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The 10 Best Apps To Train Your Brain

06 /04 /2014 08:13am EDT | Updated Jun e 4 , 201 4

By Perry Santanachote for Life by DailyBurn

Whether it's to focus at work, do better at school or just stay

sharp, there are various reasons for wanting to boost
brainpower. But maintaining psychological well-being is
equally as important.

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“Stress and anxiety are among the most pressing and far-
reaching public health problems we face,” says Tracy Dennis,
Ph.D, professor of psychology at Hunter College. “Mental
changes affect every part of our lives: physical health, sense of
well-being, work, educational productivity and community
involvement.”

Nadine Kaslow, Ph.D., professor and vice chair at Emory

University's Department of Psychiatry and president of the
American Psychological Association, says apps can help
promote mental health through participation in activities
designed to reduce symptoms and improve psychological
functioning.

Then there are apps that don't directly target mental health,
but aim to increase cognitive functioning. “We know that apps
like Lumosity can improve memory, problem solving skills and
processing speed, especially in older adults,” says Dr. Kaslow.
“There are also studies that show that people who engage in
these video games are less likely to develop brain plaques
associated with Alzheimer’s disease. Keeping your mind active
is as important as physical exercise and these apps can help
you stay fit mentally.”

These days, hundreds of brain-training apps claim to put the

“smart” in smartphone and guarantee cognitive improvement
with minimal daily use. Don't think your flaky memory or
scatterbrain can be restored? Studies are mixed, since this
technology is in the early stages of development. But this 2012
systematic review that analyzed 151 computerized training
studies published between 1984 and 2011, found that certain
training tasks had a big effect on working memory, processing
speed and brain function. In short, playing computer games
for a few minutes a day can literally change your mind.

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“When you do things in the world, you lay down new neural
pathways,” says Dr. Dennis. “The more you do something, the
more available that pathway is, so you may be able to use your
brain resources more effectively.”

New brainteaser apps show up every day in mobile app stores

with claims to improve memory, increase I.Q., or enhance
other cognitive skills. They may be fun to play, but how many
of them actually work? The goal here after all is to train your
brain, not just play video games. Most of the below selections
are based on established treatments that have been extensively
studied and validated by independent research sources.

For the most part, brain apps can’t make you smarter or
happier, but they can help you perform certain tasks better or
have more control over your emotional state. Keep in mind
that most games are designed for people who are reasonably
healthy, not for those with mental disorders, and are no
replacement for a mental health professional. While you're not
going to notice any drastic transformation, it's worth giving
one of these apps a try, since engaging in various types of new
and cognitively demanding tasks is good for the brain (plus,
it's fun!).

1. Lumosity
This popular app is split into sessions of three games tailored
to your goals: memory, attention, problem solving, processing
speed or flexibility of thinking. The games are played against
the clock and change every time. Developers say just one
session a day can improve mental skills and users can track
progress and compare performance with others. (Free for
limited access, upgrade for $15 a month or $80 a year;
available for iOS)

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2. CogniFit Brain Fitness

Improve cognitive abilities, such as memory and
concentration, with sleek, fun and addictive games designed by
neuroscientists. Users can track progress and access insights
about overall brain health. Competitive players can challenge
friends, too. After an initial quiz, the app adapts each game's
difficulty to your profile and gives you recommendations based
on your results. Developers found that users saw improvement
by spending at least 20 minutes, two to three times a week,
playing the games. (Free for four games or full subscription for
$13 a month or $120; available for iOS)

3. Personal Zen
Players follow two animated characters, one of which looks
calm and friendly while the other looks angry, as they burrow
through a field of rustling grass. This game, developed by Dr.
Dennis and researchers from Hunter College and the City
University of New York, reduces anxiety by training your brain
to focus more on the positive and less on the negative. “The
habit of thinking about the world in a more positive light -- like
looking for a silver lining in a bad situation -- is one of the key
ways we can promote our own resilience in the face of
adversity,” says Dr. Dennis. Even a single session of play can
build resilience over several hours. She suggests using the app
right before a stressful event, but 10 minutes a day will help
build more enduring positive effects. (Free; available for iOS)

4. Brain Trainer Special

Like Lumosity, this Android app contains games that have you
memorizing letter sequences, phone numbers and solving
assorted math problems to keep your mind in tip-top shape.
Difficulty levels range from easy to brain-tingling hard. (Free;
available on Google Play)

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5. Brain Fitness Pro

Brain Fitness Pro employs a series of memory training
exercises to increase focus, memory and problem-solving
skills. Developers say that intensive working memory training
dramatically increases attention and general cognitive skills
and that these benefits remain long term. ($4; available for
iOS)

6. Happify
Train your brain to be happier? Yep, research shows that some
activities help build your ability to conquer negative thoughts,
show gratitude, cope with stress and empathize -- all essential
ingredients for a fuller, happier life. Using fundamentals of
positive psychology, which involves focusing on the strengths
and virtues that enable individuals to create fulfilling lives, the
app's quizzes, polls and gratitude journal -- combined with a
positive community -- gradually teach life-changing habits.
The goal is to build these skills and keep users smiling all day.
(Free; available for iOS)

7. Positive Activity Jackpot

This app was originally developed for service members
returning from combat with high risk for post-traumatic stress
disorder. It uses augmented reality with an Android phone's
GPS to find nearby activities and diversions for someone
coping with depression. If you cannot make up your mind
what to do, “pull the lever” and let the app's jackpot function
make the choice for you. PAJ is based on a form of behavioral
therapy called pleasant event scheduling, which encourages a
daily schedule of enjoyable activities to improve moods and
overcome despondent thoughts. (Free; available on Google
Play)

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8. Fit Brains Trainer

More than 360 unique games and puzzles aimed at stretching
and improving your mental agility lead users through various
tasks. Sessions get harder as you improve and will always
challenge you and provide a solid brain workout. Keep track of
your progress and performance tools and the program offers
training recommendations for best results. (Free; available on
iOS and on Google Play)

9. Eidetic
Eidetic uses a technique called spaced repetition to help you
memorize anything from important phone numbers to
interesting words or facts. It works differently from typical
brain training apps by using items that have meaning and
context, like your beau's phone number, bank account details
or a new quote worth reciting. Notifications remind you when
it's time to test yourself and spaces out tests over time to make
sure you retain the information in long-term memory. (Free;
available on iOS)

10. ReliefLink
Dr. Kaslow developed this award-winning app for suicide
prevention but it can be used as a general mood tracker. “It's
like MyFitnessPal in that you can track all sorts of things that
are relevant to your mental health,” says Dr. Kaslow. It also
includes unique coping methods, such as voice-recorded
mindfulness and relaxation exercises, or relaxing music. The
map locator pinpoints nearby therapists, support groups and
mental health treatment facilities, too, in case you ever need to
talk to a professional.

While brain-training apps will never completely take the place

of face-to-face intervention and prevention approaches, Dr.
Dennis sees their potential as an adjunct to other stress-

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reducing activities, whether that's exercise, yoga or seeing a

therapist. She adds, “Apps can also be gateway treatments that
empower the individual to make positive changes, which can
then lead to seek out other health promotion tools.” And while
technology can help sharpen the brain and calm the nerves,
true mental health is much more holistic. “What's most
important is feeling you have meaning in life and social
connections,” says Dr. Kaslow. “It doesn't mean you have to be
happy, but it does have to do with having purpose.” And
there's no app for that… yet.

More from Life by DailyBurn:

9 Free Apps To Elevate Your Fitness
Want To Become A Better Athlete? Train Your Brain
8 Apps For Guided Meditation

Exercise Does A
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