Today we will take the chance to tell you about some of the scientific benefits of regular brain training. These benefits include improved memory, the ability to multi-task, an increased confidence in the workplace and a decreased risk of burnout. These benefits will help you at work, and in your personal life. And on top of that, brain training is fun too.
1. A strong brain
When it comes to your ability to learn and memorize new information, your working memory is the main dealbraker. It determines whether your brain resembles a vault or a strainer. Luckily, our NeuroNation exercises are here to prevent your brain from becoming the latter – they are specifically tailored to improve your working memory. Our brain exercises are designed to train your ability to remember more information at once. After a while, you will find it easier to memorize more information and absorb new one in a short amount of time.
2. Stay cool while multitasking
The smartphone vibrates, emails keep coming in, and your boss wants a power point by 5pm. These are just some of the tasks that you need to manage in one day; multiple stimuli competing for your attention at once. If only you could stay calm and relaxed with so much going on. The good news is: brain training can help you. On one hand, training can help to improve your willpower; your ability to decide which stimulus receives your attention. It helps your brain efficiently decide which task to focus on, so you don’t lose sight of what is important, and can work off each task step by step. Brain training can also help you to process information more efficiently. In essence, if less capacity is used for irrelevant information, more brain power is left for the essentials. It is all about using your brain efficiently. A study conducted in collaboration with the Free University Berlin proved that regular brain training with NeuroNation improves your multitasking abilities [1].
3. Practice patience
Although work requires a lot of energy, your career is only one dimension of life. Sick children, broken washing machines, bills that need paying – something always requires your attention and it is easy to get irritated at everything and everyone that demands your time and energy. But whether you let irritation take over or not, depends on your emotional control, which can be more or less efficient. Studies indicate that your ability to control your emotions is directly related to the strength of your working memory [2]. Brain training can improve your working memory, and this is beneficial to your capability to control your emotions, making you more resistant to stress. This will not only benefit your mood but also the mood of your loved ones.
4. Don’t fall victim to burnout
A study by Dr. Stefan Diestel, Assistant Professor of the Technical University in Dortmund, Germany, found that employees with lower cognitive abilities had a 50% higher likelihood of suffering from burnout than people with higher cognitive abilities [3]. Low cognitive abilities may include problems with memory or attention, just to name a few. But brain training can help improve your mental abilities in a gentle way, and decrease the likelihood of burnout in the long run.
5. Plan ahead for your golden years
Saving for your retirement? Have plans to travel the world when you retire or work on projects you never had the time for before? If you’re making plans for your retirement, taking it for granted that you will be able to enjoy it, you might want to think ahead in terms of your mental health too. Studies show that those who are mentally active on a regular basis have a 46% decreased risk of developing dementia [4]. Although so far there is no proof that brain training by itself can prevent dementia, it can be an important part of an active lifestyle. Surely, you’ll want to enjoy your golden years, and prevention is the best way to make sure you can. After all, who wouldn’t rather spend their money on a beachside pina colada than on a nursing home? The sooner you start to care for your brain’s future, the better.
Sources:
1: Niedeggen, M., Gerlach, L., & Leithäuser, G. (2012). Transfer effects of cognitive training based on working memory tasks. Zeitschrift für Neuropsychologie, 23(3), 149.
2: Hofman, W., Schmeichel, B. J., & Baddeley, A. D. (2012). Executive functions and self-regulation, Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 16(3), 174-180.
3: Diestel, S. & Schmidt, K.-H. (2011). The Moderating Role of Cognitive Control Deficits in the Link From Emotional Dissonance to Burnout Symptoms and Absenteeism. Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, 16(3), 313-330.
4: Valenzuela, M. & Sachdev, P. (2006). Brain reserve and dementia: a systematic review. Psychological Medicine, 36, 441-454.
