If you’re like the majority, then your answer will likely be “no”. Astoundingly, we only use around 10% of our brains yet we seldom think to invest in a little training every now and then. For a long time, scientists believed that we were stuck with the brain we were born with! Luckily for us, that hypothesis has gone out the window! Enter neuroplasticity – a new theory that has proven one very incredible fact: Our brains can change. This means, if you’re not very intelligent in one area – that’s OK! You have the option to literally ‘change that area of your brain’ through some little trainings. Your brain is a muscle. You need to exercise it regularly. The exciting thing is that you don’t have to be a millionaire to increase your brain capacity. All you need to do is invest some time to regularly train your brain. So how to increase brain power? Here are 10 simple ways to increase your brain power and improve your intelligence!
1. Do something new
When you experience something ‘new’, that actually ‘stimulate’ your brain! Don’t get stuck in a rut doing the same old things – the only way to change the structure of your brain is to do something new. This creates new neural pathways, increasing your intelligence level. You could take a new route to work, try a new recipe for dinner, or even a new form of exercise – mix them up!
2. Ditch the GPS
Gone are the days of map reading! Sat Nav may have made our lives easier, it has also made our brains lazier and less efficient at the same time! Go back to the old school and use a map to navigate every now and then. This exercises the part of your brain responsible for understanding spatial relationships.
3. Ban the calculator
Remember back at school when we were taught to use our brains to do simple sums like times tables? It’s incredible how we now rely on devices like smart-phones and laptops to calculate really simple equations. Resist the urge to work things out using an external device and use the device you were born with – your brain!
4. Be curious
Instead of taking everything at face value, get into the habit of questioning everyday things/products, services that you come into contact with. By being ‘curious’ and questioning everything, you force your brain to innovate and create new ideas. Curiosity may have killed that cat but it created super important things like electricity and computers!
5. Think positive
Stress and anxiety kill existing brain neurons and also stop new neurons from being created. Research has shown that positive thinking, especially in the future tense, speeds up the creation of cells and dramatically reduces stress and anxiety. Try and get a handle on negative thoughts and make an effort to replace them with positive ones. Not sure how to do it? Take a look at this article: How to Turn Off Negative Thoughts in Your Mind
6. Exercise regularly
It’s been proven that regular exercise helps to increase brain function and enhances neurogenesis. This means that every time you exercise, you are creating new brain cells! Here’re 5 Ways to Find Time for Exercise, get off the couch and get moving! Your brain will thank you for it.
7. Train your memory
How often do you hear people say “I wish I had a better memory!’ Yet no-one does anything about this! If you discipline yourself to memorize phone numbers and other important numbers (passport, credit card, insurance, driving license) you will start to see a marked improvement in your memory.
8. Eat healthy
Our diets have a HUGE impact on brain function. Our brains consume over 20% of all nutrients & oxygen that we consumed – so remember to feed your brain with the good stuff! (i.e. fresh fruit and veg & plenty of OMEGA 3 oils found in oily fish) Here’re more healthy foods that will boost your brain power: 10 Healthy Foods That Make You Smarter
9. Read a book
Reading relieves tension and stress, which is brain-cell killers because it’s a form of escapism. Research has also shown that using your imagination is a great way to train your brain because you force your mind to ‘picture’ what you are imagining. Reading is a great way to trigger your imagination! Reading every day helps your thinking and imagination, learn more about it here: 10 Benefits of Reading: Why You Should Read Every Day
10. Get enough sleep
Sleep is like a mini detox for the brain. This is when your body regenerates cells and removes all the toxins that have built up during the day. Get to bed between the hours of 9pm and midnight to benefit from the most effective hours of sleep! If you have difficulty sleeping, you should read this guide: The Ultimate Night Routine Guide: Sleep Better and Wake Up Productive
An intelligent brain comes from hard work
If you do take my suggestion and do these things consistently, you’ll soon realize your brain is sharper and you can remember more stuff. You don’t need to do everything all at once, pick one to two and start making them your daily habit. Intelligence comes from hard work. Make effort to train your brain and you’ll become smarter. Featured photo credit: Siora Photography via unsplash.com
