The good news is that they do deliver something. Ratey believes that by changing your pattern of thinking, you change the brain's structure. Something else that clearly helps even the ordinary brain is to exercise the body. Stress, on the other hand, negates the benefits and causes the brain to function less well. Other good advice that's hardly new, but has been given additional emphasis since recent studies, is to get plenty of sleep.
Several books say yes.
Rather than spending so much time analyzing how the brain works, they teach definite skills. Allen D. Bragdon, founder of Games magazine, is author and co-author of several books with games and exercises for the brain. Although practicing such exercises should make you better at doing them, the question is whether they'll increase your overall brain fitness. As yet, we're not sure. If you practice neurobics, you'll find yourself trying something new - from showering with your eyes closed, to eating breakfast with your ears plugged, to learning braille or sign language.