welcome to the brain mansion take a walk through these rooms
and look at all the things there are to do what would you choose if you came to
visit something relaxing or something that
helps your brain improve its performance but hang on a
second can you really make your brain work
better it is possible at least to a certain
extent we aren't born intelligent or not
intelligent intelligence develops as a product of genetic and
environmental factors when properly challenged we can improve
our ability to learn solve problems and handle emotions but
how can we challenge our brains does brain training
really work to answer these questions we first need to look at what brain
training actually is brain training often involves digital
programs or games that claim to exercise certain mental
skills called executive functions we use these skills
every day to learn work and manage the demands of daily life
there are three main executive functions the first
called working memory enables us to hold information in our minds
while we perform mental tasks such as adding large numbers in our head
the second inhibition makes it possible for us to resist
distractions and temptations the third cognitive flexibility allows us to shift
our attention back and forth between different tasks or perspectives
research shows that playing games that challenge executive functions
can make you faster and better at performing the tasks you practice
and sometimes even similar ones but does practicing
and excelling at one specific task translate into better performance
overall at school at work or in other aspects of
everyday life the answer is not necessarily
what is often marketed as effective training for your brain
does not automatically improve general brain performance
instead of training executive functions as a whole most
brain training games focus on skills or strategies that are specific to a given
task so if you enjoy a well-designed brain
training game go ahead and play but when it comes to
training executive functions more broadly
there might be better options in fact we all train our brains every day without
even noticing it whenever we do something new something
that's not part of our daily routine and demands our attention researchers
have suggested that everyday activities such as playing outside
taking dance lessons practicing martial arts
or learning to play a musical instrument can be just as good as games
at improving executive functions and perhaps
even better generally speaking any activity that is complex
variable and sufficiently intense and that poses a cognitive challenge
may help to train the brain these activities are even more effective
when they increase in difficulty as you improve and when they inspire a strong
commitment more research is needed but scientists
suspect that such real life activities could eventually make you better at
school in your job and at completing everyday
tasks children's brains are particularly
flexible in this regard scientists call this trait plasticity
the ability of the brain to adapt in response to a changing environment
this is why childhood when the brain is still
developing is probably the best time for training
brain development is a combination of nature and nurture
children who receive high quality education and stimulation
get more out of their brain's potential than their peers who grow up in less
stimulating environments but even much later in life your brain
can still change in response to training remember though that there is no quick
fix for improving general cognitive skills a few minutes
of practice a day is probably not enough so all in
all brain training may be an attractive idea
but it does not always have the desired effect
nevertheless while actually training your cognitive skills
is hard work your brain is flexible and there is no harm in pushing yourself
to do something outside of your comfort zone
don't be a couch potato try something new
that challenges your brain you