Brain training is based on the scientific principle of neuroplasticity. Essentially, the brain has the natural capability of remodeling itself. By using the brain’s already programmed tendency towards repair, we can guide the brain towards better brain health. Even better, by strengthening your brain, you’ll subsequently improve your entire life. And there’s science to back that up.
Why Brain Training?
Exercise, both physical and mental, is without a doubt the key to a happier and longer life. Unfortunately, both reach their peak, on average, between the age of 16 to 25. With the brain, cognitive function begins its decline after 25. As our brain degrades, it tends to do less. But what does that look like?
Our sensory organs work full time, sending information from our environment to our brain. How fast this information is sent and processed determines the quality of our memories and experiences. The more effective your brain is with small details, the better you will sense your world. But over time, the brain speed slows, meaning the time to process takes longer. The brain will begin to miss details causing our reaction times to decline.
As the brain misses details, its accuracy becomes blurred. Think of this as a puzzle. When we’re younger, our brains are able to collect all the pieces of this puzzle easily. But as we get older, our senses degrade and we stop picking up as many details of our environments. Sometimes missing a piece or two doesn’t impact the way we see the whole picture. However, as we age the amount of details, or pieces of the puzzle, become more sporadic. This makes the overall picture harder and harder to complete.
This decrease in mental clarity is what we refer to as brain fog. As our accuracy declines our brain struggles to keep up. Beyond limiting our perceptions, this lower clarity directly impacts our concentration, making our thinking feel sluggish and bogged down. It requires more concentration and effort to do things that used to be effortless.
Simply because we know our brains age, however, doesn’t leave us helpless to these changes. We know actively exercising our brains improves overall brain function. Studies show increased brain health leads to enhanced spirits, increased processing speed, sharpened senses, improved brain connections, and elevated learning capabilities. The key is training that works on your whole brain at once, which will improve not just cognitive function, but your overall quality of life.
Training Nourishes Your Brain
Your brain is a muscle. Like any muscle, your brain needs food to fuel it, training to ensure it doesn’t atrophy, and daily upkeep to maintain its strength. While it’s general knowledge and good advice to stay in shape and exercise our bodies, the same advice isn’t always given for our brains. Most of us feel good if we read a little every day, or complete a crossword puzzle. Maybe we even play brain games every now and then. The reality is, while these activities may be interesting, they aren’t enough to strengthen the brain.
Imagine exercising only one muscle in your arm. Perhaps you work on your forearms every single day but neglect your deltoids. Your hand strength would be impressive, but it would be impossible to lift anything of significant weight. The same thing happens in our brain. In order to function at its peak, it needs a holistic approach.
Mental exercises that focus on one specific aspect of the brain, such as memory or intelligence, have limited benefits. However, working on all aspects together consistently shows better results. There are numerous ways to engage in brain training on a comprehensive level. Challenging your verbal, recall, attention, and problem-solving skills by completing consistent exercises will improve your brain competency.
Daily Brain Training Exercises
The good news is that brain training is for everyone. Regardless of how old you are or what profession you’re in, actively exercising your brain will elevate its performance. As you build your brain muscles through daily workouts, you’ll see improved memory, faster recall, longer attention span, and sharper senses. Even more exciting, completing brain exercises daily has been shown to lower the risk of dementia. Here are five ways to train your brain every day.
- Bring your memory to work
Let’s say you went to a play last night. Or a concert. Perhaps your child’s talent show. As you watch the performance, actively make a list of what you want to remember. Maybe it’s the five most memorable lines, or the first ten costumes, or the order of songs or performers. Once you have your list made, focus on remembering the details and then discuss them with others the next day.
This type of exercise is called flexing. The average person can keep track of only three to four activities at a time. By pushing the boundaries of what we can naturally track, we’re pushing the limits of what we receive, what we remember, and what we can recall. It forces us to actively think, engaging multiple levels of brain activity simultaneously.
2. Learn something new
The more you put your brain to work, the better it will work for you. Learning a new skill forces your brain to work on dynamic levels. For instance, when you learn how to play an instrument you improve your translation skills by learning to read sheet music while also multi-tasking and coordinating your body into actually playing the instrument.
Recall, thinking, attention to detail, these are all skills your brain utilizes when learning any new skill. Further, as you improve, the additional knowledge builds your brain muscles, helping keep your neural connections strong. Actively engaging in what you’ve learned makes these neural pathways stronger, but also ensures the plasticity in your brain remains flexible, improving overall brain function.
3. Don’t forget physical exercise
There are endless scientific studies demonstrating why exercise is good for you. It not only keeps you fit, but it also makes your brain healthy. Increased blood flow and higher endorphin levels all help brain functionality improve.
Studies show if you exercise for only a half an hour a day, your memory functions will be smoother and your brain will process information faster. As a result of this improvement, your alertness levels will increase significantly, which will improve your ability to learn. This also builds momentum. By feeling better physically, you’ll feel better mentally, which in turn motivates you to continue both.
4. Spend time with loved ones
Not every daily brain exercise has to feel like work. Simply engaging in meaningful relationships will improve your cognitive abilities. In a similar vein to exercise, doing things that make you happy wakes your brain up. So it makes sense that spending time with the people we love will improve our brain health.
From a neurological perspective, participating in conversations with others, particularly conversations we enjoy, helps improve focus and clarity. It helps us form memories, and often, because we reminisce with our loved ones, our recall is also being exercised. All of this works together to help us think clearly.
5. Find a brain training program that works for you
There are many programs on the internet, including ours, that approach brain training from a holistic approach. Completing daily exercises can be done even while spending a lazy evening on your couch. There’s always a way to engage in an activity to improve your brain. Do your research to find a program that suits you best.
The most important thing to remember is that it’s possible to train your brain with a cohesive brain training program at any point in your life. Intelligence isn’t a fixed characteristic of anyone. Rather, it’s something that can be enhanced. As you practice your exercises daily, your competency will grow, improving the skill at which you execute everyday actions with improved quality. Whether you’re seeking a better memory or longer attention span, Kwik Brain is always ready to lend you a hand throughout your journey.
