The Benefits Of Training Your Brain

Brain training which is also called cognitive training are performed to increase the function and processes of the brain.   With brain training, different exercises are performed to increase listening, reading, writing, visual and auditory skills. Aside from improving brain processes, it could also considered by a growing number of health professionals as a great way for cognitive therapy. 

There are studies showing the benefits of brain training for the older generation.  It could delay the onset of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, which is one of the major causes of dementia cases. Health experts recommend that upon reaching the age of 60, it is best to take a few minutes each day for brain training to avoid memory loss. 

There are “brain gymnasiums” which help baby boomers and elderly in training their minds especially since aging affects brain functions.  In these gymnasiums, there are brain games that allow them to develop flexibility, their memory, spatial recall and their problem solving skills.

There are also studies showing how cognitive brain training could help children suffering from ADHD.  When a child is diagnosed with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), parents can have medications for their kids. However, there are studies showing that children who gets medication may also develop a calm behaviour, but showed no improvement in their relationships with peers or grades. 

Cognitive brain training as a therapy for ADHD sufferers, could actually increase focus and short term memory, according to a research performed by Rosemary Tannock of University of Toronto and Susan Gathercole of the University of Durham in England.  

Brain training as cognitive therapy, like in ADHD cases, could be done using computer programs.  Actually, using computer software is more cost-efficient and easiest for one-on-one instruction.  By using a software, the users would immediately receive positive reinforcement through rewards or praises which helps in improving their self-esteem and confidence. 

Cognitive therapy through games can also help those who are recovering from stroke and brain-related diseases.  In a research at the University of Queensland’s Queensland Brain Institute (QBI), they discovered that if a neuron or a nerve cell does not receive electrical and chemical stimuli, it would wither and die.   This is why it is essential in recovering from diseases that affect the neuron’s activity to keep the brain cells working. 

Brain training research also showed that it could contribute in increasing a person’s intellect, since it would help in creating new associations, finishing challenges, comprehension and ability to acquire new information and knowledge. In other studies, brain games even showed that it could help people become more safe drivers since it could increase focus, react quickly to situations, and accurate understanding of reality.  

And the benefits of brain training are not just affecting short-term memory, etc., its effects are life-lasting.  According to Elizabeth A.L. Stine-Morrow from the Beckman Institute at the University of Illinois, their research actually showed that brain training effects were maintained over five years among the elderly who participated in their study.  

This showed that the cognitive skills learned through brain training could actually deliver long-term effects which could significantly affect our mental health over the years to come. 
