In a dynamic era of fierce competition and abundant information, the success of an individual in all spheres of life directly depends on the amount of intellectual capital. However, constant overload and chronic stress do not contribute to clarity of thinking and high performance of the brain.
Inability to concentrate, muscle weakness, indifference to events, loss of interest in exciting activities are clear symptoms of deterioration in brain function. You can ignore such signals if these signs appear in the evening after a busy day at work, or if they appear during a period of viral illness.

However, if these symptoms begin to prevail after a full night's rest and constantly interfere with the usual activities, it is necessary to take measures to revitalize the brain.

The human brain is an amazing organ, the secrets of which have not yet been fully understood. Despite the fact that a certain proportion of genetic factors influence the work of the "main computer" of a person, brain functions need to be improved on a daily basis: to develop memory, improve the ability to concentrate, polish logic and analysis.
In the case of an individual's neglect of his body, the first signs of a decrease in brain performance will appear before old age. It has been confirmed by numerous studies that cognitive and mnestic functions gradually deteriorate in people over 40 years old.
Some mature adults find it increasingly difficult to focus on one task. They find it increasingly difficult to keep the important details of the task in their head. A more time-consuming exercise becomes a clear statement of your thoughts, conducting the necessary analysis, drawing up a logical conclusion.

Degradation in host performance is not the norm. It has been established that it is possible to preserve clarity of mind and excellent memory until old age, if you do not let the process of biological decay take its course, lead a correct lifestyle and train your brain daily.

Causes of decreased brain performance
The reason for the decline in brain performance is not always natural age changes organism. There are a huge number of factors affecting brain activity that are relevant for people of working age and for children. Let's describe the main reasons for the decline in brain performance.

Factor 1. Chronic stressful condition or one-time mental stress
Prolonged action of negative external factors or a one-time strong nervous shock, a feeling of irrational anxiety or sudden fright causes the destruction of cells in the nervous system and prevents the formation of new neural connections. The consequence of this is a deterioration in the quality of all cognitive processes: attention, memory, thinking, imagination, perception and sensations.

Factor 2. Lack of sleep
Sleep deprivation reduces the ability of a person to concentrate, causes memory lapses, causes unclear speech, initiates a slowdown in all reactions. It can be argued that depriving a person of sleep is a terrible torture, insidious with serious consequences in somatic health and mental health.

Factor 3. Depressive states
In depression, there is a significant decrease in the synthesis of the neurotransmitter serotonin, which causes not only a depressed state, but also "rewards" a person with cognitive impairments, hinders high-quality intellectual activity. A drop in the level of another neurotransmitter, dopamine, initiates a significant attention deficit, a decrease in the volume of working memory, and inhibition of executive functions.

Factor 4. Dysfunction of the thyroid gland
Insufficient production of thyroid hormones leads to a delay in mental and physical development in children, and causes a significant deterioration in intellectual abilities in adults. The entire brain suffers from a deficiency of such hormones, including the departments responsible for attention and memory.

Factor 5. Lack or excess of estrogen
Increased or insufficient production of the female hormone estrogen can cause colossal disruptions in the functioning of the brain. An inappropriate level of this hormone is the cause of a sharp deterioration in memory, a decrease in the ability to concentrate.

Factor 6. Alcohol abuse
Excessive alcohol consumption has far-reaching negative consequences for the state of the brain. Alcoholism is memory lapses, clouding of consciousness, organic changes in brain cells, compression of the brain and, as a result, Korsakov's psychosis and complete disintegration of the personality.

Factor 7. Traumatic brain injury
The deplorable consequences of head injuries can manifest themselves both instantly and after a long time. Common complications of traumatic brain injury: blurred speech, pronounced decrease in intelligence.

Factor 8. Vascular pathology
Chronic vascular disorders or acute disturbance of the blood supply to the brain have an extremely negative effect on the functioning of the "main computer". Vascular problems are the cause of the deterioration of the integrative activity of the brain, interferes with the consolidation of memory, and complicates the learning process.

How to Improve Brain Performance: Mind Training
To have a toned, athletic figure, you need to exercise regularly, providing your muscles with a reasonable proportion of the load. This statement is also true for a high level of higher nervous activity, for excellent indicators of intellectual abilities, for the absence of problems with cognitive functions and memory: you should regularly train your brain.

Rule 1. Do exercises for the mind every day

We try to memorize as much new information as possible, for this we memorize poems, anecdotes, excerpts from fiction.

Let's start learning new things foreign language.

We solve puzzles, crosswords.

We solve logical and mathematical problems.

We play in board games, the conditions of which require logic and analysis.

Instead of a calculator, we perform arithmetic calculations in our head.

