Watching game shows like ‘Jeopardy!’ and “Wheel of Fortune” can boost cognitive health, experts say

After summer reruns, game shows will air new episodes of your favorites this month.

Whether you’re watching contestants “get down” on “The Price is Right,” solving word puzzles on “Wheel of Fortune” with new showrunner Ryan Seacrest, or testing your trivia wits against friends and family on “Jeopardy !” — the benefits you’re reaping can go beyond fun.

Game shows can boost your problem-solving skills, improve your memory and sharpen your mind, according to experts.

Here’s more on why watching game shows really is more than just fun and games.

How does the game show to increase the health of the mind?

You may not realize it, but when you interact with the game shows you’re watching, your mind is actually processing information and working.

“Game shows have a number of cognitively stimulating characteristics that may provide cognitive benefits,” said Glen R. Finney, MD, FAAN, a fellow of the American Academy of Neurology.

He is also director of the Memory and Cognition Program with Geisinger Health in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania.

He noted that game shows often require contestants and those playing together at home to pay attention, quickly process information given about the game, and either solve the problem or recall the knowledge, or both. respond to the task of playing the game.

“This engages multiple networks in the brain in an engaging and pleasurable way, which also improves learning,” Finney added.

“We know that engaging in regular cognitive activities like this challenge can increase mental acuity.”

Can the game show to increase the sharpness of the memory?

Watching game shows can help access previous information you’ve learned before, in the case of shows like Jeopardy!

“As we age, we actually tend to retain in long-term semantic memory or memory for general knowledge that we’ve previously learned,” said Ashley Curtis, PhD, assistant professor and director of the lab’s Cognition, Aging, Sleep and Health Laboratory. University of South Florida College of Nursing in Tampa, Florida.

“What we start to lose as we age is the ability to quickly access this information,” she said.

What the game shows how Jeopardy! can do is train and improve the ability to access this stored memory information more quickly, which can be useful in everyday life, especially for older adults. “

How can game shows help the overall mood?

There’s also some evidence that playing along with these types of game shows can improve cognitive and social engagement, which is known to be associated with better overall mental health, Curtis said.

You can watch with friends and family, or connect via web chat while you play.

And, if you live in a place where others live, such as a residential facility for older adults, shared interactions can also be beneficial to your cognitive health.

“Yes, the shared virtual and potentially in-person social interactions and engagement that occur during play alongside these types of game shows have been associated with better psychological well-being,” Curtis told Fox News Digital.

What about intergenerational benefits?

Whether you’re a grandparent playing game shows with your grandkids, or a family watching game shows together, Curtis noted that “there’s some evidence that the intergenerational engagement that can potentially be achieved through shared television play , can lead to some important benefits for both older and younger individuals.”

This includes, Curtis said, “reduced anxiety and general loneliness, increased self-confidence and even increased levels of physical activity.”

Although she noted that there is limited research on the cognitive benefits of these intergenerational interactions, she said that “some emerging evidence suggests that this activity may also provide some improvements in more complex cognitive functions.”

“More rigorous research needs to be conducted in this area to definitively determine the range of these benefits,” she said.

What can you do to increase your interest in the game show?

If you see a thread on “Danger!” that interests you—like American literature—or you’re intrigued by a trip to Italy in the Showcase Showdown on The Price is Right, consider diving deeper into that topic or destination.

Find a classic book to read, research Italian recipes – or learn about culture in new countries.

“Research shows that active rather than passive mental activity is more beneficial to our overall health,” Curtis told Fox News Digital.

“So keeping your brain and body active is beneficial to our mental and physical health as we age.”

And, if traveling to new places you see on TV game shows is within your budget, plan that too.

“Although research in this area is still inconclusive, there is some emerging evidence to suggest that in older adults (aged 65 and older), increased levels of leisure travel may promote better cognitive functioning and reduce the risk of developing dementia and depression. she also said.