It is common knowledge that one must exercise their body to keep fit and stay in good health. Some of us do so by playing outdoor games like basketball, cricket, football or badminton, to name a few. But did you know that it is equally important to exercise your brain?
When you exercise your grey matter, you are making good use of your neural networks. This ensures that your brain continues to function well, perhaps even faster and better than before. Old school brain training games include crosswords and Sudoku puzzles, but these may not be everyone’s cup of tea.
If you want to play some fun games to keep your mind on its toes, your smartphone is the place to look. These games are colourful, quick, varied and best of all, free. Go ahead and give them a shot, it’s a no-brainer!
DISCLAIMER: Please do not expect these games to make your IQ shoot through the roof. The popularity of these apps has generated a lot of research on whether they really work. The answer lies somewhere in the grey area: brain games do not cause phenomenal increases in IQ, however, they do stimulate the brain and improve certain cognitive functions.
1. Peak – iOS and Android
This Google Play Award winner brags of more than 35 games to sharpen up your memory, focus, problem-solving abilities and more. With the free version, you can play a set of games each day, and after you have played them, you receive feedback and insights on your performance. The pro version gives you greater flexibility with the game choice and more detailed feedback.
Peak also offers activities to help you unwind such as virtual colouring exercises and other relaxing games. The addictive and fun nature of the games and the intelligent feedback make this a great app.
2. Elevate – iOS and Android
Elevate is another very popular app that was chosen as App of the Year in the Apple iTunes store. This is also a daily training app that gives you a personalised set of games to play each day. Listening, focus, processing, and writing are some of the key training areas. At the end of your training session, you will receive a comprehensive performance report that will show you your improvement over time.
You can choose the areas that you want to train yourself in, and this can also include math, comprehension, and memory. The pro version of Elevate is offered as a yearly subscription service.
3. Lumosity – iOS and Android
Lumosity claims that its games, designed by ‘in-house scientists’, will challenge your memory, attention and more. This app follows the similar daily workout pattern of Peak and Elevate. The games offered in this app are unique, fast-paced and exciting. You can pick your own training schedules, based on the timings and days of the week that suit you best.
The Lumosity app has more than 85 million users globally, and players have the ability to compare their performance not only to their past selves but also to other players. You can avail pro services via monthly or yearly subscriptions.
4. Memorado – iOS and Android
Memorado, the “leading gym for the mind”, has the unique feature of mindfulness training. You can unwind and relax after a stressful day with guided mindfulness meditation exercises. Or, you can start your day with some refreshing meditation! Also, you can challenge your friends to the games in this app with a new feature called ‘Duel Mode’.
The games in this app are designed in a way that is very pleasing to the eye. The interface is simple and easy to use. You can also discover your areas of strengths and learn how to improve your weaknesses with the statistics provided by the app.
5. Brain Wars – iOS and Android
If you are a fan of competitive games and love competing against players real-time, this app is for you. Users compete by playing games that test your basic math prowess, concentration, and reaction times. The games are fast-paced and very challenging. The desire to top the worldwide ranking charts will keep you glued to this addictive game.
Brain Wars also shows you a ‘map’ of your brain that indicates how strong you are in terms of six categories including speed, accuracy, and calculation. As you play more, you can observe your map expanding and if you are good enough, your worldwide rank soaring!
Image Source: Google Images
Also published on Medium.
