High tech multitasking slows you down

Multitasking is certainly a part of modern life. But studies show that media multitasking in particular takes a toll on the brain. You might think you're accomplishing a lot — updating a spreadsheet while text messaging and catching up on TiVo — but a 2009 Stanford University study shows otherwise. People who juggle multiple forms of electronic media have trouble controlling their memory, paying attention or switching from one task to another as effectively as those who complete one task at a time, says Eyal Ophir, a cognitive scientist and one of three Stanford researchers on the study.

Researcher believes games and Facebook can build memory

According to this BBC News report, Sudoku and Facebook may improve your ability to recall and use pertinent information, while texting and Twitter may dull your wits. University of Stirling psychologist Dr. Tracy Alloway has studied "working memory" and advocates mental exercises that form connections between pieces of information. A complex war game, for example, forces the brain to remember and plan ahead. On YouTube or Twitter, however, "your attention span is being reduced," Alloway says.