It's almost conventional wisdom that relying on brain games will keep your brain fit since they "exercise" the lump of gray matter between your ears.

Turns out conventional wisdom could be wrong and that focusing on popular brain exercises like Sudoku or playing chess are less effective than good old physical exercise. Yes, sweating it out is better for your brain.

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What's best for your brain, however, is sweat and brain games together.

New research recently released confirms previous studies that show these two activities together lead to sharper brains, especially in the elderly.

Exercise, specifically aerobic exercise, is a must for anyone out to boost his brain, said Dr. Karen Li, head of Concordia University's laboratory for adult development and cognitive aging.

Exercise nourishes your brain by bolstering your cardiovascular fitness and blood circulation. It speeds-up the flow of the nutrients and oxygen your brain needs to perform at peak levels. Physical exercise is more than just "brain fuel," however.

Dr. Li noted that some brain regions and functions seem to benefit from exercise more than others. This means that aerobic exercise helps the brain work more efficiently. Among the brain areas that benefit a lot from exercise is the frontal lobe responsible for high-level skills related to complex processes like multitasking.

You can walk, run or do chores but what's important is that "as long as you sweat a bit and your heart rate goes up, that's what your brain needs," said Dr. Li.

In other words, skip Sudoku and get out and exercise, said Dr. Sandra Bond Chapman, chief director of the Center for Brain Health at the University of Texas at Dallas and author of Make Your Brain Smarter.

While brain games are OK, Dr. Bond Chapman says they target very specific cognitive abilities "but don't transfer to clarity of thinking, problem solving, planning-all the complex skills that really matter."

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends all adults get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise a week.

Mental stimulation is still vital to a healthier brain but novelty is also important, said Dr. Li. She noted that the more you use your mind to perform a task, the less effort your brain requires to complete that task.

If a task becomes so easy it's turned  routing, "that's an indication that you need to increase the challenge a little bit," hence the need for novelty, doing new things and learning new skills.

Staying socially active is one of the best ways to stimulate your brain by taking advantage of novelty. Just talking to someone and engaging in conversation helps a lot in keeping your brain fit. Dr. Li pointed out that actively conversing requires a lot of mental prowess

But in order for novelty to really keep your brain fit, you should genuinely be interested in these novel activities.

"Along with aerobic exercise, engaging your brain in complex ways is absolutely necessary to keep your mind sharp in the second half of life," said Dr. Bond Chapman.