune into a lecture on Quantum Biology or space exploration. The Royal Institution (rigb.org) has some great recordings on everything from alien life to consciousness and particle physics to ecology.

And if the FTSE index leaves you mystified, make an effort to read the money page of the newspaper for a change. Become an ‘expert’ in something new every day. This will force you away from your reading comfort zone by encouraging you to try books you may not normally be drawn to – or would purposely avoid.

“You’ll also be reading in a more active, challenging way, critiquing, comparing and contrasting books to other books,” says Dr Brennan.

“Formulating your thoughts and discussing a book are also mentally stimulating activities which may promot neurogenesis.”

Another bonus? “Your brain will be from the social stimulation,” says Dr Br “When we live a life that’s socially inte and engaged we experience slower co decline and are less likely to get Alzhe disease.” Solve this: A man in a 20-storey tower