For the last few years I’ve used brain training apps to exercise my memory, brain speed and ability to focus. I just wanted to follow yesterday’s post with a little info on the importance of brain training to help healthy people stay cognitively healthy and sharpen their skills. These digital games have gotten better over time.

I don’t know the statistics on standardized brain training routines for people suffering with dementia but The World Health Organization is tracking such things with neurological researchers and scientists ever since declaring dementia as the 7th leading cause of death in 2017. You can read the WHO’s FAQ on on their website (WHO.int) under the newsroom tab, then drop down to the alphabetical menu, select dementia and click on research and resources for ongoing research and resources.

I do know that recent studies show brain training reduces the risk of dementia by as much as 45 percent in otherwise healthy adults. So brain training is a daily routine for me. And it is probably a good idea for anyone wanting to stay sharp in their older age.

For the first year or two I used Lumosity, a free and premium subscription app that consists of fun and beautifully animated games in several cognitive categories. Lumosity tracks your progress and offers a trainer function, which operates like a physical fitness coach in a gym. Here’s a brief review by 5X USA Memory Champion, Nelson Dellis.

There’s been a lot of discussion over the last decade around something called neuroplasticity. It has to do with the brain’s ability to rewire its neural networks, memory and behavior patterns and actually grow in strength and focus. I’m not a clinician by any stretch but the data on discoveries about the brain and brain health is exploding so it’s pretty easy to find stuff and self-educate.

Another brain training app, BrainHQ caught my attention when it was recommended as the most scientifically peer reviewed cognitive exercise method in Tony Robbins’ recent bestselling book, Life Force.

If you read my blog you’ve seen my systematic summaries of that book taken section by section. BrainHQ is not as beautiful in terms of aesthetics but it adapts trainings in real time to individuals. It also tracks your progress and offers a personal trainer at the premium level.

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