Although historians trace the origin of New Year’s resolutions to the ancient Babylonians, the most apt historical symbol for the tradition is probably the Roman god Janus, his two faces looking back over past events and forward to the future. Where have we come from and where would we like to go. With an exciting new leap forward in the capabilities of brain training programs over the past year, this is the perfect time to make brain exercise our New Year’s resolution.

We can improve our brain health with aerobic exercise, weight loss, and by quitting smoking, all good New Year’s resolution candidates. But brain training gives us a very direct way to stimulate brain plasticity, and improve our memory, concentration, and mental sharpness. A recent study even proved that we can increase our fluid intelligence by training our working-memory.

Although scientists had long since dismissed the idea that the adult brain could grow and change, research from the last few years overturns that theory with studies proving quite the opposite. The right conditions can cause the production of new neural nerve cells and the brain in fact proves to be remarkably adept at rewiring connections work more effectively with the right training. (The concept of brain plasticity is even being applied in new therapies for stroke victims, restoring motor capabilities that traditional therapies could not.)

The Advantages of Brain Fitness Training

Academics: Good brain training software may be one of the most effective and affordable test prep programs you can buy. Test prep typically helps you increase your test scores but won’t help you do better in school, whereas brain training can boost your attention and general problem-solving ability. And if you have a diagnosed learning dysfunction, it’s possible that a targeted brain exercise will help. Where possible, many learning specialists have begun to use brain training in preference to accommodations as a way to address a deficit directly rather than working around it.

Career: For many of us, the working day requires a good deal of focus and creative problem-solving. Our brains work best when we can dedicate time and attention to the task at hand, but the stresses and demands of the workplace often conspire to make this almost impossible. The right brain training program can help us increase our attention span and train our cognitive skills. By training our brain we can reduce work stress and perform better (something that employers tend to notice and reward).

Mental Health And Well-Being: When we reach our forties, our brains begin to decline if we don’t do anything to prevent it. But a regular schedule of brain training helps reduce memory loss, and lowers our risk of developing Alzheimer’s symptoms and dementia. Not only that, but recent studies indicate that we can combat depression through stimulating neural growth, an important aspect of an effective brain training program.

Self-Improvement: Although we would expect brain training to help us think more clearly, it’s not as well known that brain training can improve our self-esteem and even our musical aptitude. But the brain commands all aspects of thinking and emotion, even those not directly related to quantitative thinking. For those on a journey toward improved mind, body, and spirit, brain training offers a new world of possibilities.

Sticking With Your New Resolution

Unfortunately, statistics indicate that most of us won’t stick to our New Year’s resolutions. Men tend to do much better if they quantify their goals. And women can increase their chances of success by going public and by engaging their friends in the challenge. Fortunately, since many people enjoy the challenge and rewards of brain training, it can be an easier activity to stay with than some. You can measure your progress through the results of the exercises, and in many cases you can share your scores on some form of blog or social network.

If you decide to make brain training one of your New Year’s resolutions, make sure to select a brain training product that is effective and right for you. Not all brain fitness products are equally effective. Some engage us with brain teasers or games that don’t require significant focus and attention and won’t induce significant if any neural growth. Others work but cost hundreds of dollars or require a big time commitment.

Check the scientific pedigree of the training program. Does the vendor specify what the training will accomplish and what measurable gains to expect in memory or processing ability? Does the product come with a training schedule, telling you how much time to devote to the exercises and over what period?

Brain training could be the best New Year’s resolution you’ll ever make. With the right level of commitment it can bring about a big jump in mental ability and set us on the road to long-term brain health.