Health and Medicine

Five Mental Workouts for Your Brain on the Plane

Some love to fly while others dread the event. Either way, chances are you’re going to want some form of entertainment. Why not work your brain a bit while you relax in that seat? Here are four mental workouts you can do while coasting high in the sky.

Brain Workout #1: Try Doing a Free Write with Your Non-Dominant Hand

Yep, that’s right — you can write about whatever you want, but try your best not to use the hand you’re comfortable with. Writing is already a mental workout, but doing so with a different hand is great for the brain. The next time it might even be easier!

Like eating with chopsticks, learning to write with a different hand takes time. Don’t overdo it, but definitely try your best.

Brain Workout #2: Create a Riddle That Is Related to the Plane Ride

You could write a riddle about something on the plane, or you could write a riddle that relates to flying. This is a fun one because guess what? After you write the riddle, you can ask the person next to you to solve it (note: this may be awkward if that person is not a friend or family member, so use your judgement. I wouldn’t ask anyone unfriendly to solve a riddle).

Brain Workout #3: Memorize the Safety Presentation That the Flight Attendant Gives

We all have heard it — the rehearsed speech the flight attendant gives about safety vests and oxygen and emergency exits? The next time you get onboard, have a tablet or phone ready and record the speech by typing it out. Then memorize it. Not only is memorization a great mental workout, but you will also be memorizing important information that you could pass on to help save someone’s life. Most of us don’t listen to the speech, but those words are important.

Brain Workout #4: Play “I Spy” with Plane Parts Only

This one is great for parents and small children, but even adults could have fun with this game. The idea is to learn and identify parts of the plane in a fun way. Players can also turn this game into a competition and time each other. Set a timer for each time someone finds a part. Add each person’s times together at the end. The player with the lowest total finding time wins.