mind games for brain fitness
Posts tagged brain fitness
take notice
Feb 22nd
The brain thrives on novel stimuli. It loves to learn, to explore and discover. However, many of us lead lives of routine and pattern that limit how much new stuff our brains are exposed to. If this describes you, do yourself a favor and work to break these patterns and start seeking out new things. In general, new friends and new hobbies are probably the best way to go, but these require a considerable time commitment, so if you are unable to take these large steps you should start off with something smaller. Try this:
Pick an environment or object you are familiar with and regularly exposed to, whether it be your garden, the beach, the woods, your walk to work, or even just a painting in your bedroom. Inspect this environment carefully and try to notice some detail about it you have never seen before. In all likelihood, this will be easy, as our brains routinely filter out information they deem irrelevant. The next time you are taking that walk, working in your garden, or checking out your painting, try to find something else new, and continue with this process. Over time, you will begin to see the environment/object in ever greater detail, and with any luck, that tendency to look closer at things and be more aware will carry over into other aspects of your life.
This tip emphasizes a general trend that emerges in many of these brain fitness tips: don’t be lazy and complacent with your mind. Use it as it is meant to be used, and be sure to take in all the richness of the world around you. Step up to challenges instead of shying away from them, and let what your brain does best: learn, grow and adapt.
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Loading ...downloadable brain games
Feb 19th
Typically this website focuses on online brain games, but just for a brief diversion I will direct you a resource for downloadable, offline mind games and brain fitness programs. This website has a long and lengthy list of different software programs related to mind exercises and brain games.
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...Brain Fitness Pilot Project
Feb 18th
New evidence towards the efficacy of brain fitness is now emerging from Australia where they just completed their Brain Fitness Pilot Program. Among their findings were:
- Participants found improvements in their memory and were able to follow conversations better.
- Brain has the ability to change in response to new learning.
- Exercising the brain reduces the risk of developing dementia in later years.
The study consisted of a variety of older participants, people in their 60s, 70s and 80s who spent just two hours a week doing structured brain exercises. After an 8-week period, a majority of participants reported an improvement in their train of thought and could remember names and shopping lists better, while another 70 percent found an improvement in their hearing and their ability to follow and remember conversations.
Encouraging news for anyone worried that their mind might be slipping! Would you be willing to spend two hours a week doing brain training if it meant a healthier sharper mind? That’s just 20 minutes a day!
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...keep on dancing, never grow old
Nov 13th
If the following tip sounds more like preaching than advice, that’s because it is: lace up your shoes and go dancing. Not only is dancing great exercise (which increases blood flow to your brain), relaxing (reducing stress), and fun (improving mood), it also serves to exercise your balance, coordination skills and sense of timing/rhythm. It can also be a great vehicle for socializing (which, as discussed in a previous post, is one of the most important aspects of brain fitness), and a way to channel your artistic/creative abilities. You get all this from something that you can pretty much do anywhere, anytime, for free. In my personal experience, dancing is just about as good as it gets, and if there is one thing I would like to encourage others to do, it’s dance. There are so many different styles so you should be able to find something that works for you, regardless of your experience level or your musical tastes. Just do it, your mind and body will thank you.
And that doesn’t even consider the affects the music itself has on your brain, aside from the movement aspects:
http://acda.org/files/ChorTeach-Vol2%20no1_Hampton,%20A.pdf
http://www.sott.net/articles/show/196429-Music-Improves-Brain-Function
A few interesting quotes I came across:
Researchers who followed nearly 500 people for 21 years found that ballroom dancing was the most protective physical activity. It reduced dementia risk by 76 percent.
A recent report from the Changing Age Partnership confirms that dancing may be a key to successful aging. Dr. Jonathan Skinner of Queens University Belfast recently presented research findings that strongly suggest regular dance sessions offer mental, physical and social benefits to seniors. These benefits seem to hold back the overall declines normally associated with aging: The seniors who dance seem to stay more engaged and motivated, have reduced aches and pains, combat the common sense of social isolation, even stimulate their immune systems in multiple ways.
And here’s a great article from the brain fitness experts at SharpBrains: Waltzing your way to physical and mental fitness
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...Brain Training Games dot Net
Nov 2nd
The brain games on this website have been specially designed to maximize the benefit of your training session. Each game targets specific mental faculties (such as attention, memory, visuospatial skill, reaction time, etc) in simple and straight-forward ways. Most importantly, the games automatically become harder as you make progress, ensuring that they always provide an appropriate degree of challenge.
