Advice from a global team of experts
You might’ve heard that doing the daily crossword puzzle is good for your brain. It certainly is a nice way to keep your mind busy. But the truth is, crosswords may only help strengthen a particular brain function called fluency, or word finding. (Sorry to burst your bubble!)
If you’re looking for a more comprehensive, science-backed approach to brain fitness, you’re in luck. A global team of scientists has built a set of brain exercises shown to be effective in more than 200 studies. The exercises engage different aspects of brain health and have proven benefits.
Here’s what you need to know about these brain-training exercises, which can change your brain, how it functions — and ultimately, how you live your life.
Why train your brain?
As part of a regular gym-going routine, you might do different exercises to target different parts of your body.
The same goes for brain fitness. You can strengthen different functions of the brain — such as attention, memory, or speed — with specific brain-training exercises.
Brain fitness can also have a positive effect on your daily life. For instance, it can help sharpen your memory and boost your mood.
“Like your body, your brain is designed to adjust to what you’re asking it to do,” says Michael Merzenich, Ph.D. Dr. Merzenich is a professor emeritus at the University of California San Francisco.
The right brain training works because of brain plasticity — the ability of your brain to change at any age based on your experiences. Twenty years ago, Dr. Merzenich pulled together a global team of researchers to design, test, and refine cognitive exercises based on the science of brain plasticity. They created what today is known as BrainHQ.
BrainHQ is an online program with dozens of brain-training exercises. It drives three important outcomes:
- It rewires and rejuvenates the brain
- It improves cognitive function
- It makes people feel happier, healthier, and more in control of their lives
While most brain games lack any proof of effectiveness, BrainHQ’s benefits have been shown in hundreds of clinical studies.
One of these studies is the IMPACT study. It was the first large-scale study to examine whether a specially designed brain-training program improved cognitive abilities in adults. Scientists from Mayo Clinic and the University of Southern California proved that people can make real gains in memory by training on BrainHQ.
Another study, the ACTIVE study, is the largest study on cognitive training ever performed, following nearly 3,000 people for more than10 years. It was led by researchers from top universities, including Johns Hopkins, Penn State, and the University of Alabama at Birmingham. The ACTIVE study proved that healthy adults 65 and older can make long-lasting cognitive gains with the right brain-training exercise — now part of BrainHQ.
These researchers and others have found that BrainHQ doesn’t just help people think faster, focus better, and remember more. It also has positive effects on balance and movement, confidence, personal safety, happiness, and mental health. “If you want to live a long, healthy life, you have to sustain basic brain health,” Dr. Merzenich says.
How to train your brain like a pro
So now that it’s clear why regular brain training can work for you, how can you get started with BrainHQ? You have a few options.
Sign up to try BrainHQ for free. You’ll get access one exercise level per day. Or, you can subscribe to BrainHQ for full access to all its exercises.
If you have a Medicare Advantage plan you may have access to BrainHQ at no extra cost (find out if you’re eligible).
Exercises are broken into bite-sized, two-minute sessions — the type you can do while waiting at the auto-body shop or for your morning coffee to brew. (Hey, if you get hooked, you might find the mechanic tapping you on the shoulder, telling you your car’s done!) For good results, aim to do the exercises at least three times a week for 30 minutes. It’s also okay to take vacations from BrainHQ. Just remember to get back to the exercises when you need a mental tune-up.
BrainHQ has built each exercise to focus on specific brain function goals. And the exercises are adaptive. So, whether your brain is sharp as a tack or you’re starting to forget more often, they’re personalized and always just right for you.
Some of these brain function goals include improving your:
- Attention span
- Driving
- Hearing
- People skills
- Memory
“This is a training strategy that’s sensitive to what you are and are not good at,” Dr. Merzenich says. “It adjusts to the level of performance you’re at and then drives you to a higher level.”
Of course, even the best brain workout program, like the best fitness routine, works only if you stick with it. “You have to incorporate this into your life,” says Dr. Merzenich. “But the benefits of a healthy brain are worth the effort.”
