Fast Ways to Increase Brainpower
Do you want to increase your brainpower today? Try
some of the following techniques. Do you want to continue to
make your brain more powerful? Be sure to check out the rest
of the site, and sign up for the Brain
Power Newsletter. Don't forget to bookmark this site as well.
I'm adding more content every week.
Cycles of Consciousness
Your consciousness waxes and wanes throughout the day . For
most it seems to go through 90 minute cycles, with 30 minutes
of lower consciousness. Watch yourself to recognize this cycle.
If you learn to recognize and track your mental state, you can
concentrate on important mental tasks when your mind is most
"awake". For creative insight into a problem, do the
opposite. Work on it when you are in a drowsy state, when your
conscious mind has slowed down.
Sleep on It
Previewing key information and then sleeping on it increases
retention 20 to 30 percent. You can leave that information next
to the bed for easy access, if it is something that won't keep
you awake. If you are kept awake by your thoughts, writing everything
down sometimes gets it "out of your mind," allowing
you to sleep (so keep a pen and paper nearby).
Increase Brainpower with Exercise
Ten to fifteen minutes per day of exercise has been shown
to increase brain power by 30 percent. For results right now,
try working on a problem while you take a walk. The increased
blood flow will help you think more clearly, as will the after-effect
of a more relaxed state. There is also something about the rhythmic
movement that helps calm the brain.
Drugs to Increase Brainpower
Coffee and other drinks containing caffeine help students
consistently score higher on tests. Since caffeine restricts
blood vessels in the brain, it isn't clear what the longer-term
effects may be when it comes to your brainpower. Ginkgo biloba
has been shown to increase blood flow to the brain, and improve
concentration. Then there are the less natural drugs coming to
the market soon. I'll have information on those in the near future.
Concentration
Concentration can increase brainpower. Obvious, perhaps, but
the thieves of concentration are not always so obvious. Learn
to notice when you are distracted. Often the cause is just below
consciousness. If there is a phone call you need to make, for
example, it might bother you all morning, sapping your ability
to think clearly, even while you are unaware of what is bothering
you.
Get in the habit of stopping to ask "What is on my mind
right now". Identify it and deal with it. In the example
given, you could make the phone call, or put it on tomorrow's
list, so your mind is comfortable letting it go for now. This
leaves you in a more relaxed state where you can think more clearly.
Use this technique to increase your brainpower now.
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