How to become smarter? We all want to increase our mental abilities by at least a few percent. And with these 9 micro tricks you will stimulate our brain, increase creative thinking and improve our decision-making skills.
A pile of books? Not at all, just micro tricks with which you will "drive" your brain to unimagined heights. This time we present 9 of them, and you can practically start with all of them already today.
Go to bed earlier.
If we don't get enough sleep, our brain is not able to function as it should. But can more sleep also help us improve brain skills? Researchers from the University of Rochester found that during sleep the fluid around the brain cells "washes away" toxic proteins that accumulate during the day. "Good sleep can improve our attention, ability to solve problems and make decisions, speed of thinking, logic and memory," says Richard Shane, founder of the Sleep Easily method. The National Sleep Foundation, a non-profit organization, recommends that adults sleep 7 to 9 hours a night.
Watch sports.
Watching, as well as participating in sports activities, has been proven to have a positive effect on our brain: v research the University of Chicago found that the part of the brain reserved for physical activities was also activated in hockey fans when listening to sentences about the sport. "Sporting activities and watching sports have lasting positive effects on language comprehension by changing neural networks that include areas that are active during sports activities," research author Sian Beilock wrote on the university's website.
Jump between the sheets with your partner.
Research has shown that older adults who have sex every week, they perform better on tests of fluency and spatial perception. Researchers hypothesize that dopamine or oxytocin, which is released during sexual activity, has a positive effect on neurochemistry and brain function.
Observe nature.
Is nature a miracle cure for the brain? Maybe, at least according to research, which showed that spending free time in nature can improves creative puzzle solving by almost 50 percent. "Our research has shown that nature restores our 'depleted' ability to focus, which in turn improves our creativity and problem solving," says study author David Strayer. Even if you don't have time to get out into nature, you should simply looking at nature photos increased our attention and ability to complete tasks without making mistakes.
Take notes by hand.
Don't be ashamed to pick up a pen and paper! Handwritten notes can actually help you retain information better. According to the research from Princeton, it's because people with a pen in hand are more selective about what they write down, which helps them better understand and retain the concept of information.
Use a brighter light.
It's true! V research from the University of Michigan came to the conclusion that we can be smarter just by using bright light or better light. They exposed the rodents to it, and they showed it significantly improved ability to perform tasks compared to those exposed to dimmed lights (they even lost 30 percent of capacity in the hippocampus). "Many people don't realize how powerful light has an effect on our bodies. By exposing ourselves to the right spectrum of light, we can actually improve our focus and cognitive performance.” says scientist Ute Besenecker.
Hang out with sarcastic people.
A "naughty" colleague or friend can it enhances our creativity. The participants of the first group in the research solved the tasks after hearing sarcastic statements, such as insincere "I'm sorry", etc. They were 3 times more creative than the group that listened to sincere messages. Sarcasm is supposed to force the brain to think abstractly, thereby stimulating innovation.
Take time to reflect.
If you take time for reflection after a long day, in which you will "review" what you have learned, you may become smarter. This should help to relieve stress and increase brain stimulation. So take the time to think about the day you had for 10 minutes and let your thoughts run free. Who knows where they will take you.
Sweat it out.
Movement has cognitive as well as physical benefits. Research showed that even one exercise can lead to neurochemical changes that improve memory and learning, which may be the result of increased oxygen flow to the brain. "Exercise also increases the body's ability to clear waste products from the brain, which can help avoid that 'foggy' feeling we get in the first half of the afternoon," adds fitness and nutrition expert Erin Palinski-Wade.
