Connections and Wordle games from the New York Times are wildly popular. Can they improve cognitive function as you age? (2024)

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Connections and Wordle games from the New York Times are wildly popular. Can they improve cognitive function as you age? ›

Can they improve cognitive function as you age? They prompt people to think in new ways, but they're not necessarily improving people's brain health, says Susanne Jaeggi, a professor with the Center for Cognitive and Brain Health at Northeastern University.

“There are many cognitive benefits of playing Wordle. Regular play can enhance brain function by stimulating critical thinking, problem-solving skills and memory retention.” Guessing the words correctly is no doubt a buzz – especially if you can do it in fewer than six tries!

“While there are many variables that contribute to 'brain health'—including nutrition, exercise, and engaging with community—stimulating activities such as learning a new language, acquiring a new skill set, or playing word games also have an important role in supporting cognitive vitality,” she says.

But the research says that keeping physically and mentally fit might help delay the symptoms of dementia or improve symptoms when they occur. So keep up with the puzzles, Wordle, Sudokus and especially, brain training.

It's clear that strong social connections are crucial for our mental and physical health, regardless of age or generation. Research shows that perceived loneliness and isolation is associated with: A shorter life span* Increased sensitivity to stress and a heightened stress response.

People love these games because they're not only fun, but challenging. But as much as they prompt people to think in new ways, they're not necessarily improving people's brain health, said Susanne Jaeggi, a professor with the Center for Cognitive and Brain Health at Northeastern University.

Playing traditional board games has been shown to be related to a neural reorganization of brain areas associated with attentional control, working memory, and problem solving [27, 28]. Similarly, playing modern board games also seems to improve cognitive and executive abilities.

Word games like Connections are good for your brain health in general, regardless of age. People older than 50 who complete word games have brain function equivalent to those a decade younger than them.

There's no single or “best” food to fight dementia. Eating patterns that include several anti-inflammatory foods may help to prevent or slow dementia. These include leafy greens, nuts, berries, whole grains, beans, and olive oil.

What is the best drink to prevent dementia? ›

There is evidence suggesting that drinking green tea intake might reduce the risk of dementia, Alzheimer's disease, and cognitive impairment. According to a study published in Translational Psychology, tea drinkers are 16% less likely to develop dementia compared with non-drinkers.

Studies show that consuming multispecies probiotics may positively influence gut bacteria and promote tryptophan absorption in those with cognitive decline. Common probiotic foods good for dementia that can be found in grocery stores include the following: Yogurt.

Read complex works. Reading books or other materials that require you to think, contemplate, and struggle to understand what's being said or explained generates new neurons, increases neuronal connections, and speeds up mental processing.

This process is called pruning. By the time we are adults, our brains have about half as many connections as they did when we were 5. Pruning connections in our brains is an essential part of brain development. By getting rid of connections we don't need, our brains function more efficiently.

When you learn something, you have electrical activity going through different circuits. Those electrical impulses change the strength of specific connections, making them either stronger or weaker. For example, if you learn that “hola” means “hello” in Spanish, certain synapses will become stronger.

But does being good at Wordle mean you're smarter than the average person, or even a fellow puzzler? “No,” said memory and learning researcher Aaron Seitz, a professor of psychology at the University of California, Riverside, who founded the university's Brain Game Center.

Think of word games as a way to exercise your mind. Simply put: a healthy brain is an active one. Studies show that games that feature word building have the power of improving brain function and increasing capacity.

The act of searching for words and remembering their locations stimulates short-term memory and improves recall abilities. A study by the University of Waterloo found that engaging in regular cognitive activities like puzzles can have a positive impact on memory retention in older adults.

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This process not only expands their vocabulary but also improves their ability to recognize patterns and make educated guesses based on contextual clues. Moreover, Wordle encourages players to experiment with various permutations of letters, fostering creativity in problem-solving approaches.