New Delhi. Just as you like to exercise your muscles you need to exercise your brain and flex your mental muscles, said Dr. KK Aggarwal, President, Heart Care Foundation of India.

The benefits of mind games like bridge, chess, musical instruments, solving crossword puzzles, playing brain teasing games, board games or other activities or games that challenge the mind and make you use the mental muscles have been shown in several studies to prevent or delay dementia and Alzheimer's disease.

Mental activity should start at the age of 40 and continue for life. Apart from mental activity one should keep the blood pressure within normal limits as abnormal blood pressure readings, either too high or too low, have been associated with an increased risk of dementia. People who have higher levels of social, mental and physical activity have less risk of dementia.