brain training games

There is much talk these days about using mind games to train your brain. With each passing month, another study is released touting the efficacy of brain-training and further emphasizing the importance of cognitive fitness. Along with this swelling body of research has come an ever-growing number of mental fitness programs hoping to take advantage of this trend; there are now thousands of so-called ‘brain games’ available on the internet.

So how does this training work? Is it as simple as choosing a few brain games, playing them for a few hours, and then conquering the world with your new-found brilliance? Most likely, no. In fact, there are several important factors that you should consider before starting your brain workout, as the games you choose and the way you play them can determine how much you glean from your exercise. The next time you sit down to do some brain-training, observer the following guidelines to maximize the benefit of your exercise.

Choosing the games
• #1) Find a good website – Your best bet is to find a website dedicated to games for brain training and brain fitness as opposed to just playing the ‘brain games’ on larger gaming sites. In most cases, the former will be designed more intelligently and be better-suited for challenging you in constructive ways. Look for evidence that the game designers know a thing or two about neuroscience.
• #2) Do something different – It’s often more fun to play games that display our competences rather than expose our ineptitudes, but just playing towards your strengths will not be as beneficial as taking on your weaknesses. Brain games are a great tool to challenge yourself in ways that your everyday life does not.
• #3) Make sure you enjoy it – One of the requisites for effective neuroplasticity (the process responsible for making changes in your brain) is attention. If you are playing something that is not engaging you and holding your attention, it is far less likely that you will get something from it.
• #4) Make sure it gets harder as you improve – Choose among the many games on the market have adjustable difficulties or progressively get harder as you improve. It is important that the level of challenge increases proportionately to your skill level so that you are never wasting your time with something that is too easy or too hard.

Playing the Game
• #1) Opt for regular short practice rather than prolonged sessions – Your are going to get a lot more out of your work if you play a game for 15 minutes a day for a week than if you sit down and play it for 2 hours in one sitting. Taking breaks and returning to the activity later helps facilitate the learning process and makes certain your mind stays sharp and attentive throughout the process.
• #2) When possible, combine mental exercise with physical exercise – Schedule your mental workout sessions to follow periods of physical exercise so your brain has plenty of blood and energy. In general, you are going to glean more from the exercise when your brain is alert and ready to learn.
• #3) Become engaged – If there is some sort of storyline or reward system for measuring your progress, get involved in it. The more motivated you are to learn and make changes, the easier the process becomes. It’s definitely OK to have some fun.