In the modern age, knowledge is something that no one can take for granted. The speed of information combined with the frenetic rhythms of life make us look for easy solutions to everything. Even in knowledge, since many times the lack of free time forces us not to process the data the way we should. The other problem is long-term and concerns people’s inability to think like they used to.

According to a new study published by the BBC, experts advise people to engage in many different types of activities, such as learning to play a musical instrument, gardening or Knitting. The aim is to awaken the nodding so that we can ensure brain health  even in old age. Researchers specifically emphasize that the younger you start these activities, the better your brain function will be over the years. At the same time, they emphasize that it is never too late for the brain to learn something new.

 The panel, which included scientists and medical experts among others, concluded that the available evidence is insufficient to recommend these games as a means of maintaining mental health over the years. “If someone plays a mental ‘training’ game, they may improve their performance in that particular game, but this improvement does not necessarily translate into improved ability,” the report said, “daily spirit”. For example, there’s no evidence that playing sudoku will help you manage your finances better or check stub generator.

Older people used to say that we need to sharpen our minds in order to be alert and think critically. As technology has changed our lives, it has also changed the pace. Everything became easier, the mind does not need to be occupied with all sorts of details, but this also brings mental clarity. Fortunately, again technology provides solutions, combined with some traditional techniques that sharpen our minds. The most common forms of entertainment today are watching series and movies, listening to music or playing video games. None of these, however, help the mind to think faster.

This, however, does not mean that all hobbies have the same behavior. There are several others that may even seem “weird” to some, but help brain functions like few others. These are “smart” hobbies that millions of people around the world love and sometimes take for granted. 

1.Blackjack

One of them is blackjack, a game that many love to play but few realize how good it is for critical thinking. Blackjack has been associated in most people’s minds with land-based casinos, but it is a pastime that has been known to the general public since the early 1700s. Its roots go back in time, but for the first time it appeared as a reference to the famous “Don Quixote” by Cervantes. It was known as “Vingt-et-un” which means “21” in French, but took the name blackjack when it crossed from Europe to America. Its development came with the technological boom at the turn of the millennium, when entertainment was transferred to online gaming platforms, which highlighted the most loved casino games and made them available at any time to anyone who wanted to play. In blackjack the player must achieve a card sum of 21, a task that requires a combination of probability and mathematics, along with numerical data processing that keeps the mind active.

2. Music

Mixing music is also an art that requires skill as well as concentration. A record producer (the well-known dj), whether he works professionally or not, must have his senses in tune, so that he can make the world – and himself – have a good time. A successful set, moreover, requires, in addition to musical knowledge, alertness, thinking about the next fitting piece and an understanding of the climate created by the world.

3. Robotics

One of the most up-and-coming and widespread hobbies of recent years is robotics. Young and old are invited to solve as many puzzles as necessary, in order to technologically achieve the result that will be performed from sports to environmental work. Thus, many competitions have been created that give robotics enthusiasts a chance to sharpen their skills and brains. Robotics is a branch that came to marry mechanical engineering with electronics and – by extension – IT. In a more abstract context, we could say that Robotics is what tries to give machines that already had flesh and bones, a brain that will make them autonomous and allow them to efficiently perform the functions for which they are intended. From the closed circle of industries and factories, in recent years robotic devices are now succeeding and entering our homes and everyday life. The technological development in the field of “smart homes” and in general the Internet of Things, together with the growing tendency of people to simplify their daily activities as much as possible, leaves a huge space in which this industry can flourish.

4. Magic

Magic and magic tricks have been around for several years, with impressive performances by professionals and non-professionals alike. Although many people have been involved in magic as a hobby, the professionals who are called upon to demonstrate their magic tricks work on many levels of their art and of course a great deal of thought and skill is required.

5. Knitting

Knitting may bring to mind the previous generations and the classic image of the grandmother in the rocking chair patiently knitting for hours, but its art is especially prevalent in the next younger generations. This incredible, ancient art requires patience and dedication to enjoy and sharpen your mind while relaxing. And a bit of history now… the opinions are many and different. There are people who argue that knitting has been known to man since ancient times and some who say that knitting is a relatively new art in the history of mankind, since they place the practice of knitting at the end of the Middle Ages in Europe.

The reason for the above confrontation… Probably the disagreement as to the definition of knitting. The former consider any form of entanglement of loops to be knitting (even basket weaving) and others insist on knitting in more or less its current form, patterns and techniques.

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