Brains need exercising as much as bodies while we are cooped up. Research shows the brain is just like any other muscle – it changes over time and gets stronger when you use it.
Dr Dawn Harper, a GP on Channel 4’s Embarrassing Bodies, and author of Live Well to 101, gives some simple ways to stay sharp during lockdown. Start a puzzle challenge My parents, who are 82, ordered identical copies of Sudoku and codeword books and every day at 3pm, they pick a puzzle from each, and race each other.
Dad is better with numbers and mum with words so this encourages both to mentally flex various areas of their brains. If you live alone, try it with a friend on the phone.