How To Rewire Your Brain: 6 Neuroplasticity Exercises - Healthline

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Mental Well-Being

6 Ways to Rewire Your Brain

Medically reviewed by Meredith Goodwin, MD, FAAFP — Written by Crystal Raypole — Updated on November 1, 2024

Video games
Language
Music
Travel
Exercise
Art
FAQ
Takeaway

Playing video games, learning something new, and traveling are a few ways to help your brain restructure itself, so it can work more efficiently and respond to change better.

Experts have yet to determine the limits of the brain’s abilities. Some believe we may never fully understand them all, but evidence suggests neuroplasticity is key.

Neuroplasticity refers to the brain’s ability to restructure or rewire itself when adapting to change. It can continue to develop throughout life in response to stimulation, environmental changes, and individual experiences.

Neuroplasticity also implies that your brain may be able to repair itself after a brain injury or stroke and that it has the potential to repair neural pathways or create new ones when needed.

Keep reading to discover six ways to help rewire your brain.

1. Play video games

Debating the potential benefits and risks of video games may be contentious, but research suggests gaming may have several cognitive benefits.

The benefits associated with gaming include improvements in:

motor coordination
visual recognition and spatial navigation
memory and reaction time
reasoning, decision making, and problem-solving skills
resilience
cooperation and team participation

When you play video games, you teach your brain new skills that may carry over to the rest of your life:

Learning to recover from failure in a game might help you get better at bouncing back from setbacks.
Exploring different solutions to a task in a game may help enhance creative thinking.

Different games, different benefits

According to a 2019 review, different types of games may offer varying benefits:

3D adventure games could help improve memory, problem-solving, and scene recognition.
Puzzle games may help boost problem-solving skills, brain connectivity, and spatial prediction.
Rhythm gaming, like dance or exercise video games, may help improve visuospatial memory and attention.

These effects appear to kick in after about 16 hours of gameplay. This doesn’t mean you must play for 16 hours at once, but adding a few hours of weekly gameplay to your routine may help improve neuroplasticity.

2. Learn a new language

Research suggests that learning a new language may help improve cognitive function.

Boost gray matter…

A 2021 review found that learning a new language may help increase gray matter volume (GMV) in the brain.

Gray matter houses many important regions in your brain, including areas associated with:

language
attention
memory
emotions
motor skills

Increased GMV may improve your function in these areas, especially as you age. The review’s authors also note that bilingualism may help prevent cognitive decline and the risks of dementia associated with aging.

…and white matter

According to 2017 research, learning a second language in adulthood may strengthen white matter, which helps facilitate brain connectivity and communication between different brain regions.

Studying a new language at any age can lead to:

stronger problem-solving and creative thinking skills
improved vocabulary
greater reading comprehension
increased ability to multitask

Some ways to learn a new language include in-person lessons, online programs, and apps like Duolingo.

3. Make some music

Listening to and playing music may have several benefits such as boosting your mood, immune system, and ability to learn, among others.

A 2021 review also found that playing music may help promote neuroplasticity and reduce cognitive decline in older adults by influencing several structural and functional pathways in the brain. The authors note that playing music may also help improve:

movement, coordination, and balance
learning and speech abilities
audio and visual perception
mood
memory

It’s never too late to learn an instrument.

Check your local classified ads for used instruments, or try out inexpensive options like a ukulele, harmonica, or keyboard (as an added bonus, many people find these instruments pretty easy to learn).

Many free online tutorials can also help you get started if you don’t want to splurge on lessons right away.

4. Travel

Travel may help enhance cognitive flexibility, inspire you, and enhance creativity.

Experiencing new scenery and surroundings could also help you learn about different cultures and become a better communicator, both of which may have additional cognitive benefits.

Visiting new places can also help broaden your general worldview, which may help open your mind and give you a new perspective on things closer to home, like career goals, friendships, or personal values.

If you can’t get out into the wider world right now, don’t worry. You can still take yourself on a trip closer to home. Consider:

taking a long walk through a new neighborhood
doing your grocery shopping in another part of town or the next town over
going for a hike
virtual travel (get started with National Geographic virtual travel on YouTube)

5. Exercise

Regular exercise may provide several short- and long-term physical, emotional, and cognitive benefits, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Research suggests that physical activity may also help strengthen your brain. For instance, a 2018 review found that exercise may help:

improve cognitive abilities, such as learning and memory
improve fine motor coordination
improve brain connectivity
increase blood flow and cell growth in the brain
reduce the risk of anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder

These may contribute to protecting against cognitive decline and neurodegenerative conditions like Alzheimer’s disease.

