Video Gaming for Younger Mind?

byDonnieK2

1.7K followers

Updated 6 years ago

In today’s society we have all kinds of additives that people might use to increase their brain power and memory from things as simple as breathing cleaner air to taking high power multiple vitamins. With the surge of technology advancements we have come to a point that understanding how our brain works and thrives, we tend to follow scientist finding more in order to prolong our active brain functioning.

I recently had the opportunity to read up on one doctors book on his research, studies and directions on how to get ones brain to be strengthen in a book entitled, “2 Weeks to a Younger Brain”, subtitled, “An Innovative Program for a better Memory and Sharper Mind”. This book was, written by Gary Small, MD; Director, UCLA Longevity Center and Gigi Vorgan.

Now it was not that I went out seeking ways to improve memory, but while walking a flea markets books section, I saw this title, thumbed through a few pages and decided to give it a read.

In this book Dr. Small says his revolutionary and proven brain program will produce noticeable results in only 14-days. In those 14-days he says one would see noticeable health improvements. Also included in the book he offers:

• Proper diet for brain health
• Physical fitness and conditioning
• Brain training exercise
• Stress management techniques.

After reading such offering, and being on the 50+ side of aging, I figured I would give it a read, just to see, if anything could lend some help to my brain.

Now I am not going to do a total review on the whole book, more cover what is addressed as signs of possibly wanting to improve these areas.

Forgetfulness

Millions of baby boomers are grappling with their aging and searching for way to look, think and feel younger, nothing wrong with that. We now know that there is good news that studies have shown that our daily habits, what we eat, how much we exercise, the we interact with others, and how be respond to stress; have a profound impact on our brain aging.

However, by simply making some healthy lifestyle choices and practicing easy mental exercises can bolster brain capacity, improve mood, and enhance quality of life. Persons that exercises daily are less likely to report memory symptoms (higher chance of better memory) than those having a less active life is one finding.

Bottom-line here: Adopting healthier habits can make your brain younger.

In general, a younger brains are healthier brains, but there are exceptions. One example is young athlete might suffer a concussion, which has been it the news, now causing parents to limit their children’s sports sections.

However, it was nothing that opened my eyes more in these pages than one of the “Discover” notes, number 3 stated: “Some video games can subtract decades from your brain age”. Yes, scientist have revealed that by simply playing certain video games less than 30 minutes each day can greatly enhance multitasking skills. That statement/finding has gaming looking as a plus to one’s life style.

Someone had to do some research to make this statement and post these findings. My question is, “How many, “serious”, gamers are only going to spend “30” minutes a day gaming? Most of us know that answer to that question. I would like to know what the revere effect to the brain for enduring multiple hours of gaming.

As stated earlier, parents are limiting their children from participating in contact sports but with these findings of gaming, I think they might want to consider them as well as more measurable evidence is made available. Since the study only shows improvement for short daily video gaming activity, it shows nothing “yet” for prolonged gaming activity.

With some universities now offering scholarships in video sports gaming, I would like to know the prolong effects that these new athletes will be confronted with. Will there be something to affect the brain function in a negative way that this exposure would cause?

Makes you wonder notes:

• Further studies suggest that playing video games can change the brain region responsible for attention and visuospatial skills and make them more efficient, date June 22, 2017.
• It has been revealed that video gaming can be addictive, known as “Internet gaming disorder”.
• It is likely that video games have both a positive (on attention, visual and motor skills) and negative aspect (risk of addition), and it is essential we address this complexity.

Not at any time when I picked up this book did I expect it to have a topic that would have me looking into something that we of the internet era may have done at a time or two, never at any time until now, concerned if gaming would be a mind changing task.

I am still toying through this book, not sure if any of the doctor’s research or methods are making my mind younger as the title suggest, it has gotten me to doing my own research on other technology effects that our daily use might be having on us all. While today’s technology is new and old at the same time, we still have unknowns’ that we will encounter in coming days, months and years!