As with most things about brain training, there isn’t much good research to guide you. As with learning almost anything, though, one reasonable strategy is to train for 20-30 minutes at least once a day. Twice a day is likely to improve the training effect, but it’s not clear by how much. It’s important not to do too much of one activity. Too much learning in one area without allowing yourself a break may result in interference in your learning.

You should also consider other factors in your training. The best software programs, for example, give you a number of choices in activities, and don’t to any one thing for very long. Although the free n-back training software is very good, some people may find it boring after 20 minutes a day over several weeks. You shouldn’t take your level of motivation for granted. It’s what will keep you training after the initial thrill of trying out cognitive training wears off.

Stress can affect your memory and other abilities in a number of ways. Psychological stress increases levels of hormones in your body that are known to be toxic to your brain. Chronic stress may cause depression, and depression by itself can affect your memory and your ability to think rapidly and clearly.

How can you tell whether you’re under significant stress? There are a number of stress scales on the Internet. I think the best way is to ask yourself two questions: (1) How often do you feel your ability to cope with things is challenged? and (2) How successful are you at coping with these challenges? The answer to how stressed you are comes from your response to both of these questions. If you feel frequently stressed, but you feel as though you’re doing a pretty good job of coping, your stress level is likely moderate. If you are frequently stressed and feel as though you are just barely hanging on, your stress level is probably much higher.

Coping with stress requires you to recognize that you’re feeling stressed. What causes you stress?

• Can you do anything about it?
• Can you avoid it?
• Try to schedule stressors for the time of day you’re most energetic and able to cope.
• At some point in the day, stop for five minutes and pay attention to your breathing. Interrupt the daily plunge into activity by taking five minutes for yourself.

Take stress seriously, dead seriously. Have a management plan that includes scheduling, exercise, and some form of relaxation.

A number of studies have shown that exercise improves cognitive function in persons over 50. It’s not clear why, exactly, but there are several possibilities. I’ve always been a fan of the idea that getting oxygen in your brain can help it work better. Some studies have shown that exercise stimulates the body’s production of a substance called brain-derived neurotropic growth factor (BDNF). Increases in BDNF may help brain make new connections among nerve cells and may help the existing nerve cells work better.

The new study in the BMJ followed more than 2,000 Swedish men for about 35 years. They were 50 years of age and older in 1970, and then followed at intervals. The men who exercised more frequently were more likely to be alive in 2006 than were those who reported a sedentary lifestyle. This was still true after controlling for things such as weight, diabetes, and smoking. Read more about the study in my health aging blog by clicking here. The full study report is available on the BMJ site. Click here to read it.

Remember to check with you doctor before you begin any exercise program. The American Heart Association, though, has published guidelines for exercise for everyone, including persons 65 years of age or older. Most people can exercise safely, but if you have a chronic health condition you should discuss the type of exercise and its frequency with your doctor.

For those of you not familiar with Posit’s programs, they are based on key ideas developed by the company’s president Dr. Michael Merzenich. He has argued that it’s possible to change the functioning of the brain through targeted computer training, and the software focuses on key abilities such as the ability to detect rapidly-changing sounds and following lengthy sets of directions. Users of the software are encouraged to use it for about one hour a day, five days a week, for eight weeks.

One of the best things about this study is the control group used by the investigators. People in the control group (the one compared) were asked to do cognitive stimulation activities that are similar to those many people believe might be helpful — viewing an educational video and answering questions about it.

The IMPACT study showed that people who completed the computer-based training did better on outcome measures than the people in the control group. These outcome measures were neuropsychological measures in a battery given to participants both before and after they either used the program or were in the control group.

Statistical analyses showed that people who used the computer program scored better on these measures than the people in the control group. The authors conclude that the program may be helpful.

The differences between the groups were statistically significant, and that’s important for all of us to know. But it’s also important to look at how big the effect of using the program was. One measure, the Auditory Verbal Learning Test or AVLT, showed a significant difference. The AVLT asks someone to remember a list of 15 words. In this study, the people who used the computer program remembered, on average, about six tenths of a word more after using it.

This doesn’t mean the program isn’t useful. This amount of improvement is similar to that seen with some prescription medications used for Alzheimer’s disease, for example, and some people may have done much better than the average. It also doesn’t tell us how much change would occur for people who use the program over longer periods, too. But it seems to me that most people would want a clear idea of how well the program works before investing in it.

The truth is, though, that a great deal is happening during sleep. Scientists don’t understand everything that happens while we are sleeping, but we know a great deal about the consequences of not sleeping well.

When we don’t sleep well, we all know we don’t feel quite as sharp the next day. But there’s more. Research shows that when someone is deprived of sleep, they don’t perform as well on cognitive tests as they do when they are well rested. More, some levels of substances associated with inflammation are elevated as well. It looks as though poor sleep over time may have negative effects on your body and mind.

What can you do if you don’t sleep well? Adequate sleep hygiene is the first step. Make sure that you have a quiet place to sleep that is kept at a comfortable temperature. Keep distractions to a minimum. Avoid caffeine and alcohol near bed time. Some people can’t drink caffeinated beverages after noon, and some people have to quit drinking anything with caffeine at all. Smoking can disrupt sleep – nicotine can keep you awake, and some smokers wake up in the middle of night because their levels of nicotine go down during the night. Help your mind and body calm down at least an hour before going to sleep by stopping work or other mentally stimulating activities.

Probably one of the most important things you can do is to have a regular sleep schedule. Go to bed and get up at the same time every day, even on weekends. If you don’t sleep well on one night, don’t try to make up for it by sleeping late. Avoid naps during the day. Naps reduce the pressure to sleep at night, making it less likely that you’ll be able to sleep well. Exercising during the day, and getting exposure to sunlight during the morning may help you regulate the daily rhythms that help you to sleep.

If these things don’t work, see your doctor. A number of sleep problems may require special treatments. A qualified sleep doctor can help you sleep better, and sleeping better is a critical way for you to keep your brain fit.