What is smart? Some people judge
smarts by standard benchmarks like test scores and grade point averages. Others
think common sense, problem solving abilities and "street smarts"
define intelligence. Standardized testing scores have proven unreliable and
biased along racial and socioeconomic lines, and cramming for classes can lead
to GPAs that aren't a true indicator of intelligence.
While we can't all agree on a
standard for intelligence, we can agree that the human brain
is the key to all of them. It has a great capacity to adapt, rewire and grow.
Neural networks expand and strengthen through learning experiences. Stimuli make
the brain stronger and more vital. This reinforcement of the brain's power
affects intelligence across all standards, from street smarts to testing
scores. Here are five ways you can increase your brain's capacity to take in
and store new data. Or, said more simply, here's how you can get smarter.
5: Meditate
For thousands of years, we've known
the benefits of meditation.
The practice of meditation can be different for each person, but it generally
involves quiet, focused breathing exercises in which the practitioner is able
to achieve a state of mental calm. Regardless of whether you believe that this
mental calm is an enlightened state of consciousness, no one can deny the
benefits of relaxed, focused breathing. FMRI scans have
revealed that regular meditation also affects the actual structure of the
brain. Researchers believe that memory, function, attention span and focus all
benefit from meditation. One study showed that regular daily meditation can
even increase the size of parts of the cerebral cortex. Not surprisingly, some
of the world's leading and forward-thinking corporations offer meditation
classes for their employees.
Figuring out two across is a great
mental workout.
4: Exercise Your Brain
The brain, like many parts of the
human body, needs regular exercise
in order to maintain strength and vitality. Some more common brain
strengthening exercises include fun activities like crossword puzzles, Sudoku,
and other word- and number-based brain teasers. There are other more academic
ways as well, like completing math word problems and exercises relating to
spatial relationships and geometry. Even simply reading this article gives your
brain a slight workout. If these ideas are a little too scholarly for you, try
simple things like mixing up your routine. Just brushing your teeth with the
opposite hand or walking a different way to work forces your brain to work
harder than usual, which is ultimately what you want to do.
3: Ingest Bacteria
In June 2010, researchers at The
Sage Colleges presented findings that show certain types of bacteria
commonly found in dirt made mice "smarter." The mice given Mycobacterium
vaccae performed better in maze tests and showed fewer signs of anxiety and
higher levels of serotonin in the forebrain, the area that takes care of
higher-order thinking. The bacteria seem to promote the growth of neurons as
well. This doesn't mean that we should all go out and start shoveling dirt in
our mouths: You can actually ingest it by doing yard work, gardening and even by simply taking a walk
through the woods.
These guys are getting a little smarter,
one nap at a time.
2: Get Some Sleep
Wakeful exercises for the brain are
great and necessary to help improve brain function so you can get smarter. But
what about sleep?
Not a whole lot is known about sleep, but we know now that scientists were
wrong for years with the belief that the brain simply shut down during sleep to
recharge. Research now indicates that the brain may actually do a little
nighttime filing during sleep. The information from the previous day is
catalogued and put in the proper mental folders so it can make the journey from
short-term memory
to long-term. Sleeping problems have been known to exacerbate other brain
issues, so it makes sense that a good night's sleep can help increase the
brain's function and ability to focus. It varies from person to person, but
between six and eight hours of sleep for adults is generally recommended.
1: Take Care of Your Body
The human body is all connected, so
you can't take care of one part of it without benefiting some other part.
Physical exercise is important for good health, for both the body and the
brain. Simply increasing your blood flow kicks up the oxygen and glucose levels in the brain.
The coordination it takes to perform exercises also gives the brain a workout,
especially if you're trying something new. Exercise
also means you're battling sedentary lifestyle, or one free from mental
stimuli.
Food is also important. There are
many foods that have been associated with brain health, including fish oil,
eggs, protein and dark green vegetables. Green tea, herbal tea and nuts are
also good "brain food." Eating right, getting the required amount of
sleep and exercises, both mental and physical, are the keys to improving memory
and overall brain function.
Lots More Information
Related
Articles
- Is emotional intelligence a better indicator
of brain health than IQ?
- How Geniuses Work
- Why are people's brains different sizes?
- Can brain damage lead to extraordinary art?
Sources
- "The Human Brain." The Franklin Institute.
2010.http://www.fi.edu/learn/brain/exercise.html#physicalexercise
- "Want to Get Smarter? Eat Dirt."
Abcnews.go.com.
2010.http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/DyeHard/smarter-eat-dirt/story?id=10859672&page=2
- Campbell, Denis. " Simple ways to make yourself
far cleverer." Guardian.co.uk. March 5,
2006.http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2006/mar/05/media.bbc
- Campbell, Denis. "How to get your brain up to
speed." Guardian.co.uk. Dec. 2, 2007.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2007/dec/02/medicalresearch.foodtech
- Cullen, Lisa. "How to Get Smarter, One Breath at a
Time." Time.com. Jan. 10,
2006.http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1147167-1,00.html
- Tierny, John. "How to Get Smarter."
Nytimes.com. Aug. 25, 2008.http://tierneylab.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/08/25/how-to-get-smarter/
