Wouldn’t you wish you had better grades in school? Would you have loved to have absolute control over your brain..like being able to think things through at faster rates? Do you forget things easily and wish you had it all under control? If your answer is yes, then mindfully follow this post as I show you ways you can enhance your cognitive prowess.
Are you ready????…
1. Have adequate sleep
Most people especially parents believe excess sleeping alloys the brain function and makes a child cognitively weak.
The truth is that over 95% of adults need between 7.5 to 9 hours of sleep every night in order to avoid sleep deprivation. Even skimping on a few hours makes a difference! Memory, creativity, problem-solving abilities, and critical thinking skills are all compromised.
Sleep is critical to learning and memory in an even more fundamental way. Research shows that sleep is necessary for memory consolidation, with the key memory-enhancing activity occurring during the deepest stages of sleep. In addition, get to bed at the same time every night and get up at the exact time each morning. While you get at this, avoid any contact with blue or white screen gadgets like tablets, TV screens, phones e.t.c an hour before going to bed. The light from these gadgets suppresses melatonin, a hormone that induces sleep.
2. Eat brain boosters
This method is highly beneficial to those who work with digits, charts and those who are always on the go. However, it is worthy to note that taking these “supplements” or foods won’t give you the Stephen hawking kind of brain, but you may experience some noticeable improvements to your learning abilities, memory, mental clarity, and mood. Dark chocolate, the favorite of many teenagers is made of cocoa. This cocoa contains flavanols( a phytochemical that enhances cognitive ability) which works through the action of antioxidant molecules, what stimulates brain perfusion and an array of other neurological processes in regions that involve learning and memory.
Other examples include coffee, omega-3 fatty acids, Asian ginseng, and green tea.
3. Play games
“John spends too much time on his game console. Little wonder he keeps failing his home works but he is so good at playing the piano could it be that he needs a brain booster?”-Mrs Ayorinde Jones
John’s problem isn’t that his brain is dull nor weak, he’s just not interested in what’s being done at school. He probably developed interest in video game and music.
Similarly, studies have shown that playing games enhances problem solving and decision making skills, attention allocation skills, spatial skills and strategy development skills. Games like puzzle, chess, video games( PS series, X box), snake and ladder, e.t.c. have proven to be effective in helping to boost cognitive strength and mental capacity.
4. Laugh!!!
Yes…Laugh!!! Why? You’ve heard that laughter is the best medicine, and that holds true for the brain and the memory, as well as the body. Unlike emotional responses, which are limited to specific areas of the brain, laughter engages multiple regions across the whole brain.
You may be thinking “How do I laugh? My co-workers are very lazy and as such make work tedious and tiring” …well let me give you some tips:
√ Laugh at yourself.
Share your embarrassing moments. The best way to take ourselves less seriously is to talk about the times when we took ourselves too seriously.
√ When you hear laughter, move toward it.
Most of the time, people are very happy to share something funny because it gives them an opportunity to laugh again and feed off the humor you find in it. When you hear laughter, seek it out and try to join in.
√ Spend time with fun, playful people.
These are people who laugh easily—both at themselves and at life’s absurdities—and who routinely find the humor in everyday events. Their playful point of view and laughter are contagious.
√ Surround yourself with reminders to lighten up.
Keep a toy on your desk or in your car. Put up a funny poster in your office. Choose a computer screensaver that makes you laugh. Frame photos of you and your loved ones having fun.
5. Physical Exercise
While mental exercise is important for brain health, that doesn’t mean you never need to break a sweat. Physical exercises helps your brain stay sharp. It increases oxygen to your brain and reduces the risk for disorders that lead to memory loss, such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
Exercise also enhances the effects of helpful brain chemicals and reduces stress hormones. Perhaps most importantly, exercise plays an important role in neuroplasticity by boosting growth factors and stimulating new neuronal connections.
A short walk to the mall can help improve your mental strength. More importantly, aerobic exercises helps the heart and what is good for your heart is beneficial to your brain as your brain needs blood to function. In addition, Physical activities that require hand-eye coordination or complex motor skills are particularly beneficial for brain building.
Now that you have learned how to increase your cognitive power, the next line of action is practice. Practice, they say makes perfect.
“The brain is like a muscle. When it is in use we feel very good. Understanding is joyous”-Carl Sagan
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