SharpBrains

The holidays are approaching and you can expect many software and game developers to advertise their products aggressively, trying to get you buy their "brain training" products for you or as a gift for a loved one.

The good news is that there are more and more tools we can use to keep mentally stimulated and even train and improve specific cognitive abilities (like processing speed, short-term memory...). You may be reading about Nintendo Brain Age, Posit Science, Fast ForWord, MindFit, Lumosity, Happy Neuron, MyBrainTrainer, emWave, StressEraser and more. And, of course, there are also non-technology based interventions.

The bad news is that it is difficult to separate marketing from scientific claims, and to understand which one, if any, may be a good complement to other healthy lifestyle choices.

To help you navigate this process, we are publishing the SharpBrains Checklist below, based on dozens of interviews with scientists, experts and consumers:

10 Questions to Choose the Right Brain Fitness Program for You (and a brief explanation of why each question is important)

* 1. Are there scientists, ideally neuropsychologists, and a scientific advisory board Continue Reading »

In the post Trader Peak Performance and biofeedback programs we showed the Heart Rate Variability patterns correlated with levels of a) anxiety or b) Peak Performance, "The Zone". Biofeedback supports our emotional self-regulation: we can visually track what is going on inside us and train ourselves to manage our emotional state. On the left you have an example of my own performance during a 5-minute experiment 4 months ago. At the top, you see my name; at the bottom, the duration of the session. Right axis, for top half, is Heart Rate. (This is only the half left of the screen in the program-the right half would give you more information.) I have highlighted several phases:

A: you can see long waves following a smooth rhythm-that is the physiological "The Zone", where I can perform at maximum level. I was using breathing and visualization techniques that are sometimes called "The Mental Game" in athletics and sports.

B: I stressed myself. How? well, maybe thinking of a previous boss, or some bad moment in my life. You see that the "waves" dissappear, and narrow erratic patterns appear instead.

C: I quickly go back into "The Zone", Continue Reading »