Written by Annie Kwon

Remember seeing the commercial of Beyonce playing Brain Teaser on Nintendo DS? Playing Brain Teaser supposedly help your brain from turning into worthless mush. However, there is no scientific study that proves that playing Brain Teaser would do the trick. There are several ways to improve your brain and you don’t have to spend more than $100 just to do it.

1. Go to the library.
Reading books is a great way to exercise your brain. As you read, you have to picture a scene that is described in the book or use your imagination to enhance the experience. It’s a great tool to have a discussion with your friends; talk about how you feel about the characters, the literature or just the plots. Go to the library, borrow the books and read! Cost: $0.

2. Draw.
Or paint, if you rather. Your right side of the brain is mainly responsible for artistic ability whereas your left side is for reading. Using the both halves of your brain consciously is a good way to go. All you need is a paper and a pencil to start drawing. Don’t limit yourself to drawing. You can use clay or do origami. Any art and crafts will do. Cost: $0 – $20.

3. Sleep 7 hours a day.
Some people need 6 hours or 8 hours a day depending on their age. Sleep is very important because it is time for your brain to focus on recharging your body and itself easily. After recharging, you are good to go on the next day. Cost: $0.

4. Exercise.
It’s important to exercise regularly. Exercising will increase the blood flow because brain needs blood that carries oxygen into it and carries out the carbon dioxide. Exercising is also good for your heart and your body. Cost: $0 unless you go to the gym.

5. Eat right.
It’s important to eat healthy food in the right portion. Your brain needs energy to do all the things that it needs to do. Don’t eat too much junk food or fatty food because it will cause the block in the blood flow and brain needs a good blood flow. Cost: $0 – $5 a day.

6. Relax and play.
You’re busy most of the time. It’s important to take time to relax. Your brain needs a rest too so that it can be recharged little bit before you do any more work. Your brain likes it when you play a sport or a board game with other people. Don’t play a video game by yourself. Socializing with other people will definitely help your brain. Cost: $0.

7. Play puzzle games.
Crossword, word search, cryptogram, sudoku and all other kinds of puzzles. It’s very useful to think of the solutions to the problems. You can buy a cheap book of puzzle games at the store. You can also play puzzles online for free like indigopuzzles.com. Cost: $0 – $15.