We mentally plan a route to a destination, we do not use a navigator.

We are trying to remember the required phone number without looking at the list of contacts on the phone.

We remember and write down the birthdays of relatives and friends on a sheet of paper.

After watching the movie, we retell the plot, we call the names of the actors.

Writing down and memorizing unusual sayings and witty quotes.

In the evening, we restore the sequence of events of the day and analyze the events that have occurred.

We list the names of famous writers, poets, artists.

We are trying to name as many concepts from one sphere as possible, for example: we list all known species of animals.

We play in computer games that require attention, for example: finding hidden things.

Rule 2. Include in the diet food for the brain
Adjusting your diet will be able to improve the quality of brain activity. Scientists have established which foods promote maximum brain activity and increase the intellectual potential of a person. Among the components that are indispensable for the brain are the following products.

Muscat grapes contain anthocyanins - substances that ensure the course of metabolic processes in the body.

Apples are able to eliminate defects in the nervous system. They are a powerful blood purifier and prevent deformation of the vascular walls, which has a beneficial effect on the productivity of brain activity.

Choline, also called vitamin B4, has a pronounced anti-atherosclerotic and nootropic effect, improves metabolic processes in the nervous tissue. The most generous product for choline is egg yolk.

Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids found in seafood and marine fish such as salmon can improve brain performance.

A valuable product for the high-quality functioning of the "main computer" is folic acid, which is rich in leafy greens, such as spinach.

Preventing natural age-related changes is quite within the power of a powerful antioxidant - tocopherol. Valuable foods containing vitamin E are olive, sunflower, corn oil.

The energy source for brain tissue is taurine. The maximum content of this amino acid is found in turkey, chicken, tuna, raw red fish and oysters.

Regular consumption of green tea can protect neurons from destruction.

Walnut will prevent the development of hypertension, atherosclerosis, coronary heart disease.

Rule 3. Getting rid of bad habits
Many treatises have been written about the damage that tobacco smoking and alcohol abuse brings to health. However, there are people who are sincerely convinced that alcohol and cigarettes help them think better and faster. The fallacy of this point of view has been proven as a result of numerous scientific studies.
Tobacco and ethanol are false brain activators that, for a short time, create the illusion that the brain is functioning more efficiently. In fact, these bad habits lead to the destruction of existing neural connections, due to which the cognitive and mnestic functions of the psyche deteriorate. The takeaway is simple: to improve brain performance, you need to say goodbye to addictions once and for all.

Rule 4. Move Vigorously
Vigorous physical exercise, brisk walking, swimming, cycling activate the work of all body systems. With a daily charge of half an hour, it is possible to achieve improved elasticity blood vessels, enhance blood circulation and lymph circulation, naturally cleanse the body of toxins and toxins. Exercise stimulates the restoration of nerve tissue, contributes to the emergence of new neural connections, which, ultimately, will have a beneficial effect on the performance of the brain.

Rule 5. We carry out a head massage
Daily head and neck massage enhances blood circulation in the vessels of the brain and promotes venous outflow. Perfect option- once a season visit the salon of a professional massage therapist, and the rest of the time, do the massage yourself. The procedure can be performed in the classical way - with your hands, and using a special device - a massager. Elementary brushing of hair for 10 minutes can improve blood circulation.

Rule 6. We use color therapy, we use essential oils
It has been established that each specific color has a specific effect on the functioning of the body. Some shades excite the nervous system and activate the brain, others calm and pacify. A picture made in bright yellow tones can improve the performance of the brain - this color significantly improves the intellectual abilities of a person. A rich orange color will be an effective stimulant for reaching new heights and self-affirmation.

Progress in brain performance can be achieved with aromatherapy. Natural essential oils with citrus scent and wood scent have a tonic effect on the body, contributing to the development of cognitive functions.

Rule 7. Develop your abilities
To discover our hidden talents, we use a proven technique: for a short time we block one of the channels of perception. We can eat with our eyes closed, brush our teeth, or brush with our left hand. We try to close our eyes, identify the object by touch and recognize the product by smell. We also develop the ability to ambidexterity - we train the functions of both hands, for example: we draw geometric shapes with both hands at the same time.

Hello dear blog readers! The brain's performance is reduced due to various factors, for example, such as frequent stress, alcohol, smoking, excessive stress, both mental and physical, poor quality, malnutrition, and so on. And if changing the diet is more or less simple, then what about the stresses from which a modern person can neither hide nor hide? And today I will tell you about the most effective methods so that the head is clear.

