5 Easy Ways to Improve Your Brain

Increase your coordination, brighten your mood and stay sharp into old age.

By Lara Kristin Herndon

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Break a Sweat

Good news: Even a little exercise grows brain cells. A 2011 study showed that older adults who walked just 40 minutes a day three days a week reversed age-related brain cell loss by one to two years.

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Breathe Deep

People who meditated as little as 20 minutes a day showed changes in the amygdala, which regulates emotion, according to a 2012 study. "These changes correlate with less depression and more happiness," says Gaëlle Desbordes, PhD, a researcher at Massachusetts General Hospital.

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Roll in the Hay

In a study involving amorous rodents, Princeton researcher Elizabeth Gould showed that regular sex sprouts new cells in the hippocampus, where they help decrease anxiety.

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Toss It

In a 2009 University of Oxford study, people who practiced juggling 30 minutes a day for six weeks grew new cells in areas of the brain associated with processing visual information into movement. Possible benefits include increased coordination and faster reflexes.

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Toss the GPS

Research shows that older adults with better navigation skills have more gray matter in their hippocampi—and a decreased risk of dementia.

Next: 6 easy ways to improve your memory

From the June 2013 issue of O, The Oprah Magazine