Brain games have received a lot of buzz for the last several years, but is there any truth to the idea that this type of brain training can slow down or even prevent aging and cognitive decline? Many people believe there is validity there, including one famous athlete who regularly practices brain games.
Six-time Super Bowl-winning quarterback and three-time league MVP award recipient Tom Brady’s diet and physical conditioning have been a hot topic among athletes and sports fans alike, and he has not shied away from sharing them. Now, Brady has come out as an advocate for training his brain as well. In addition to these facets of his intense training regimen, Brady has been “brain training” for more than four years using BrainHQ exercises. And his brain games may not be what might first come to mind.
Designed for people with brain conditions ranging from memory loss to cognitive damage, Brady discovered the exercises in an article that appeared in Popular Science. He began to use them with a desire to both sharpen his mind and relax after games. After noticing positive changes in his overall performance, he reached out to the makers of Brain HQ to meet.
Henry Mahncke, the CEO of Posit Science, which makes Brain HQ, recalled: “The first thing that was pretty wild was that they had a personal team of neuroscientists. And we’re like, ‘This is what you can do when you’re the greatest quarterback of all time.’ But what he told us was pretty striking. He said, ‘I’m at the point where I want to be the best in every possible way.
I came across the exercises in “Popular Science,” and I can already see the difference in my brain function. This kind of brain training is like physical conditioning. It can help anyone.’ “That’s just not how we thought of brain training before. If you have bad cognitive function, we can help you. But Tom was using the same exercises that people in much worse conditions use.”
Brain games like Brain HQ are helping others, too. One study measured 621 participants’ mental agility before and after training with the games. This shows that just 10 hours spent on brain training games gives the participant a mental edge over non-participants. Brain games for children continue to bring in significant revenue streams.
According to an article in Business Insider in 2011, brain games designed for kids had more than 300 million dollars in sales. While plenty of resources attempt to debunk the effectiveness of brain games. Many supporters of brain games find value in the practice. Combining brain games with aerobic activity or other exercise may have even more mental and physical health benefits.