Jan 10, 2026
3 min read
Trying new things can help stimulate memory.Today we are going to challenge you with a game.
Experts think this is due to cognitive reserve: In fact, the more brain power you've built up over the years, the more likely you are to lose it before you fall.Researchers still disagree on how to measure cognitive reserve, but one theory is that better connections between different brain regions correspond to cognitive reserve.
To make those connections, you need to stimulate your brain, says Dr. Joel Salinas, a neurologist at NYU Langone Health and founder and chief medical officer of telehealth platform Isaac Health.To do that, try activities that are "challenging enough that it requires some effort but not so challenging that you don't want to do it anymore," he says.
Speaking a second language has been shown to be good for cognitive skills, as have playing a musical instrument, visiting a museum, and doing crafts like knitting or quilting.Reading is considered a mentally stimulating hobby, and experts say you'll benefit even more by joining a book club to make it social.Listen to a podcast to learn something new or, better yet, attend an in-person lecture at a local college or community center, Dr. said.Zaldy Tan, director of the Memory and Healthy Aging Program at Cedars-Sinai.It adds a social component but also the added challenge of navigating it, he said.
Several studies have found that playing board games like chess is as good for your brain as playing crosswords.Other puzzles, such as those you find in brain teaser books or New York Times games, can have a cognitive benefit.
But there's a catch: To get the best brain workout, the activity needs to be not only challenging, but also new."Wordle every day, that's good, then you're really, really good at Wordle, and the Wordle part of your brain has become fantastic," says Dr. Linda Selva, M.D., professor of clinical neurology at the University of Michigan Medical School."But your mind still needs work."
So play a game you're not used to playing, Dr. "Innovation seems to drive remodeling and brain development," Selva said.
Today we want you to push yourself out of your intellectual comfort zone.Watch an online tutorial or visit a museum with your challenge partner.Or try your hand at the new game, below.Share what you did today in the comments, and we'll see you tomorrow on Day 5.
Shall we play a game?
Click the button and we will present you the amazing New York Times game.Keep pressing until you land on one that you don't normally do.
