There are numerous crazy myths and misconceptions out there about ways to become smarter or train your mind to be more intelligent or healthier. However, what most people may not know is that most of these claims have been scientifically tested, and some rather compelling evidence exists to support many of them. So if you are looking for techniques to boost your mental prowess, here are some tested and proven ways to sharpen your brain.
Perform Some Brain Training Exercises
Psychologists have acknowledged for quite some time that basic cognitive skills, like a person’s information processing speed, are quite stable throughout an individual’s life. Until recently, psychologists have also known that while a person can usually perform more with the skills he/she already possesses, it is fairly difficult to improve his/her basic cognitive skill levels. Currently, the latest trend on self-improvement is brain training, including all its seriousness and pledges of real improvements to a person’s basic cognitive skills, like decision making and working memory speed.
Most brain training exercises are performed through entertaining games or activities designed to stimulate some important parts of the brain linked to basic cognitive activity. Regular practice at these activities leads to actual changes in the cell density of those parts. The fundamental premise is that people can literally improve their mental capabilities with the appropriate types of mental exercises. For instance, a recently published high-profile research led to a high level of confidence among psychologists that an activity referred to as the dual N-back task can actually increase at least one essential aspect of intelligence, fluid intelligence – substantially and in the long-term. Other studies have reported IQ increases of up to 13 points in children exposed to behavior analytic kind of intellectual skills training known as relational skills training.
Stay Away from Drugs
The other sure way to improve and maintain your brain health is to avoid substance and drug abuse. This is due to the simple fact that drugs can have severe adverse effects on the human brain. Whenever you introduce drugs into your body, either through smoking, eating, inhaling, or injecting them, the drugs tap into your brain’s communication system and interfere with how nerve cells normally transmit, receive, and process information or stimuli. Different drugs will work on the brain differently because of their different chemical structures. Drugs work in the brain in two main ways:
- Imitating the natural chemical messengers in the brain
- Over stimulating the “reward circuit” system of the brain
Consequently, drugs can ultimately lead to drastic changes in brain circuits and neurons. These changes can persist even after a drug user has stopped using or abusing the drugs and it is more likely to occur when a particular drug is abused over and over.You can learn more here on how to reverse this.
Maintain a High Degree of Mental Activities
Research has shown that the more conversations a parent engages with their child, the more intelligent the child will be. For instance, simple games that involve naming objects or solving simple puzzles together helps to make learning a social and educational activity, as well as improves the child’s IQ. Furthermore, talking to a child boosts their vocabulary, which is extremely important for the child’s general intelligence levels.
In summary, improving your brain’s health is not as difficult as some people may want to imagine. With the right timing, the right habits, and proper timing, you can increase and maintain you brain’s thinking ability in a remarkable way.
A professional writer with over a decade of incessant writing skills. Her topics of interest and expertise range from health, nutrition and psychology.