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...IQ Lift
Oct 29th
IQ Lift’s cognitive neuroscientist led team supplies the only IQ brain training download scientifically demonstrated to improve IQ, improve brain function and increase fluid intelligence and working memory capacity. We also supply lab-tested natural brain nutrients and the best brain supplements that improve IQ and brain function. We have expertise in how to improve I Q and improve brain function for:
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...Patch Words
Oct 29th
In this fun word game, you need to work against time to patch together the words and fill in all their holes. Work with the set of loose letters to assemble a set of valid English words.
(20 votes, average: 4.30 out of 5) Loading ...a new project
Oct 26th
For those of you that are interested in a more sophisticated brain training option, have an early look at my new site http://brain-training-games.net. The site offers a variety of different brain games & exercises that target various different cognitive functions such as attention, memory, visuospatial skill, time estimation and more. Each game is designed to start off easy but get more difficult as you progress and further develop the specific cognitive skill
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...brain fitness tip: meditation
Oct 26th
This is possibly the ultimate brain fitness tip. So few of us make the effort to explore meditation or to practice it regularly, yet it can have such a profound and positive impact on the brain. Thanks to new advances in neuro-imaging technologies, scientists are now able to observe the effects of meditation on the mind, and the results are staggering. Prolonged meditation has the capacity to physically transform the organization of your brain and can empower you to become more attentive & relaxed, among other things (like eliminating bad habits and negative thought patterns)
But don’t just take my word for it! Check out these links to learn more about the myriad benefits of meditation.
Meditation Sharpens the Mind
How Thinking Can Change the Brain
Buddha’s Brain
An Interview w/Richard Davidson
Clear Mind Meditation Techniques
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...SharpBrains Guide to Brain Fitness
Sep 29th
The Sharp Brains Guide to Brain Fitness: 18 Interviews with Scientists, Practical Advice, and Product Reviews, to Keep Your Brain Sharp
The guide begins with a great dedication (“to your Unique Brain, and your Unique Mind”) and then goes on to debunk 10 ‘brain myths’. From there, it is organized into seven chapters:
- The Brain and Brain Fitness 101
- The 4 Pillars of Brain Maintenance
- Mental Exercise vs. Mental Activity
- Brain Training Software
- A Growing Range of Applications
- Ready for the Future?
- Opening the Debate
As you can see, the book covers a lot of ground. Yet, it is an easy read and well organized. Many of the chapters begin with a bulleted list of topics covered, and most of them end with a series of interesting interviews relevant to the chapter’s content. The interviews are numerous and an excellent addition to the book as they cover a wide range of topics and give you a good sense of the many different aspects of brain fitness.
The book concludes with a guide for using it with a book club, providing a bunch of topics for discussion. It goes on to invite you to continue the discussion online as there is now a forum on Facebook for talking about the ideas put forth in the guide.
Of course, this sort of thing is right up my alley, so I very much enjoyed it and recommend it to anyone looking to learn more about personal brain health, the science behind cognitive training, or the brain fitness industry. The only downsides of this book are several typos (something I can hardly complain about considering how prone I am to those myself) and the fact that it does not mention playwithyourmind.com among its quick picks for brain fitness (maybe I’ll make the next edition…). All in all, it’s an easy read and, considering the magnitude of the topic, a very important read as well. Pick up a copy, read it, and pass it on to a friend.
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...Brain Spark
Sep 24th
Scientific Learning is deeply committed to helping children develop a strong foundation of cognitive and reading skills for a lifetime of successful learning. BrainSpark programs are based on more than 30 years of neuroscience research that proves the brain can be strengthened and trained, just like the body.
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...Miami Brain Fitness
Sep 23rd
A blog on all sorts of brain fitness topics, from cognitive training & meditation to cardiovascular health & diet.
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...Mind360 Brain Training
Sep 18th
Sharpen your memory. Stay focused longer. Increased alertness & awareness. Make quicker & wiser decisions. Boost your productivity. Fun, fast & convenient. Function better overall. Feel better about yourself
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...FitBrains
Sep 18th
An online brain fitness platform that combines a large portfolio of casual brain games, personalized tracking & recommendations, a motivational rewards system, and a variety of social features. We seamlessly blend entertainment, science and technology to create a truly casual experience, personalized to each user. At Fit Brains, there’s something fun for anyone looking to keep their brain sharp!
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...HeadStrong Cognitive Fitnes
Sep 18th
HeadStrong Cognitive Fitness Centres provides brain training exercises to stimulate and enhance cognitive function, brain health programs to mediate against dementia and promote wellness, and conducts research to improve its neuroscience.
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