DO PUZZLES FOR FUN, NOT TO BOOST YOUR BRAIN

CROSSWORDS, sudoku and ‘brain training’ activities can be entertaining but they have no noticeable benefit on thinking ability, a report by the Global Council on Brain Health revealed last year.

However, tai chi, genealogy, tackling foreign languages, socialising more and volunteering are some of the best ways to keep the mind firing as the years advance, according to the

research. In other words, learning new skills and spending time with people is what makes a difference. And it’’s the variety of mentally stimulating activities, and how much you enjoy them or find them challenging, that may be most crucial.

It’s in line with advice from the health watchnding dog Nice recommending that pensioners join a choir and/or walking groups and get help to

master mobile phones and the internet to stave off loneliness and dementia.

Some of the strongest evidence is for the benefits of singing, proven to lower stress and raise levels of ‘ feelgood’ hormones ( endorphins) in a similar way to exercise (endorphins dampen down inflammation linked to disease, and help ward off cognitive decline).