Is Training the Brain Beneficial?

Can playing video games at the end of a dull day really be the start of a better brain?

It seems these days more and more people are flocking to their local gaming store to pick up a copy of the latest game designed to train your brain.  But does all that data add up to increased brain health? A recent study has people second-guessing the benefits of brain-train.

It seems that spending too much money on “brain trainers” to maintain mental agility may not be a very good idea anymore, for a new study suggests that the benefits such gadgets provide are almost the same as can be obtained by doing a crossword or surfing the Internet. 

Experts employed by a consumer group, known as Which?, say that there is no scientific evidence to prove that brain-training devices can help improve memory or stave off the risk of illnesses like dementia. 

Gadgets like the Nintendo DS, which are endorsed by actress Nicole Kidman and singer Cheryl Cole, are very popular these days. However, the experts behind the study insist that much of the evidence supporting the claims is “weak” and that in some cases other activities, such as playing standard computer games, can have the same effect. 

The gadgets whose claims were examined by the scientific experts included Dr. Kawashima’s Brain Training, Mindfit, and Lumosity. “If people enjoy using these games, then they should continue to do so – that’s a no-brainer. But if people are under the illusion that these devices are scientifically proven to keep their minds in shape, they need to think again,” the Guardian quoted Martyn Hocking, editor of Which?, as saying. 

The members of the panel were asked to try the brain training products for a month. One of the experts, Dr Adrian Owen, assistant director at the Medical Research Council’s cognition and brain sciences unit in Cambridge, said of the research involving one group: “If they’d been asked to play Space Invaders for a month and improved at it – as surely they would – would we have concluded this was a beneficial form of brain training? Probably not.” 

So what is the final verdict on whether games are good or bad for the brain? Well unfortunately the jury is still out on this one. If you have a current game that you enjoy, that keeps you engaged and excited then by all means continue to play. However, if you think that keeping your Nintendo DS by your bedside might lead to some brain-training by osmosis then you better think again.

You can read the full article at The Times of India by clicking on this link here:

Create a Better Life for Yourself in 3 Steps

Items Needed

– Journal
– Pen
– Awareness
– Intention
– Willingness
– Commitment
– Patience

1. Figure out where you really really really want to be in life.

The number one reason why people don’t get what they want in life is because they don’t know what they want.

If you don’t know what you want, how do you expect God, Universe or The Source to bring it too you? It’s like telling your best friend to go to the mall for you and bring you back something that you really really need, except you fail to tell them exactly what that is. You tell them to bring you back something that will make you happy. How successful do you think they would be with this mission?

Guessing at the game of life is a sure fire way to lose the game. Imagine you were the head coach of a sports team and you have no idea about the rules. How successful do you think you would be? Your players would be turning to you for direction and you would be turning to the heavens for help. Right now you are playing the most important game of your life. The only difference in this game is that you are both the star player and the only coach.

Take at least 5 minutes a day to brainstorm what you want to get out of this life. Give yourself a quiet space, free from interruptions like people and phone calls. Allow your creativity to flow and don’t criticize your ideas. Continue with this process until you feel excited and passionate about what is on paper. The litmus test for this passion is that every time you think about this idea you will feel invigorated, enlivened, and enthusiastic. If the goosebumps don’t come keep looking.

2. Figure out where you are right now in relation to your goal.

Change means moving one place to another. If you want to travel anywhere there are two coordinates that you need. First you need to know the place you are going, your destination. If you don’t know where you are going how do you expect to ever get there? You can’t. The second thing you need to know is where you are now in relation to your destination. If you don’t know where you are going how will you know if you aren’t already there?

Likewise, if you have a target that you are aiming FOR it only makes sense to know where you are aiming FROM right? Only with realistic and accurate coordinates can you make an honest effort to reach your goal. Without the proper coordinates you might as well be aiming blindfolded. So how do you know where you stand? In order to measure where you are now you first need to take stock of your skills and strengths.

Brainstorm a list of accomplishments and write them down on paper. Write down all the times you were successful and the skill set that allowed for that success. Go as far back as you can remember. Next measure them in relation to your goal. How can these set of skills and strengths help you move towards this goal? Finally, devote time daily to strengthen your skills and build your strength.

3. Figure out the best use of your time in each moment of every day.

Now that you know where you want to go and you have a general idea of where you are in relationship to that goal, you can now begin to concentrate your efforts on getting there. This is the easiest part of the 3 step process. Once you know the path that you must walk on it’s just a matter of moving forward step-by-step.

Be patient with yourself, remember that no matter what with each step comes experience that you can use to move you closer to your goal. Even if it is the experience of failure. Celebrate your failures instead of dwelling on them. It doesn’t matter how many times that you fall down, only that you choose to pick yourself up every time. The only time that ever matters is how you spend this moment. How do you spend your time?

Do you spend your time like you want to actually live the life of your dreams? Hopefully your effort matches your results and if they don’t yet, keep at it because they soon will. You can keep on track by asking yourself, “what is the best use of my time right now?” as often as possible throughout the day. Your biggest responsibility is deciding what will lead you the fastest to your goal. Choose wisely with your ever increasing awareness and ever gaining experience.