If historians are correct, the ancient Babylonians, one of the earliest civilized societies, practiced the art of the New Year's resolution. To this day, cultures around the world use the turning of the year as a time to reflect on what's past while looking to the future. This New Year more people than ever before will be making brain fitness training their top resolution.
We can improve our brain health with aerobic exercise, weight loss, and by quitting smoking, all good New Year's resolution candidates. But brain training gives us a very direct way to stimulate brain plasticity, and improve our memory, concentration, and mental sharpness. A recent study even proved that we can increase our fluid intelligence by training our working-memory.
Although scientists had long since dismissed the idea that the adult brain could grow and change, research from the last few years overturns that theory with studies proving quite the opposite. The right conditions can cause the production of new neural nerve cells and the brain in fact proves to be remarkably adept at rewiring connections work more effectively with the right training. (The concept of brain plasticity is even being applied in new therapies for stroke victims, restoring motor capabilities that traditional therapies could not.)
Brain Training Benefits
Education & Problem-Solving: If you're due to take a standardized test this year, brain training should be part of your test preparation. Established test prep techniques can improve your test scores, but brain training can also increase your general problem-solving ability. And if you suffer from a learning dysfunction, you should know that many learning specialists now use brain exercises to help strengthen particular brain capacities, such as working-memory. While an accommodation can get you through, brain training can tackle the problem directly.
Job Success: Many jobs nowadays involve processing information and solving tricky problems, demanding a high degree of mental focus. Ironically, the daily blizzard of e-mails, meetings and phone calls make it extremely difficult to find and maintain that focus. By using brain training to increase our attention span and train our cognitive skills we can increase our level of productivity and effectiveness in the workplace, enhancing our earning potential.
Long-Term Mental Health: For each decade past the age of forty-five we lose about 10% of our cognitive capacity. Adding brain exercise to our weekly schedule reduces the risk of developing Alzheimer's symptoms and dementia. Several recent studies have connected brain health with mental health. Effective brain-training creates a virtuous cycle of brain exercise, challenge, reward, and cell growth that helps combat and reduce the impact of depression.
Self-Improvement: Quite apart from the self-improvement goal of thinking more sharply, brain exercise can also bring about changes that may seem unlikely - such as improved musical ability and increased self-esteem. But when we consider that the brain orchestrates all aspects of thinking and emotion this begins to seem less unusual. If you're the kind of person who likes to optimize mind, body, and spirit, brain training could open up a whole new realm of possibilities.
Keeping To Your Resolution
Unfortunately, statistics indicate that most of us won't stick to our New Year's resolutions. Men tend to do much better if they quantify their goals. And women can increase their chances of success by going public and by engaging their friends in the challenge. Fortunately, since many people enjoy the challenge and rewards of brain training, it can be an easier activity to stay with than some. You can measure your progress through the results of the exercises, and in many cases you can share your scores on some form of blog or social network.
The brain training marketplace can be a little confusing at first. There are many products out there and it's not always clear which ones work. Some training programs provide don't require much focus and attention and won't stimulate brain plasticity. Others might work extremely well but cost several hundred dollars and demand a significant time commitment.
It's important to verify a program's scientific basis. The vendor should state clearly what improvements the program will bring about and in what time period. And the product should come with a training schedule that will help you judge whether it is right for you.
Don't be daunted. Brain training may well be the best resolution you will ever make. With some diligence and effort, you will be well on your way to a boost in brain power and long and happy future of good brain health.
We can improve our brain health with aerobic exercise, weight loss, and by quitting smoking, all good New Year's resolution candidates. But brain training gives us a very direct way to stimulate brain plasticity, and improve our memory, concentration, and mental sharpness. A recent study even proved that we can increase our fluid intelligence by training our working-memory.
Although scientists had long since dismissed the idea that the adult brain could grow and change, research from the last few years overturns that theory with studies proving quite the opposite. The right conditions can cause the production of new neural nerve cells and the brain in fact proves to be remarkably adept at rewiring connections work more effectively with the right training. (The concept of brain plasticity is even being applied in new therapies for stroke victims, restoring motor capabilities that traditional therapies could not.)
Brain Training Benefits
Education & Problem-Solving: If you're due to take a standardized test this year, brain training should be part of your test preparation. Established test prep techniques can improve your test scores, but brain training can also increase your general problem-solving ability. And if you suffer from a learning dysfunction, you should know that many learning specialists now use brain exercises to help strengthen particular brain capacities, such as working-memory. While an accommodation can get you through, brain training can tackle the problem directly.
Job Success: Many jobs nowadays involve processing information and solving tricky problems, demanding a high degree of mental focus. Ironically, the daily blizzard of e-mails, meetings and phone calls make it extremely difficult to find and maintain that focus. By using brain training to increase our attention span and train our cognitive skills we can increase our level of productivity and effectiveness in the workplace, enhancing our earning potential.
Long-Term Mental Health: For each decade past the age of forty-five we lose about 10% of our cognitive capacity. Adding brain exercise to our weekly schedule reduces the risk of developing Alzheimer's symptoms and dementia. Several recent studies have connected brain health with mental health. Effective brain-training creates a virtuous cycle of brain exercise, challenge, reward, and cell growth that helps combat and reduce the impact of depression.
Self-Improvement: Quite apart from the self-improvement goal of thinking more sharply, brain exercise can also bring about changes that may seem unlikely - such as improved musical ability and increased self-esteem. But when we consider that the brain orchestrates all aspects of thinking and emotion this begins to seem less unusual. If you're the kind of person who likes to optimize mind, body, and spirit, brain training could open up a whole new realm of possibilities.
Keeping To Your Resolution
Unfortunately, statistics indicate that most of us won't stick to our New Year's resolutions. Men tend to do much better if they quantify their goals. And women can increase their chances of success by going public and by engaging their friends in the challenge. Fortunately, since many people enjoy the challenge and rewards of brain training, it can be an easier activity to stay with than some. You can measure your progress through the results of the exercises, and in many cases you can share your scores on some form of blog or social network.
The brain training marketplace can be a little confusing at first. There are many products out there and it's not always clear which ones work. Some training programs provide don't require much focus and attention and won't stimulate brain plasticity. Others might work extremely well but cost several hundred dollars and demand a significant time commitment.
It's important to verify a program's scientific basis. The vendor should state clearly what improvements the program will bring about and in what time period. And the product should come with a training schedule that will help you judge whether it is right for you.
Don't be daunted. Brain training may well be the best resolution you will ever make. With some diligence and effort, you will be well on your way to a boost in brain power and long and happy future of good brain health.
About the Author:
Oxford-trained scientist, author, and technologist, Martin G. Walker is a member of The British Neuroscience Association, Learning and The Brain, and MENSA. His company Mind Evolve Software publishes free information on the field of neuroscience and brain training as well as effective and affordable brain fitness software under the brand name Mind Sparke.
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