Everyone wishes they had more energy and an ability to think faster, to be smarter, and to have the sharpest wit and best memorypossible. But like six pack abs, a swimsuit body, or a higher college degree, these things do not come free or easily. The good news is that if you work at it – and you know specifically what to work on – you can make your brain work super-fast. You can be smarter, remember better, and think faster. Here are five tips that you can start using today to make your brain work better and get more out of your gray and white matter: 1. Boycott Negative Thoughts Watch the news today and it seems almost impossible to stay positive. We hear upsetting stories all the time, read about how bad the economy is, check our social media to see crass, negative jokes, and then get stuck listening to mean gossip around the water cooler. The problem is that not only does all this negativity bring you down, pulling you into an emotional dump, but it also has a direct impact on your brain’s ability to function at its best (Radwan, n.d.). Negative emotions depress your brain and make it work more slowly. It actually disrupts your thinking process (Radwan, n.d) and your ability to focus. The answer – be positive. Boycott negative thoughts. How do you do this? Here are a few ways. Make positive thinking a priority in your life, walking away from negative situations and refusing to let bad thoughts in. Look for the good in people and situations, see your glass as half full rather than half empty, and your brain will thank you for it. 2. Constantly Practice Memorizing Things The more you exercise the giant muscle that is your brain, the harder and faster it will work for you. Memorize important facts, such as people’s names or an interesting date in history, every day. Look up a new word and memorize the meaning. Use mnemonics – memory tricks – to help you remember shopping lists. Practice spelling difficult words like you are in a spelling bee, saying the word out loud, then spelling it out loud, then saying it again. Exercise that muscle between your ears and it will become stronger and faster. 3. Increase Your Coffee Intake Sigmund Freud used to use cocaine because he said that it made him more productive (PBS, n.d.). Today we know that cocaine is incredibly unhealthy and not at all a good way to increase productivity, but we also know that Freud might have benefited from upping his caffeine intake. In fact, a study out of Harvard University has demonstrated that caffeine can impact the brain, increasing awareness and wakefulness in the short term. It also can boost memory ability in the long term (Watson, 2014). The study declared that a moderate intake of caffeine can help you to remember things better and even perform well on memory tests (Watson, 2014). So have a cup of coffee or two with a clear conscious. 4. Consider a Brain Booster If Einstein could have boosted his brain power even further, imagine how much more he might have accomplished. Vitamin B12 is a known brain booster and memory helper. But before you run out and buy B12 supplements, you need to know that B12 has a problem: it is not absorbed well in the stomach. Some researchers have found that sublingual tablets, that is pills meant to be dissolved under the tongue, work better as they are absorbed directly into the mucous membranes, bypassing the stomach. 5. Take care of Your Body by Working out and Getting Enough Sleep This may seem mundane, but perhaps the best thing that you can do to improve your memory and all cognitive functions is to exercise regularly and get enough sleep. When you have a vigorous workout, you do many things to your body and brain, including improving circulation and getting blood flowing to your brain. This releases endorphins that relieve stress, which, as a result, can help you think better and provides an overall sense of renewed energy. Sleeping well is, however, paramount. Your brain processes information when you sleep, moving ideas and facts from short-term memory to long-term memory. So there you have it. Workout, get enough sleep, drink a cup of coffee, be positive, and practice memorizing things every day and you will see a fast improvement in your brain function. References: PBS. (n.d.). Cocaine: How ‘miracle drug’ nearly destroyed Sigmund Freud, William Halsted. Retrieved from, http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/health-july-dec11-addiction_10-17/ Watson, F. (2014). Caffeine and a healthy diet may boost memory, thinking skills; alcohol’s effect uncertain. Retrieved from, https://www.health.harvard.edu/ Source
