What have you done today to keep your brain in shape?
Maybe it's time for you to get on board one of the latest trends in handheld and online applications: brain fitness. The market for brain training applications and products could reach $2 billion by 2015, according to
SharpBrains, a market-research firm that tracks use of memory-improving and cognitive training programs.
While the trend toward hyperconnectivity with Google, GPS, and other
tech conveniences may be dumbing us down, there is a large population searching for a way to keep their heads on straight. The market to improve the ol' trusty gray matter has seen major growth in the past few years as baby boomers are reaching their mid-to-late 60s -- it's more than doubled from $100 million in 2005 to $225 million only two years later in 2007. These folks want to stave off the forgetfulness and confusion they've seen their parents cope with as they grow old.
Games such as
Sudoku and Nintendo's '
Brain Age' may be the most recognizable of these types of programs available, but there are whole programs on the market that claim to train people to think faster, remember more and expand the brain's capabilities. For example,
Cogmed Working Memory Training is geared for people with attention deficit, and
Lumosity is a popular online memory Web site.
Unlike older memory improving techniques, these newer brain training methods aim to make the process of thinking and memorizing more enjoyable -- it's about organizing information for improved recall, not cramming information into your skull.
Not every brain training solution necessarily involves gadgets and cutting-edge technology -- the card game of
bridge has been touted for years as a way for seniors to keep their minds sharp. Break out the deck. [Source:
CNN]
The first major study showing that so-called 
