SMARTER CHOICES
Instead of making a start on yet another TV box set, give your grey cells a big boost with one of these brain training apps
LOCKDOWN presents many varied challenges – and chief among them is a distinct lack of mental stimulation. I’m sure we all love our families and our homes as, but seeing the same faces and the same four walls all day EVERY DAY does not help in keeping the old noodle in trim.
Reading and doing the crossword might – but for real brain-training try one of these great apps.
Not only will they help keep your mind sharp, but they’ll tell you where you need help the most, and provide it...
NEURONATION MEMORY GAMES (iOS and Android)
They say:
Whether it’s weaker memory, dwindling concentration or thinking too slowly – only 15 minutes of training a day can make problems disappear and give your brain new momentum.
Join the worldwide community of over 15 million members and treat yourself to a piece of science – right in your pocket.
We say: NeuroNation gives a great insight into the various functions of the brain and where you might be at your weakest. That’s useful to know – it gives you a real sense of where you need to place your effort to improve things, whether that’s inside the app or in the real world.
The difficulty levels of the puzzles are also set according to your current ability, so as you get better, things get slightly harder, dragging you along with it...
Cost: £10.99/month; £29.99/year
PEAK - BRAIN TRAINING (iOS and Android)
They say: It’s time to play smarter and feel sharper with Peak, this that was chosen as Best
App 2014 in more than 24 countries around the world. Join millions of brain trainers worldwide and see what the fuss is all about.
Use Coach, the personal trainer for your brain, to find the right workout for you at the right time.
Choose from Coach’s best recommendations to push your skills to the max. Or take contextual workouts like Coffee Break if you’re short on time. Coach will help you track your progress using in-depth insights and keep you going when you need it most.
Play for free or upgrade to Pro and get the best brain training experience available.
We say: Peak is one of the bighitters in the world of brain training, and its app is a polished and professional affair. The 40 games within will help you stay sharp with regular practice and have been developed with assistance from actual neuroscientists.
Cost: £3.99/month; £25.99/year.
LUMOSITY: BRAIN TRAINING (iOS and Android)
They say:
Lumosity’s cognitive training program is a fun, interactive way to train your brain and learn about how your mind works. Used by over 100 million people worldwide, Lumosity’s program consists of science-based games designed to exercise memory, attention, speed, flexibility and problemsolving.
Begin with a free 10-minute Fit Test to set your baseline scores and see how you compare with others your age. We say: Lumosity is perhaps the brain-training app that brings the most fun to the table when keeping the grey matter in trim.
There are more than 40 games to play, each with a focus on an area like memory, speed, logic, problem-solving, maths and language. The
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Neuronation, Peak, Elevate personalised tracking of progress allows you to assess your strengths and weaknesses, and the app will also analyse your skills and see how they might help or hinder in real-world situations.
Cost: £11.99/month; £54.99/year.
GEIST (MEMORADO): BRAIN & MIND (iOS)
They say: Join the leading brain training program with over 10 million members worldwide and give your cognitive skills a boost. Introducing GEIST Relax – Unwind with our all-new audio relaxation stories and exercises, meditative games and daily tips! It’s time to give yourself a break! A stronger brain leads to a better life. Improve your memory, concentration, reaction, logic and mathematical skills with 24 fun and challenging mind games over 720 levels.
We say: Geist is unique amongst the brain-trainers as it tries to keep your mind calm as well as fit.
It includes a variety of games which are more meditative than some of the other apps – so it’s not just all about speed and problem solving. Geist should also help you feel more relaxed about your improving memory and concentration.
Cost: £49.99/year
ELEVATE BRAIN TRAINING (iOS and Android)
They say:
Elevate is a brain training program designed to improve focus, speaking abilities, processing speed, memory, math skills, and more. Each person is provided with a personalised training program that adjusts over time to maximise results.
We say: Like all the other apps here, Elevate creates a unique programme to help you develop your skills in focus, memory, processing and maths. Unlike the others, it claims to make users more confident public speakers, so if you feel that is your weakness, this may be the one for you.
Cost: £7.99/month; £38.99/year.