Train at Least 3-4 Times a Week for Maximum Benefit

Joe Hardy, PhD

Lumosity members frequently ask us how often they should train in order to maximize the benefits of brain training. The short answer is that more training is better training. All else being equal, individuals who complete more cognitive training tend to see larger gains in speed, memory, attention, problem solving, and flexibility. That said, most of us have busy lives, which is why so many of you want to know how much you need to do benefit from training.

In order to answer this question, the Research and Development team here at Lumos Labs analyzed data from 9503 Lumosity members who played at least 1000 exercises. Our researchers looked at how long it took members to complete the 1000 exercises, and then calculated the training frequency that resulted in the largest average gains in Brain Performance Index (BPI). BPI is basically Lumosity’s version of IQ — it measures your ability to handle the speed, memory, attention, problem solving, and flexibility challenges on Lumosity.  As it turns out, the most efficient approach is to complete a daily training session at least 3-4 times a week. On average, members who trained at this rate more than doubled their BPIs. Training less often still resulted in improvements, though they were smaller.

This goes to show that brain training’s just like physical exercise: mental fitness requires regular training.