Wondering about the brain training science that goes into cognitive exercises? From cognitive decline prevention in areas like memory, attention, and more, to brain health benefits, keeping your brain healthy early on is crucial, but not always easy.
Here at The Brain Workshop, we understand what it takes to get the most out of neuroplasticity brain training, and are eager to help you unlock your full potential. However, you are probably wondering—is brain training scientifically proven, or is it nonsense?
What Does “Brain Training” Actually Mean?
Overall, Brain training is essentially a series of structured activities that are aimed at improving your cognitive abilities. This includes problem-solving, memory, processing speed, attention, and more, to help your brain perform better in a wide variety of tasks. These activities could be done through technology (e.g. computer-based games on a PC or even a phone or tablet), or guided exercises and activities including puzzles and card games, among other things.
The purpose of brain training is to improve our brain function and ‘re-mould’ our brains. Our brain plasticity allows us to effectively exercise it and strengthen cognition in different areas, just like we would our bodies, to get better at different things. This is why brain training is so popular across all age groups, but is especially important for adults who are noticing a decline in some mental functions like memory or reaction speed.
What Does the Science Say About Brain Training for Adults?
When looking at brain training science, there are many different studies to pull from. Studies have shown that consistent, intentional brain training for as little as three minutes a day for six weeks can have a measurable improvement in attention span and memory, including when done as online brain exercises. Notable improvements have been documented in older adults that completed computerised cognitive training after 10 weeks of training, and some lasting benefits even after six months later.
Generally, there are lots of studies that provide evidence showing that brain training has measurable benefits—particularly in older adults. However, there is a limited amount of research providing insights into the longevity of these impacts.
Can Brain Training Improve Memory, Attention or Processing Speed?
Memory, attention, and processing speed can all be improved through brain training exercises, but you need to be intentional about the activities to achieve the corresponding result. As brain training works by strengthening neural pathways, time must be dedicated to improving any cognitive function you wish to—and we know exactly what is needed to improve the above at The Brain Workshop.
Does Brain Training Lead to Real-World Improvements, or Just Better Game Scores?
Brain training can lead to real-world improvements in things like memory, attention, processing speed, and more! However, there are variations in how well it can help with different kinds of tasks based on what you do during your brain training.
Most brain training reliably improves through ‘near transfer’ effects, where tasks that are similar to the brain training task gets improved upon. There is limited evidence to show that brain training can have ‘far transfer’ effects (also called real world transfer), where the activities improve the outcome of other unrelated tasks. So, while there are definitely benefits, it is important to be mindful of the brain training exercises you choose to do, as the near transfer effects are the primary benefit of brain training.
Are There Age Groups or Conditions Where Brain Training Works Best?
The primary age groups that can benefit from brain training include older adults (50+), adults with mild cognitive impairments and age-related cognitive decline, and children who would benefit from improving areas such as concentration or processing. Brain training may even be beneficial to many middle-aged adults who wish to take preventative measures, but the primary use is for those over the age of 50—and cognitive improvements can be seen in as little as six weeks.
What are the Limitations and Common Misleading Claims About Brain Training?
Brain training can be incredibly beneficial for people and helpful in improving areas where there are cognitive weaknesses, but it is not a solution for everything. Claims like “brain training can prevent dementia” are not supported with current scientific data, and can be incredibly misleading. At the time of writing, there is no evidence to suggest that brain training alone is capable of preventing dementia, or increasing your intelligence, and any such claims should be dismissed.
Unfortunately, brain training is not a magical solution, and it is not a cure-all. However, there is no denying that it does have its benefits when used correctly—particularly when used as part of a holistic plan alongside nutrition, socialisation, sleep, and overall health.
How Should You Choose an Evidence-Based Brain Training Programme?
We all have different strengths, weaknesses, and needs—and we understand that well at The Brain Workshop. Here, we are eager to help everyone, and have specialised to enhance the fundamental cognitive skills that are essential for everyday life and tasks. We primarily focus on concentration, reasoning, learning, thinking, and reading skills, but can tap into a variety of other skills and cognitive processes through our programme. With our no-tutoring approach, we can help to train your brain with a personalised one-on-one method to allow us to cater to every individual’s needs.
Here at The Brain Workshop, we offer brain training to both adults and children of all ages, with the aim of using our dynamic methods to rapidly improve learning abilities without taking the fun out of it. We are dedicated to turning weaknesses into strengths, and helping everyone achieve their full potential to get the most out of life.
If you are interested in signing up for brain training at The Brain Workshop, you can expect this process while working with us:
- Assessment – a thorough assessment is completed to determine the root cause of any learning challenges you may be experiencing
- Targeted training – weak cognitive skills are targeted and turned into strengths through our personalised strategies and expert experience
- Progress monitoring – improvements and documented and tracked through regular re-assessments so that we can alter our approaches to allow you to get the most out of brain training
- Long-term benefits – you can apply newfound skills to daily life and enjoy the lasting impact of brain training through success and an easier life
What Practical Steps Are Recommended For Better Cognitive Health?
Brain training science is beneficial at any age, but we cannot overstate the importance of improving your cognitive health through your everyday life as soon as possible. Staying physically active, having a diet that is beneficial for the brain, maintaining social connections, and engaging your brain on a daily basis are all crucial to good cognitive health.
Research has shown that people with higher cognitive reserve indicators (e.g. taking part in stimulating activities, working or keeping busy, and having an education) are all associated with slower cognitive decline as they get older.
This means that we should all be taking steps to keep our brains busy and learning from a young age, whether this is through brain training exercises, or other cognitively engaging activities. Whether you have young children or are an older adult, it is never too late to make important changes that can help to improve your life.
Below are some practical steps you can take to improve your cognitive health:
- Keep active through sports and other types of physical activities
- Eat foods that are beneficial to the brain (fish, nuts, berries, leafy greens, whole grains, etc)
- Socialise with people and develop good emotional wellbeing
- Stop bad habits like smoking, excessive drinking, and excessive sugar intake
- Engage your brain every day with a variety of challenging activities
How The Brain Workshop Can Help You Improve Your Cognitive Abilities
Ready to explore a brain training programme grounded in science? Visit The Brain Workshop to book a free consultation and discover how tailored cognitive training can become part of your brain-health routine through proven brain training science.
Learn more about us at the Brain Workshop, meet our team, check out events, or even read our FAQ. Or, if you want to see our real-world impact, read our success stories and learn more about our training resources.