Top ways

1. Cleansing blood vessels

Unfortunately, the surrounding reality, unless you live in the taiga, leaves much to be desired in terms of cleanliness and ecology. In this regard, the vessels become so contaminated that they clog up, forming the so-called plaques. In general, in this regard, an insufficient amount of blood is supplied to the brain, since the blood circulation process is disturbed.

Therefore, it is recommended to consume a large number of liquids, freshly squeezed juices, preferably carrots and apples. It is also beneficial to eat garlic, onions, cabbage and parsley. In addition to the fact that you will receive the vitamins necessary for the body, you will also clean the blood vessels. You can see about the usefulness and need for water.

2. Oxygen

I think you are aware that oxygenated blood nourishes the hemispheres, which in turn increases their performance. Not only walks in the fresh air are useful, but also exercise.

For example, holding your breath. This technique helps to absorb more oxygen, as the lungs open more fully. You just have to pause breathing when you exhale. Take a short pause and inhale again. If you feel tired, apply it immediately.

6. Training

To be in good shape, you need to constantly train. In this case, mentally. When you think tensely about something, blood circulation is increased, which causes more oxygen to enter the cells. So, so that your head is clear, give yourself loads, and every day.

The choice for today is wide, you can get carried away with crosswords, and just read books, solve puzzles, reflect, discuss life and its frailty, add a puzzle and learn a foreign language. Also recommend this online service for brain development, there you will find many interesting exercises in a playful way.

The main thing is that you think, otherwise the cells will begin to atrophy over time if they are not used. The body will simply begin to get rid of them. And this threatens with mental retardation, memory loss and other diseases. Be sure to look at the article "The most effective exercises for charging the brain."

7. Vitamins

In a complex way, that is, adhering to the above methods, you can use drugs that activate the activity of the hemispheres themselves. For example, a headbuster is considered popular and effective at the moment. It not only speeds up the thinking process, but even helps to cope with anxiety, fears and headaches. Read more about it in more detail, and you can even purchase it by going to link.

8. Physical activity

It is necessary, since in the process of training, substances are produced that make neurons healthier and stronger, and this significantly increases the effectiveness of mental activity.

If you are not used to training, you should start gradually, without giving yourself an increased load, everything should be in moderation in order to benefit. Ideally, do a headstand, even beginners will master it with the support and insurance of loved ones, leaning against the wall. But before doing the stance, prepare your body with bends. At first, you will feel dizzy, and when you get used to it and the special changes in sensations stop bothering you, feel free to roll over.

Even doctors emphasize the usefulness of this exercise, noting that it practically eliminates the risks of getting a stroke and other diseases associated with poor circulation. Therefore, you should not come up with excuses that there is not enough money or time to visit the hall, you can take care of your health and your future without even leaving your home.

9. Daily routine

If you do not follow it, then no pills and energy drinks will help you become more alert and active, and, accordingly, make your head work. When biorhythms go astray, that is, if a person goes to bed very late, sleeps quite a bit, and so on - this significantly affects his condition and well-being.

10. Dependencies

Declare a fight on addictions, if you have them. For example, smoking negatively affects not only the lungs, increasing the risk of cancer, but also becomes the culprit for inflammation of the walls of blood vessels in the brain, and this, as you know, significantly affects mental activity and performance.

I think you yourself are well aware of the consequences of alcohol and drug use. So take the will into a fist, come up with a worthwhile motivation for yourself to lead healthy image life, enlist the support of loved ones and go ahead, tie up with addiction. This, by the way, will also raise your level of self-esteem, self-respect for some achievements has not been canceled.

High performance of the brain is a state in which this organ is able to work for a long time without fatigue, as well as create information flows within its structures. This mode of operation allows you to cover a variety of information links, to identify the necessary fragments and ways to solve problems.

Let's consider how to increase the working capacity of the brain, and for what reasons it decreases.

We are engaged in self-development

Self-development with Youtube

How to improve brain performance? Lifelong learning is the key to active brain activity, as well as a way to prevent senile diseases such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and memory loss. Anyone who learns something new retains clarity of thinking until old age.

The Internet is a huge repository of useful information, in particular in video and audio format. The largest video hosting site, for example, has many educational channels on a variety of topics.

Russian-language YouTube channels:

• Postnauka - scientists and research institutes in simple words explain complex scientific things;
• Nauchpok - the video on the channel is presented in animated videos that clearly explain various facts;
• Science and Technology, It Works - translations of famous Western broadcasts.

There are even more English-language educational channels:

• Crash Course - an intensive course throughout the history of mankind;
• Discovery Channel - a resource covering topics of geography, technology, world science, etc .;
• Veritasium - explanation simple language how everything in the world works;
• National Geographic is a wildlife channel, archaeological finds, natural science;
• Science Channel is a scientific resource about space, technology and discoveries in science.

