# Memory training worth it? **URL:** \ **Category:** General Memory Chat\ **Created:** [June 7, 2019, 5:32pm UTC](https://forum.artofmemory.com/t/memory-training-worth-it/38823 "2019-06-07T17:32:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Caravaggio](https://forum.artofmemory.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/c/ac8455/32.png) [@Caravaggio](https://forum.artofmemory.com/u/Caravaggio)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2019, 5:32pm UTC](https://forum.artofmemory.com/t/memory-training-worth-it/38823/1 "2019-06-07T17:32:51Z")
Are the memory training games worth doing, or can I just practice by memorising the things themselves I actually want to learn/remember? ---
**Author:** ![SilvioB](https://forum.artofmemory.com/user_avatar/forum.artofmemory.com/silviob/32/2528_2.png) [@SilvioB](https://forum.artofmemory.com/u/SilvioB)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2019, 5:50pm UTC](https://forum.artofmemory.com/t/memory-training-worth-it/38823/2 "2019-06-07T17:50:26Z")
From my experience: Yes, it’s definitely worth it. You get faster and better at using memory techniques, which helps you when you need to memorize something for school/job/university. In addition to that, if you play on Memory League for example, the competition with other players makes it more interesting and helps you improve even more. ---
**Author:** ![Caravaggio](https://forum.artofmemory.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/c/ac8455/32.png) [@Caravaggio](https://forum.artofmemory.com/u/Caravaggio)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2019, 7:44pm UTC](https://forum.artofmemory.com/t/memory-training-worth-it/38823/3 "2019-06-07T19:44:09Z")
Alright, thanks! How much do you recommend I do each day? ---
**Author:** ![SilvioB](https://forum.artofmemory.com/user_avatar/forum.artofmemory.com/silviob/32/2528_2.png) [@SilvioB](https://forum.artofmemory.com/u/SilvioB)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2019, 8:15pm UTC](https://forum.artofmemory.com/t/memory-training-worth-it/38823/4 "2019-06-07T20:15:15Z")
When I started I did 15 minutes per day (with one day per week without any training). I think it depends a bit on how much you can fit in your daily schedule. It shouldn’t feel like a chore, memory training should be fun. I rarely ever did more than 30 minutes per day (except if I was playing with someone on memory league and we played a lot of games). Of course you can always do more training if you’re in the mood 🙂 In general I’d say 15 minutes per day is better than 2 hours on one day of the week. ---
**Author:** ![LociInTheSky](https://forum.artofmemory.com/user_avatar/forum.artofmemory.com/lociinthesky/32/2857_2.png) [@LociInTheSky](https://forum.artofmemory.com/u/LociInTheSky)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2019, 10:19am UTC](https://forum.artofmemory.com/t/memory-training-worth-it/38823/5 "2019-06-08T10:19:41Z")
Memory is a scam ---
**Author:** ![RichB](https://forum.artofmemory.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/r/b9e5f3/32.png) [@RichB](https://forum.artofmemory.com/u/RichB)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2019, 6:58pm UTC](https://forum.artofmemory.com/t/memory-training-worth-it/38823/6 "2019-06-08T18:58:06Z")
What are some of the best memory games? ---
**Author:** ![Josh](https://forum.artofmemory.com/user_avatar/forum.artofmemory.com/josh/32/21_2.png) [@Josh](https://forum.artofmemory.com/u/Josh)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2019, 7:11pm UTC](https://forum.artofmemory.com/t/memory-training-worth-it/38823/7 "2019-06-08T19:11:51Z")
You can find some on these pages: - [Memory League](https://memoryleague.com/) - [memory training](https://artofmemory.com/training) ---
**Author:** ![OldGrantonian](https://forum.artofmemory.com/user_avatar/forum.artofmemory.com/oldgrantonian/32/2492_2.png) [@OldGrantonian](https://forum.artofmemory.com/u/OldGrantonian)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2019, 7:50pm UTC](https://forum.artofmemory.com/t/memory-training-worth-it/38823/8 "2019-06-10T19:50:55Z")
> **[Do brain-training games really work?](https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/322648)** > > New scientific evidence challenges the alleged cognitive benefits of brain-training games. Exercise and sleep may be better ways to boost cognition. The above link, dated 1 Aug 2018, contains two quotes: - …some studies have found that brain-training games improve the “executive functions, working memory, and processing speed” of young people… - [but] …we find those who say that no such benefits exist… brain-training games “do not boost cognition.” The above link has several links. You should really have a quick glance at each link. IMHO, the links which are favourable to brain-training games predate the Lumosity trial of January 5, 2016, when they agreed to a $50 million settlement (reduced to $2 million subject to financial verification) On the other hand, links which claim that brain-training games provide no benefits tend to have more recent dates. For example, this link from Aug 2018: [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30009838](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30009838) Here are some quotes from this link: - …performance on the test tasks after training were nearly identical to a passive control group. - …Our study calls into question the benefit of cognitive training beyond practice effects [this is also known as “the Lumosity effect”, in which participants simply get smarter at playing a game] So it seems to me that it’s not as simple as “you pays your money and you takes your choice”. IMHO, it’s a much simpler choice: you believes old results or you believes recent results. In other words, in Google, you should restrict the date range to the last 2 years (the “Tools” setting).