Can exercising your brain really keep your mind sharp? Our Healthy Skeptic separates the truth from the rumors.
VIDEO TRANSCRIPT
Exercises like running or lifting weights can help keep your body in shape. So can special exercises for your brain do the same for it? That’s the idea behind brain-training programs, which many people turn to in hopes of improving their memory or warding off dementia. But the claims for these exercises often outrun the science.
Many brain-training programs consist of games and other activities you can download to your computer or mobile device.
The companies behind them say that the exercises are “designed by neuroscientists”… and that doing them for a few minutes on most days can enhance memory, attention, and problem solving.
Sounds impressive, and in fact research does show that playing a brain game can make you better at that particular game. But what’s less clear is whether this translates into better performance on real-world brain tasks like processing information or remembering people’s names.
Also there’s no evidence that brain-training programs can prevent Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia.
One company that’s made such a claim was charged with false advertising by the U.S Federal Trade Commission and forced to pay a fine.
Commercial: “Just 15 minutes a day challenges your mind and gives you a fun mental workout.”
Still, there are ways to keep your mind sharp as you age.
Do mentally stimulating activities like playing a musical instrument or learning a new language.
Stay connected with other people.
Control your blood pressure, and get enough sleep.
Then there’s exercise…the kind for your entire body. Regular physical activity has been linked to improved brain function and a lower risk of dementia. If you’re like me, exercising your brain by, say, going for a walk with a friend sounds a lot more enjoyable than staring at a screen.
Helping you be a healthy skeptic, I’m Robert Davis.