Not paying attention, putting things off, and getting less done have become real problems for both students and adults, and because of this, there is a whole market of free brain training games that promise not just fun, but also a real way to train a person’s brain functions.
So, how do these games work, what skills do they help to develop, and how can they be used to make your concentration and attention better in your daily life?
What Happens in Our Brain
The first type is focused attention, which is the ability to put your attention on one specific thing while you ignore all the other things, for example, when you are reading a book in a noisy cafe.
The second type is sustained attention, which is the ability to keep your concentration on one task for a long time without getting distracted, and this is needed when you are writing a report or getting ready for a test.
There is also shifting attention, which is the ability to quickly and well change between different tasks, and this is a skill we use when we talk on the phone and also answer a message at the same time.
The last one is divided attention, which is the ability to do several tasks at the same time, like talking and also making food.
Prefrontal Cortex
For all these processes, the prefrontal cortex of the brain is responsible , which is an area that, like a conductor, controls our thinking, planning, and control, and the modern digital world is always giving this area fast, short.
And bright things to see, which leads to our brain getting used to a quick change of information and becoming less able to have a long and deep concentration.
How Online Trainers Work: Rules and Mechanisms
Most online games for the brain are based on rules that have been known for a long time in cognitive psychology, and they use gamification, the process of using game parts in non-game situations, to make the training fun and motivating.
There is neuroplasticity, and games that always change how hard they are and give new tasks make the brain adapt, which makes new connections between nerve cells, and this makes the parts of the brain responsible for attention and memory stronger.
Then there is the dopamine loop, which is a system where a player gets a reward like points, achievements, or a new level when they successfully finish a level or solve a puzzle, and this makes dopamine come out, which is a feeling of pleasure and motivation that makes the brain want to do this action again.
The last one is the “gradual difficulty” principle, where good trainers change how hard the tasks are for the user’s level, so they start with easy tasks so the player doesn’t stop, and they slowly get harder, which makes the brain work at its best but without being too much.
Types of Games and How They Affect Concentration
| Type of Game | Cognitive Function | Example of a Task |
| “Spotting” games | Focused attention, reaction speed | To find one specific object among many similar ones in a short time |
| Strategy puzzles | Sustained attention, planning | Chess, logic games where you need to think about moves several steps ahead |
| Multitasking trainers | Divided and shifting attention | Games where you need to watch several processes at the same time, for example, to control two objects at once |
| Sequence games | Working memory, sequential attention | To remember a sequence of colors, sounds, or symbols and then to do them again |
To get the best result, you should combine games that train different sides of attention.
For example, in the morning you can do some fast exercises for focus to “wake up” your brain, and in the evening you can get into a more difficult and long logic game that needs sustained concentration.
Top 3 Online Brain Training Apps
Because there are so many apps to choose from, it can sometimes be hard to know where to start, so here are three examples of popular online brain trainers that are often talked about as being good for helping with concentration and attention.
First, there is Mind Elevate, which uses a lot of different kinds of games that are made to improve your thinking skills, and this app is special because it gives you a personal plan for training that changes for you as you play.
Another good choice is Focus Quest, that is all about making your attention better and helping you to ignore things that can distract you, and it has simple games where you need to find things quickly or match colors.
The last example is Synapse Sprint, which helps to improve your reaction time and thinking speed, and by playing short, fast games every day, you can help your brain to be quicker at making decisions and to react faster to new information.
Practical Use in Daily Life
- The main question that a lot of people are worried about is whether the skills you get in a game can be used in real life — the “transfer effect”.
- Many studies show that yes, it is possible for the skills to transfer, if the training is for a specific goal and is done in a regular way, for example, after you train your sustained attention, you might find that it has become easier for you to sit with a difficult document or a book without getting distracted every five minutes.
- Games that train your working memory and attention can help you to remember shopping lists or the details of a conversation better, and also not to forget why you came into a room, and training your reaction speed and the ability to see things at the side can even be useful when you are driving a car, because it helps you to see unexpected situations faster.
- It is important to remember that online trainers are not a magic pill; they work best when they are a part of a general way of life that includes enough sleep, good food, and physical activity, and regular short times of training, for example, 15-20 minutes a day, can be more effective than long and rare ones.
Problems and How to Avoid Them
Even with all these good things, using online trainers has its own risks, and it is important to be smart about how you use them.
You should remember that not all brain games are equally useful, and many apps that say they are for “developing” can be just for fun and have no science behind them, so before you choose one, you should read what people say and, if possible, find information about what scientific rules they are based on.
Also, the game parts that are based on dopamine can make you get used to them, so it is important to watch how much time you spend in the game and not to use it to take the place of other activities.
- It is easy to think that when you get points in a game, you are becoming smarter, but in fact, the main sign of progress is how your skills have become better in real life. To avoid these problems.
It is good to use trainers that were made with brain scientists, to have a clear time for your training, and not to forget about other ways to keep your brain healthy, like reading, learning languages, talking to people, and physical exercises.
Conclusion
However, the brain games need a smart way of thinking about them and an understanding of their real purpose, because they will not take the place of deep work on yourself but can make the road to better productivity more interesting and effective.
In the end, the key to successful concentration is not just in one game, but in a regular and smart way of taking care of your brain.