How often do you stop to think about your pinky fingers? Probably not much. How often do you actually exercise them? Probably less than not much. Maybe it’s time to give that a try, though. According to TikTok, working those baby digits could benefit your brain in a big way.

The “Pinky Time Exercise” is a finger movement workout in which you simply wrap your middle and pointer fingers together, touch your ring fingers and thumbs together, and move your pinkies up and down. You can practice pinky time anytime, anywhere.

It’s claimed on many social accounts that just 10 seconds of pinky time can boost your brain’s plasticity, reducing your Alzheimer’s odds. Consistency is supposed to be key to getting the best results, which really can be a good thing: research has shown that regular finger exercise can improve circulation in the brain, leading to better memory, thinking, and understanding. The same research pointed out that finger exercise in general also activates cerebral cortex function, which can slow down cognitive decline.

So, can pinky time specifically protect you from developing Alzheimer’s completely, though? Let’s take a closer look—and cover ways to maximize its good effects.

How the pinky exercise helps with brain function

It starts with the fact that you’ve probably never done it before. “Broadly speaking, learning something new can stimulate the brain,” says Richard B. Lipton, M.D., professor of neurology and vice chair of neurology at Montefiore Einstein in Bronx, NY. “Both physical activity and mental stimulation boost levels of brain‑derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a chemical that stimulates brain cells to form new connections, or synapses. This, in turn, may promote successful brain aging and prevent dementia.”

Pinky time might, then, have a surprisingly significant impact on your brain. “It may seem like a simple task, but pinky time actually can help to strengthen your brain,” says Michelle DiBlasi, D.O., chief of inpatient psychiatry at Tufts Medical Center in Boston. “Your brain can continue to grow and develop even when you become an adult, and can be challenged to adapt and develop new neuronal pathways. Whenever your brain is put into situations where it has to focus on a new pattern or expanding its ability to improve coordination, this actually helps it to develop those new pathways.”

The repetition required to perform pinky time also plays an important role. A 2025 study from the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing found that repeating finger exercise may improve cognitive performance through hand-brain coordination; this may enhance attention, memory, and executive function.

The exercise also requires concentration, which can sharpen how well your brain works. Pinky time requires that you move your fingers in complex ways on both hands at the same time,” says Dr. DiBlasi. “When you do this, you’re helping both sides of your brain to communicate with one another, which deepens the connection between the left and right sides of your brain.”

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 Focusing during pinky time movement can also put you into a state of mindfulness, which calms your nervous system, according to Mayo Clinic. A previous research review also pointed out that mindfulness that finger exercise can produce can create, in itself, better cognitive function.