POD: Wellbeing

Brain training

Does brain training really make any difference?

There are now a huge range of games and apps that claim to help with brain training. But do they work? Is it true that you must ‘use it or lose it’, can you improve your working memory, IQ or brain power and what role can brain training play in preventing dementia? How does brain training on a game or app compare to exercising? In this Pod, we look at a wide range of media with claims on both sides of the argument.

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PODCASTS

Neuromyths – Can you train your brain. BBC All in the Mind

(27 mins)

Claudia Hammond explores some common myths in neuroscience. She looks at myths in education, sex and gender, plus how much we can really train our brains.” The whole podcast is very interesting but the key part on brain training starts at 23 minutes.

Play

Does brain training work – Education bookcast

(60 mins)

Could specially designed exercises on your computer or mobile phone make you smarter? “Brain-training” is now a multi-billion pound industry, and that money comes from people hoping to get a boost in their mental faculties from spending time playing the various games in the apps in question. Do these apps work as they are supposed to?

Play

How Exercise Can Transform Your Brain.

(50 mins)

This Train Your Brain podcast welcomes special guest Dr. John Ratey, Author of Spark. Dr. Ratey has been promoting exercise as a cognitive tool for over 30 years. Additionally, this podcast covers in depth the connections between exercise and Anxiety, Depression, Addiction Recovery, Longevity, and Heart Health.

Play

VIDEOS

Does Brain Training Work?

(2 minute)

BBC news investigates whether there’s any evidence that brain training actually improves mental ability, memory or retention ?

Watch

The Best Way to Train Your Brain: A Game

(2 minute)

Johns Hopkins University researchers tested the two leading brain training exercises and found one works much better than the other. This game, similar to one used in the research, demonstrates how it works.

Watch

ARTICLES

Train your brain. How to keep your mind young.

This article in the Spectator examines whether we may be wrong to assume older people can’t learn as well as younger ones. By Camilla Cavendish for the Spectator.

Read Article

Do brain-training games really work? Medical News Today

With the recent surge of brain-training apps available for every smartphone user out there, it’s worth asking — do brain-training games hold any real cognitive benefit? By Ana Sandoiu for Medical News Today.

Read Article

Brain training and dementia

Will brain training reduce dementia risk ? Some studies have found that cognitive training can improve some aspects of memory and thinking, particularly for people who are middle-aged or older. From the Alzheimer’s Society

Read Article

XTRA

Have a go at brain training

8 Ways to Exercise Your Brain With Games

Extra Time: 10 Lessons for an Ageing World

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Editor's Picks

Cold Showers

Could cold showers transform your life?

Exhilarating, challenging, energising and addictive? The theory behind the concept, how to introduce cold showers into your daily routine and the benefits to your health, from relaxing the mind, improving the skin and to reducing fats.

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Workout Videos

Bringing personal training into your home

Push back the sofa, get your sweat on. Exercise is hugely important for both our physical and mental health. With WFH keeping us at home, now more than ever we need to keep up our exercise regime. Luckily, many trainers and fitness instructors have made their high quality and inspiring workout videos readily accessible on YouTube.

We’ve selected classes from our favourite instructors, all providing free, full length, workout videos. Whatever your fitness level or goal, there’s something for everyone, from yoga to HIIT, Pilates to dance. There are plenty of equipment free options too and all from the comfort of your own home!

SHOP To support this Pod, we have handpicked a selection of simple, affordable gym equipment and a selection of stylish, comfortable sportwear to help you workout at home. View our Gym Equipment Shop and our Sportwear Shop pages.

Click here for our full Pod Index

Habit stacking

Creating habits that stick

If you want to develop healthy habits that last, then learn how to habit stack. Whether it’s improving your diet, exercising more or drinking less, the best way of developing a new habit that you will stick to, is to ‘stack it’ on top of another deeply ingrained habit. It doesn’t matter whether the current habit is a good one or a bad one, if it is something you do often, without thinking about it, you can anchor some new habits either side of it, or use it a a trigger to do something else.

The key is to make small changes, one at a time and allow them to get embedded before changing something else. When most of us try and change our habits to be more healthy, we try and do too much at once. Throwing loads of changes together. You stick to them for a while but then it gets too hard and the habits fade. The trick is the build slowly, stack new habits on top of old and then the habits will last.

This Pod includes loads of great advice and ideas for how to habit stack and where to start. Enjoy!

Brain training

Does brain training really make any difference?

PODCASTS

(27 mins)

(60 mins)

Three in one charger

(50 mins)

VIDEOS

(2 minute)

(2 minute)

Up to 25% off at Boden

ARTICLES

XTRA

Have a go at brain training

8 Ways to Exercise Your Brain With Games

Extra Time: 10 Lessons for an Ageing World

Lumosity

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