Brain Games, Multitasking, and the Myth of Mental Rest with Dr. Julie Fratantoni

In this episode of the Brain Health Kitchen podcast, Annie talks with cognitive neuroscientist Dr. Julie Fratantoni about how to support cognitive longevity — the ability to keep thinking clearly, learning, remembering, and making good decisions across the lifespan.Julie explains why brain health is not just about doing crossword puzzles or downloading another brain game. Instead, she helps us think about how we use our brains all day long: how we manage attention, rest, stress, distraction, social media, multitasking, memory, and habits.They talk about cognitive reserve, cognitive capital, brain breaks, boredom, the problem with constant scrolling, and why rest is not the opposite of productivity — it is part of how the brain learns and adapts.Julie also shares practical ways to support memory, including emotional regulation, monotasking, active engagement with information, and giving the brain time to consolidate what it has learned.Chapters00:00 Meet Dr. Julie Fratantoni 02:54 What it really means to study the brain 07:17 Cognitive longevity, explained 10:10 Brain games and cognitive reserve 13:20 What the ACTIVE trial actually showed 17:36 Do brain games really help? 19:25 Why your brain needs breaks 21:24 What counts as a true brain break 23:27 Social media, scrolling, and attention 26:27 Why multitasking drains the brain 29:38 Memory starts with attention 36:34 Finding your peak performance window 40:25 Julie’s book on cognitive longevity 42:40 Habits, environment, and brain health 47:44 Why we reach for our phones 50:35 Where to find Julie’s workLinksDr. Julie Fratantoni’s website: https://www.drjuliefratantoni.com/Better Brain by Dr. Julie on Substack: https://drjuliefratantoni.substack.com/Dr. Julie Fratantoni on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drjuliefratantoni/Dr. Julie Fratantoni on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@drjuliefratantoniBrain Health Kitchen on Substack: https://brainhealthkitchen.substack.com/Annie Fenn / Brain Health Kitchen: https://www.brainhealthkitchen.com/