One of the latest trends to hit the app industry in the last few years are ‘brain-training’ apps. Statistics show that popular brain training apps like Lumosity and Peak have millions of downloads, which prove that they are one of the most sought-after apps.
Brain training apps can be a lot of fun, and they claim to improve cognitive function and decline symptoms of mixed dementia in patients.
Today, we are going to look at these claims in detail and ask, ‘Is it beneficial to download a mental health app in your Android device?’ Keep reading to learn more about the different ways in which a brain training app can improve your mental function:
1- Exercise for the brain
Most of us like to keep our bodies active, but have you ever wondered about the brain cells? We may think that a little bit of reading and studying is enough to stimulate our brains for long-term success, but it is far from the truth. According to research, the human brain reaches its peak performance between the years 16-25 and starts declining after that.
However, there is no need to fret if you have crossed that age. Science proves that training your brain cells with specially designed exercises can increase your brain’s cognitive function. Researchers believe that maintaining a brain-healthy lifestyle and performing targeted brain exercises can increase your memory, attention span, information processing speed and other cognitive reserves of the brain.
2- Acts as a stress reliever
Did you know that stress not only makes you more vulnerable to diseases but may also negatively impact your brain? Research proves that stress can kill brain cells. Moreover, when you are stressed, the body creates a hormone known as ‘cortisol.’ Elevated cortisol levels in the body can impact brain cells and result in weight gain. What’s more, increased cortisol levels also lower the body’ immunity and increases blood pressure and cholesterol. In short, cortisol wreaks havoc in your body and mind.
Playing a refreshing game on your mobile may help beat the stress. Most brain training apps consist of minigames which act as a relief, especially after a tiring day at school or work. Mindfulness apps like Breathe help the user increase self-control and manage their stress levels.
3- Beneficial for teaching schoolchildren
Brain training apps are being used by teaching professionals to teach difficult concepts to schoolchildren. What could be better than a well-designed app which makes cognitive processes easier? In fact, teachers have noticed that with regular brain-training sessions children start to catch up more quickly and achieve more academic milestones.
4- Aids the recovery of patients with mental health problems
Research proves that new brain training apps could act as an aid to improve the cognitive skills of schizophrenia and dementia patients. Researchers from the University of Cambridge have developed an exciting new mental health app which can improve the life of people with mental health diseases. The uniquely designed braintests and minigames in the app can help patients improve cognitive skills such as memory and attention span.
5- Provides motivation
As anything with life, nothing can be done well without practice. For example, the more you train your body, the leaner it becomes. Same is the case with brain training. The more you utilize your brain, the stronger it gets.
However, it can get difficult to play a boring brain training game every day. An interesting mental health app with loads of games provides the right amount of motivation. In fact, it is all that you need to spur your brain cells into a frenzy of motion. Compete with fellow app users or convince your friends and family to download an app in their phones- there is nothing more motivating than beating someone’s top score!
6- Adds an element of challenge
According to research, if you have been doing the same task every day without increasing its difficulty, your brain will fail to grow and automize the whole activity. Hence, what may once seem like a very difficult task for you may not be challenging anymore. Remember when you first started learning how to drive? Each step was crucial, and you were alert all the time. But soon, it became a mundane task, and you mostly find yourself driving on autopilot.
The best part about downloading a brain training app is that the games keep on increasing in difficulty levels. Which means that in each game, the brain has to restructure itself to solve the problem. You can personalize your training levels and focus on a particular cognitive skill too. Mental health apps are an excellent way to keep your brain challenged at all times to make sure it works at its peak performance.
Conclusion:
Thanks to the advancement in technology, there are more and more apps to help you out with general well being and mental health. While these apps are extremely useful, they cannot substitute seeking medical advice or therapy, especially if you have reoccurring symptoms or concerns.
Use a mental health app in conjunction with a lifestyle that helps flourish your physical and mental wellbeing. Have you used a mental health app before? List your favorite apps in the comments below and tell us in what ways has it helped your brain: