Researchers from the Georgia Institute of Technology put participants to the test, studying them as they engaged in 20 days of brain-training exercises. They discovered that brain-training tasks ultimately don’t affect your fluid intelligence, the kind that helps you reason and solve problems. But participants that completed a series of complex span tasks—like solving arithmetic problems or recalling a series of letters—showed a significant increase in working memory, or their ability to keep and recall information in the presence of distractions. Why does it matter? “For the past 100 years, experts have tried to find a way to improve memory performance that wasn’t limited to strategies,” says study author Tyler Harrison, a PhD candidate and researcher at Georgia Tech. In this study, due to the nature of the tasks, participants were forced to rely on their working memory instead of a strategy or pattern to be successful. Even though it won’t make you smarter, working memory comes in handy every day—like keeping a grocery list in mind while you comb the shelves. It’s a bit early for experts to suggest a specific brain-training regimen based on the findings, and Dr. Harrison cautions against any programs that make incredible or unbelievable claims that improve cognitive function. If you’re into apps, Lumosity (available for iPad and iPhone) is backed by real research and never claims to make you smarter (just more alert and with a better memory). But for real-world brain boosters, take a look at these 3 tricks from Dr. Harrison: Space out your study periods. Remember when you’d study 5 hours the night before a test, but remember next to nothing a week later? Try spending an hour each night studying any material, like next week’s presentation or a wedding toast, suggests Dr. Harrison. Not only will you be prepared for your big moment, but you’re also likely to remember that information years later. Test yourself. On your way to the grocery store, try to recall your entire shopping list. You’ll bring attention to items you would have otherwise missed. Make an association. Having trouble remembering to take a newly prescribed pill or vitamin? Try to associate it with something you always do in the morning, says Dr. Harrison. Say to yourself, “Whenever I comb my hair in the morning, I need to take my medicine.” Now, the two go hand in hand. More from Prevention: 10 Clever Brain Games