If you exercise with someone else or in a larger group, you may also experience social benefits that may contribute to improved quality of life and emotional wellness.

The CDC recommends exercising at a moderate intensity for at least 150 minutes weekly.

Learn more about exercising for brain health.

6. Make art

Creating art may help you sort through and express emotions as well as help you see the world in new, unique ways.

A 2023 review found that creating art, such as drawing and painting, may benefit your brain by enhancing creativity and improving cognitive abilities. It could also help create new pathways and strengthen existing connections in your brain, leading to better cognitive function overall.

No artistic experience? No problem. Like many skills, artistic abilities often improve with time and practice.

Online video platforms like YouTube offer painting, drawing, and sketching tutorials, while your local library will likely have art-making books.

Embrace unfocusing

A 2011 study found that simply doodling may benefit the brain by activating its default mode network, which allows your brain to briefly unfocus.

This occasional mental downtime may be linked to neuroplasticity, as well as:

improving creativity
interrupting unwanted habits
discovering new solutions to problems

Next time you find yourself waiting on something empty-handed, consider picking up a pen and doodling.

Frequently asked questions

How long does it take to rewire your brain?

There’s no single timeframe for rewiring your brain, as this will depend on many factors. For instance, it may take many years for your brain to rewire after experiencing a stroke.

If you’re not recovering from a traumatic event, exercising may help boost mental alertness, thinking, and judgment shortly after a workout.

How to rewire your brain in 21 days?

Some ways to help rewire your brain and boost cognitive function include exercising regularly, stimulating your brain with activities like reading, playing music, learning a new language, and eating a balanced diet.

The bottom line

Experts previously believed that after a given point in life, your brain could no longer change or develop further. Now they know this isn’t true.

With a bit of time and patience, you can rewire your brain, which may help with certain mental health symptoms and protect against cognitive decline.

Crystal Raypole has previously worked as a writer and editor for GoodTherapy. Her fields of interest include Asian languages and literature, Japanese translation, cooking, natural sciences, sex positivity, and mental health. In particular, she’s committed to helping decrease stigma around mental health issues.

How we reviewed this article:

SourcesHistoryHealthline has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical journals and associations. We only use quality, credible sources to ensure content accuracy and integrity. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy.

Ballesteros S, et al. (2018). Editorial: Cognitive and brain plasticity induced by physical exercise, cognitive training, video games, and combined interventions. https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/human-neuroscience/articles/10.3389/fnhum.2018.00169/full
Benefits of physical activity. (2024). https://www.cdc.gov/physical-activity-basics/benefits/index.html
Brilliant TD, et al. (2019). Does video gaming have impacts on the brain: Evidence from a systematic review. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6826942/
Chatterjee D, et al. (2021). Neural plasticity: The substratum of music-based interventions in neurorehabilitation. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7613141/
Fioranelli M, et al. (2023). The role of arts engagement in reducing cognitive decline and improving quality of life in healthy older people: A systematic review. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10475943/
Lin T-W, et al. (2018). Physical exercise enhances neuroplasticity and delays Alzheimer's disease. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6296269/
Pallavicini F, et al. (2018). Video games for well-being: A systematic review on the application of computer games for cognitive and emotional training in the adult population. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6234876/
Puderbaugh M, et al. (2023). Neuroplasticity. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK557811/
Rebecchini L. (2021). Music, mental health, and immunity. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8566759/
Rossi E, et al. (2017). Changes in white-matter connectivity in late second language learners: Evidence from diffusion tensor imaging. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5702476/
Schott GD. (2011). Doodling and the default network of the brain. https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(11)61496-7/fulltext
Ware C, et al. (2021). Does second language learning promote neuroplasticity in aging? A systematic review of cognitive neuroimaging studies.https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8633567/

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Medically reviewed by Meredith Goodwin, MD, FAAFP — Written by Crystal Raypole — Updated on November 1, 2024

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