Maintain Your Brain Fitness and Prove Shakespeare Wrong

“When the age is in, the wit is out…” nShakespeare, Much Ado About Nothing For years it has been generally accepted that our brainpower declines as we age and there’s nothing we can do about it. Even Shakespeare thought so. But the fact that something is commonly believed doesn’t mean it’s true. In fact, cognitive science has shown that if we follow a regular program of brain fitness, we can slow down and even reverse the affects of aging. The brain is a flexible organ and it remains that way throughout life. So even older brains can maintain or improve their performance. A program of regular but varied brain exercises promotes brain fitness because it interrupts normal routines. As we go through the day, we encounter many tasks that need to be processed by our brains. In order to make it easier to accomplish these repetitive tasks, our brains create shortcuts. For example, the first time you drove a car it was probably difficult for you to maintain a conversation at the same time because you were concentrating on learning this new skill. Once you become an experienced driver, you’re able to hold a conversation, enjoy the scenery, and drive at the same time. This is possible because some elements of driving have become automatic, allowing the release of mental resources to other things. One of the biggest advantages of our brains is this natural tendency to create routines that make daily information processing easier. But since your brain also needs to be constantly presented with new challenges in order to stay in top shape, this is also a disadvantage. Your brain can get out of shape, just like your body will do when it doesn’t get enough exercise. That’s why brain fitness is even more important, as you grow older, because you have fewer opportunities to engage in novel activities. n nCognition includes several domains that stand at the base of proper functioning. Among them are memory ('Where did I put my car keys?'), attention ('Did I lock the door before leaving?') and perception ('My god, I didn't notice that my glasses were right here'). Since we are all characterized by a distinct set of strengths and weaknesses, the route to brain fitness is different for each and every one of us. In order to achieve maximum brain fitness, we should engage in a combination of exercises that present a series of challenges that address our specific needs. Many people assume that popular activities, such as Sudoku, crossword puzzles or bridge can improve brain fitness. These activities will indeed produce beneficial results, and they are FAR better than doing absolutely nothing. But if you do only one or two types of cognitive exercises over and over again, instead of varying your mental workout, they will become routine. The benefits they provide gradually decrease because you are not challenging the complete spectrum of attributes that are essential to brain health and fitness. So the key to brain fitness is to persistently seek ways to challenge yourself in as many activities as possible where you are an amateur. There are many solutions out there—from scientifically backed computer programs to free cell-phones games—that claim they can help you maintain your brain fitness. As long as the solution you choose has the power and scientific background to constantly challenge you across a wide spectrum of cognitive abilities, it will generate measurable benefits. And you may one day proudly claim that you proved Shakespeare wrong. Log on to: www.cognifit.com in order to learn more about ways to enhance your cognitive skills, read the latest scientific research and try a demo of an assessment and training program for free.n