Interest in neuroscience and brain research is growing exponentially. And not only among experts, but also among the lay public. Elon Musk promises (quite scary) implants that will improve the functioning of our brain. Whether this is possible or not, and whether it is worth the risks that such an invention brings with it, perhaps the future will tell. While we wait, you can read 5 ways to improve your cognitive abilities according to well-established, almost old-fashioned, but relatively effective principles.
Here we present 5 ways to improve your cognitive skills. Some of them are ridiculously obvious, but we often forget about them. However, it should be noted that these methods do not guarantee 100% results, however some of them do work only for a short time.
The brain needs rest.
One of the simple methods to improve your cognitive abilities is quite simple. Give your brain and the rest of your body plenty of rest. Sleep is proven to consolidate memory, but it is also important to disconnect from the constant processing of information.
The brain needs physical activity.
An hour of regular exercise a day can do a lot for your cognitive abilities. During exercise, memory is consolidated, new skills are acquired, and hormones, neurotransmitters, and other molecules are produced that have a positive effect on brain health. If you don't believe us, you can try this technique on yourself.
Learning new skills
That new skills can be learned only in childhood is a complete myth. The brain is "plastic", which means that new connections are made in it throughout life. New connections are created according to a very simple logic: the more times we repeat an exercise (or use a certain part of the brain), the stronger the connection that enables this exercise to be performed. Even in later periods of life, it is possible to learn a new skill or a new language, and this is even very good for our cognitive abilities.
Use the map instead of the navigation app.
A simple way to train the brain is to challenge it as often as possible. One such option is to use a map instead of a navigation application. It's even better to try to remember the route. This can affect the fact that your ability to orientate yourself in space develops better. For example, research has shown that London taxi drivers, who have to remember the location of more than 20,000 streets, have a larger hippocampus (the part of the brain responsible for spatial memory, among other things).
