How Brain Training Games Actually Improve Memory: What Science Says

Okay, so I need to be real with you here. My memory? It was honestly terrible. Like, embarrassingly bad.

I'm talking about walking into the kitchen at 8pm on a Tuesday (I remember it was Tuesday because I had just finished watching The Office reruns) and standing there for like 30 seconds trying to remember why I came in. Was I hungry? Thirsty? Did I need something from the fridge? No clue. Just... blank.

Or meeting my neighbor's kid—what was his name? Jake? No wait, that was the dog. The kid's name was... ugh, I literally talked to him yesterday and I can't remember. This happened ALL the time.

My friend Lisa (she's a therapist, super smart) kept telling me to try brain games. "Sarah, just try it," she'd say. "What's the worst that could happen?"

I was skeptical. Like, really skeptical. I'd seen those Lumosity ads and thought it was all BS. But I was desperate, you know? So around March 2023—I remember because it was right after my birthday—I decided to give it a shot.

And honestly? It actually worked. But not in the way I expected. Let me tell you what I learned.

So What's This "Working Memory" Thing?

Okay, so I had to Google this because I had no idea what it meant. Turns out, working memory is basically your brain's temporary storage. Like when you're trying to remember a phone number someone just told you, or keeping track of what you need at the grocery store.

Scientists call it "working memory" but I think of it like my brain's sticky note pad. Super temporary, but super important.

Here's the thing—when I started playing sequence memory games (you know, the one where you have to remember the order of squares lighting up), I was AWFUL. Like, embarrassingly bad. I could barely get past 5 or 6 squares. My friend's 12-year-old nephew could do better than me, which was... humbling.

But I kept at it. Every morning with my coffee, I'd play for like 10 minutes. Not because I'm disciplined or anything—I'm really not—but because it became a habit. Like checking Instagram, but actually useful.

After maybe 3 weeks? I noticed something weird. I was remembering my grocery list without writing it down. Not like a huge list, but 5-6 items? Yeah, I could do that now. And I didn't even realize I was improving until my roommate was like "wait, you didn't write that down?" and I was like... oh. Huh.

By month 2, I was hitting sequences of 12-13. Still not amazing, but way better than where I started. And the real win? I could follow directions better. Like, when someone gave me multi-step instructions, I didn't need them repeated three times anymore.

The Big Question: Does It Actually Help In Real Life?

This is where things get... complicated. And honestly, I'm still figuring this out.

So the big debate in brain science is: if I get better at remembering sequences of colored squares, does that help me remember where I parked my car? Or my neighbor's name? (Still can't remember that kid's name, by the way.)

The research is all over the place. Some studies say yes, some say no. Some say "kind of, but only if the tasks are similar."

Here's what I've noticed personally: visual memory games? Yeah, those helped me remember faces better. I'm not great at it still, but I'm better. But remembering names? Nope. Still terrible at that.

I think it's because names are verbal, and I was training visual memory. Different parts of the brain, maybe? I'm not a neuroscientist, so don't quote me on that. But that's my theory based on... well, my own experience.

My friend who's a grad student in psychology (different friend, not Lisa) told me this is called "transfer" and it's a huge debate in the field. Some researchers think it works, some think it doesn't. The truth is probably somewhere in the middle, which is... not super helpful, I know.

Why Playing Once A Week Doesn't Work

Okay so here's the thing most people don't realize: playing brain games once a week? Basically useless. I tried it. I'd play on Sundays, feel good about myself, then not touch it again until the next Sunday. My scores never really improved.

Then I switched to playing like 10-15 minutes most days (I aim for 5-6 days a week, but I'm not perfect). And THAT'S when I started seeing real improvements.

It's like... going to the gym once a month won't make you stronger, right? But going 3-4 times a week? That's when you see changes. Same principle.

There's this fancy word neuroscientists use: "neuroplasticity." It basically means your brain can change and adapt. But it needs regular practice to do that. One session a week isn't enough to rewire anything. You need consistency.

I know, I know—consistency is hard. I'm the last person who should be giving advice about consistency. But it's true. The games that I play regularly? I'm way better at those. The ones I play occasionally? Not so much.

What I've Actually Noticed

So after like... 8 months? Maybe 9? Of regular brain training, here's what I've noticed:

• I can hold more stuff in my head at once. Like, I can remember a grocery list of 6-7 items without writing it down. That's new for me. I can also follow conversations better, which my friends appreciate because I used to zone out mid-sentence.

• My focus is better. Not perfect—still not perfect—but better. I can work on something for like 30-40 minutes without getting distracted, which is huge for me. Used to be more like 10 minutes.

• I process information faster. Like, when I'm learning something new, I get it quicker. Not dramatically faster, but noticeably. My friend who's a teacher noticed this too—she said I pick up on things faster now.

But here's the thing: these improvements are SUBTLE. Like, really subtle. You won't wake up one day and be like "wow, I have a photographic memory now!" It doesn't work like that.

The changes are gradual. So gradual that you might not even notice them until you look back and think "huh, I used to be way worse at this." That's how it was for me, anyway.

What The Science Actually Says

Okay so I read a bunch of studies (way too many, honestly) and here's what I found:

There's this meta-analysis from 2014 in Psychological Bulletin that looked at a bunch of working memory training studies. The conclusion? Working memory training DOES improve performance on working memory tasks. That part is pretty well established.

But here's where it gets murky: does it make you generally smarter? Or better at unrelated stuff? The evidence is... mixed. Some studies say yes, some say no, some say "maybe but we're not sure."

I think the honest answer is: you'll get better at what you practice. If you practice memory games, you'll get better at memory games. Will that help you remember where you parked? Maybe. Probably. But it's not guaranteed.

Some studies have shown benefits for attention and processing speed too. And there's some research showing it helps kids with academic performance, which is cool.

The key seems to be: use good training programs (not all games are created equal) and be consistent. Which is easier said than done, but that's what the research suggests.

My Take (For What It's Worth)

So after all this research and personal experimentation, here's my honest opinion:

Brain training games are worth your time. But you need to manage your expectations. They're not magic pills. You won't wake up tomorrow with a perfect memory.

But they ARE legitimate tools. If you practice consistently, you will improve. I've seen it in myself, and the research backs it up (at least for the specific skills you practice).

My advice? Play a variety of games. Don't just do memory games—mix it up. Try some reaction time challenges, some pattern logic, maybe some number memory or word memory training. Your brain benefits from variety, just like your body does from different types of exercise.

And be patient. Real improvements take time. Like, months. Not days. Not weeks. Months.

I've been playing for over a year now (started March 2023, it's now... well, it's been a while). And I can honestly say my memory has improved. Not dramatically—I'm not a memory champion or anything. But noticeably. And that's enough for me to keep going.

Plus, they're actually kind of fun. So even if the cognitive benefits weren't proven, I'd probably still play them. But the fact that they seem to work? That's just a bonus.

The Bottom Line

So here's the deal: brain training games can improve memory. But the improvements are specific. If you practice working memory games, you'll get better at working memory. If you practice visual memory games, you'll get better at visual memory.

The key is: consistency (play regularly), variety (mix it up), and realistic expectations (don't expect miracles).

Play regularly. Challenge yourself. Give it time. Your brain will adapt—that's literally what brains do. They adapt to what you practice.

And honestly? Even if the cognitive benefits weren't proven (which they kind of are, at least for specific skills), these games are still fun. Sometimes that's reason enough to play them. Life's too short to only do things that are "productive," you know?

Anyway, that's my experience. Take it for what it's worth. Your mileage may vary, as they say.