Twenties Life

Whether in college, our careers, or just trying to solve a puzzle, brainpower and critical thinking skills are crucial to every day life.  We require the use of logic and problem solving skills each day for a multitude of tasks.  The sad truth, though, is that many of us have brains that have already begun deteriorating since our days of cramming for exams and pulling all-nighters for finals week.  It doesn’t have to be this way though.  There are plenty of things we can do to “exercise” our brains and increase brainpower.  Train your brain with these techniques and you’ll have a mind as fit as a bodybuilder’s body.

1. Sleep on it:  Sometimes all it takes to really solve a problem is to think about it a bit before going to sleep.  When we sleep our minds aren’t limited by the logic that we use day to day, and the abstract thinking can really help see a different perspective.  Sometimes you just need to sleep on it.
2. Exercise Your Body: Research has shown that people who exercise a minimum of 10 minutes per day have 30% increased brain function.  Get the blood flowing and you brain will help you solve problems.
3. Focus Your Breathing: Oxygen is one of the foods of the brain.  When you focus on taking slow, deep breaths, your brain is flooded with a large amount of oxygen.  This allows it to do it’s best work.  When you have a brain-intensive activity coming up, focus on your breathing before and during to ensure your brain is fed.
4. Sit Up Straight:  Posture has a lot to do with brainpower as well.  Optimum sitting position is to sit up straight, square your shoulders, and keep your head straight above your neck.  Studies have shown this to be a more effective posture than slouching or laying down.
5. Learn Your Cycle:  Our brain works in cycles.  Generally we have about 90 minutes of high brain function and activity followed by a 30 minute lull.  If you can accurately observe the difference, and plan accordingly, you can do your best thinking when your brain is in power mode and do your mundane activities during your brain’s down time.
6. Learn a New Language: Here comes more science.  Research has shown that learning a new language in middle and older age decreases the onset of age-related decline of mental function as well as mental related diseases.  Learn a couple of new words a day and you’ll be well on your way to a good healthy brain in your later years.
7. Write Often:  Not just responding to emails, but writing for yourself.  Write about your day, your thoughts, your feelings, your plans, your goals.  Get comfortable with a pen and paper.  It helps you concentrate your thoughts and helps your brain realize what’s important as far as memory formation goes.
8. Listen To Classical Music: In a study that tested children after studying with and without classical music, the children who studied with the music tested on average 80% higher than the children who studies without it.  Listen to classical music when studying or really working your brain.
9. Caffeine:  Though it’s often a double edged sword, if used right caffeine can be one of the greatest sources of boost for brain power that we have.  Skip it in the morning, so that it’s ready and potent when you need it.  People who drink coffee daily develop a resistance to it’s effects, thus feeling sluggish and requiring more and more as the days go on, while those who keep it in the reserves for only when necessary experience a boost and mental and physical capabilities.
10. Avoid Sugar:  Large amounts of sugar tend to give us a very short rush followed by a long lull.  This is because the sugar is burned as energy, but if not used quickly is then converted to fat as storage.  When the sugar is broken down, insulin is released and blood is used for digestion rather than brain power.  Less blood in the brain means less good thinking.
11. Clear Your Mind:  Practice this often.  Just make the decision to and then execute clearing your mind.  The faster and better you become, the more control you have over your mental function.  People who aren’t good at clearing their mind often find that there is a lot of noise going on in there when they need to really be thinking… practice now and it will serve you well later.
12. Social Interaction:  Many people don’t realize this but social interaction takes a lot of brain power.  We are quickly and constantly thinking about what everyone else around us is saying, interpreting how we feel about it, and considering and executing a response.  Then we observe reactions to other our responses and the whole process restarts itself.  It’s a pretty mentally heavy activity.  The more we do it, the better we get, the more fit our brains become.
13. Define and Prove Your Beliefs:  It’s easy to adopt beliefs that someone else has proved to us.  It sounds good, so we just believe it.  But when we define our beliefs to others and try to prove them, we find that we may not be as eloquent as the person who proved them to us.  If you can get into the habit of being able to eloquently and logically express your beliefs, your mind will flourish.
14. Eat Fish:  Fish is rich in omega fatty acids, the same that fuel the brain and healthy brain function.  Eat more fish.
15. Drink water:  I don’t think  I need to remind you of all the reasons you need water, but you need it.  Try to drink 6 glasses of water a day, then drink more.
16. Solve Puzzles, Riddles, and Games: These are like bench-press and bicep curls for your brain.  Do them often.
17. Eat Smaller Meals:  Smaller meals means less time digesting, which means faster recovery from digestion and more time for higher brain function.  Ever notice how after a big meal you get sleepy and lethargic?  Avoid that like the plague.
18. Take a Multi-vitamin: In America we just don’t eat the way we need to.  Though it’s not a proper replacement for healthy eating, a multi-vitamin will help ensure that you aren’t terribly deficient of any important vitamins and minerals.
19. Manage Stress:  Stress is like poison to a healthy brain.  It decreases our ability to think clearly and properly solve problems.  Learning to manage your stress could be the best way to ensure a healthy brain.
20. Practice Your Math: Even shopping can be a place to practice your math.  For example, what’s 40% off of $80?  If you don’t know, you need to get to action!

Following these steps is only the beginning to building a stronger, faster, healthier brain.  There are many other things you can do as well.  What do you do to ensure that your brain is in tip top shape?