Brain Games - Did you Know?
Brain Game Or Brain Training - Which One Is Better?
The brain fitness industry is a fast growing business. New brain teasers appear each day, on the web and on mobile phones. They offer to improve your memory, attention, or other cognitive skills, all for free. They may be fun to do, but how many of them really work? Read the list of the important differences between serious brain training programs and the brain games and teasers you find everywhere these days.
Scientific background - If you're serious about improving your brain fitness, you probably don't want to waste your time on brain games that aren't proven effective. In order to get the most out of your training, you should use exercises that have a solid scientific background and have been validated by independent sources. You should always check to make sure that the product you're using was tested and showed positive results among people who are similar to you in categories such as age, gender, and general health.
Adaptability - As you may already know, the big secret to maintaining brain vitality and taking advantage of the brain's ability to rewire itself, is to encounter a constantly rising level of challenge as you progress through a program of brain training. This will allow your brain to always be "on the edge" as it meets the demands of a certain task. Some programs will allow you to choose your level of difficulty level as you go. But you will have much better results if you use a brain-training program that offers you an independent and objective assessment of when your performance level indicates that you are ready for more challenging tasks.
Variety - Most brain games train only a single skill, such as divided attention or working memory. Sometimes they are even limited to memory games. So if you want to get the maximum benefit from your training time, you should look for programs that train a wide variety of skills. Brain fitness programs that train a wide range of cognitive abilities will create better 'cross-sectional' improvement.
Cost - It's always great to get free stuff. But when it comes to brain training you may soon find out that "free" can be pretty expensive, especially if you're spending valuable time doing brain teasers and games that don't offer much benefit. Generally, the cost of a brain-training program reflects the time and effort that's been invested by the group of people who developed it. So make sure that you don't get fooled by free offers that promise benefits they can't really deliver.
Support - Brain training is not a do-it-yourself project. It takes some time to see noticeable improvement and you may have questions about your training and how it works as you progress. So always make sure that the brain-training program you choose offers you the option to get technical and theoretical support. It's the best way to be sure that your training is truly working and that you're getting real benefits in exchange for the investment of your time and money.