There is also a paid resource The Great Courses by The Teaching Company - audio and video lectures in English on a variety of topics (Psychology, History, Natural Sciences, Cosmology, Physiology, Religion, Creativity, Literature and much more).

Learn foreign languages

Scientists have found that for high intelligence it is better to know several languages ​​"a little" than one, but thoroughly. This is the basis for improving the performance of the brain.

When learning a foreign language, certain areas of the brain begin to increase in size. Thus, professional translators always have more gray matter compared to people who do not know other languages.

As with lifelong learning, learning foreign languages ​​prevents the onset of Alzheimer's syndrome. For those who speak two or more languages, dementia occurs, on average, one or several years later.

Also, foreign languages ​​improve memory and multitasking ability (the ability to quickly switch between different things, solve a number of problems in the mind at the same time).

Where you can learn foreign languages ​​in your free time and for free:

• BBC Languages ​​- 40 foreign languages ​​are available for study, lessons are presented in the form of texts and videos;
• Busuu - a game application for learning popular foreign languages ​​in the form of tests, pictures;
• Livemocha - foreign courses, there are also blogs and forums with useful information;
• Interpals is a network that unites many people from all over the world: to find new friends and communicate with them, a basic level of knowledge of a foreign language is enough;
• on the Duolingo service, you can learn 6 of the most popular foreign languages ​​according to the program, which is built in the form of achievements.

Read the correct literature

How to increase your mental performance to the maximum? Don't waste time with modern romance novels and low-grade detectives. The best way Is a classic fiction, poetry, historical, philosophical and scientific works, analytical articles and notes. Try to read one fiction book a week if possible.

There is also a separate segment of literature devoted to how to improve the performance of the human brain. The most popular books include: "Mind Training" (Tom Woodjack), "Develop Intellect" (Philip Carter), "Brain 100%" (Olga Kinyakina), "Basics of rote memorization" (Zach Belmore).

So, in order to increase the activity and working capacity of the brain, it is important to regularly exercise it. But do not forget about rest: not allowing it to recover, you will not achieve results.

How to properly rest

Develop a sleep pattern

The ability of the brain to function effectively can be rapidly improved by following a routine of sleep, work, and rest.

It is recommended to adhere to the natural daily rhythm - evening rest, night sleep, morning awakening, daytime wakefulness. If a person is accustomed to working at night and considers himself an "owl", then he simply adapted to the wrong daily regimen. When he returns to his natural sleep-wake cycle, his brain will be more productive.

As for the number of hours of sleep, it is individual for each, but it is better to sleep at least 6 and no more than 9 hours a day.

In addition, melanin is produced at night. 70% of its creation falls on the night hours. Melanin cleanses the body of harmful elements, prevents the effects of cancer cells, helps to restore cellular processes after taking alcohol, drugs. With its help, the condition of the skin can also be improved.

By the way, scientists argue that in a dream there is a transition of information into long-term memory, as well as the creation of new connections between neurons. It improves the thought process.

Wake up properly

After the alarm has rang, you need to get up immediately. If you woke up shortly before him, you also need to get up, even if you want to sleep. When you get up, after a couple of minutes, the drowsiness will completely disappear.

It is helpful to wake up in the light. In winter, it is better to buy special alarm clocks that ring after the lights are turned on.

Come up with some invigorating rituals, such as a contrast shower, and do them all the time. A contrast shower is best done in the morning and warm in the evening.

Get ready for bed

The bedroom should not be stuffy, hot and light.

It is not recommended to use sleeping pills, as they depress the nervous system and carry with them a lot of unpleasant side effects... A few hours before bedtime, it is advisable to take a walk in the fresh air, do a little exercise.

To live an active lifestyle

The average city dweller experiences many unpleasant effects from a sedentary lifestyle. Cycling, morning or evening jogging, visiting the gym will help to solve this problem. Instead of standing in a traffic jam for an hour or pushing on the subway, you can spend the same hour outdoors - on a bicycle.

In this case, it is better to get up and leave the house before traffic jams and rush hour - the air will be cleaner and fresher, the percentage of harmful impurities in it is reduced. In addition, after the bike ride, your appetite wakes up - you can happily eat a healthy breakfast.

If you cannot afford to get to work in this way, then just get out 1-2 stops before your own and walk.

Relax while you work

How to improve working capacity? Proper rest means new activities, not coffee, smoking rooms, or mindless surfing on entertainment sites.

It is best to get out of the office, do an exercise, walk down the street, or at least stand by open window... Light physical activity helps to restore blood flow, tone of relaxed blood vessels and muscles, and also accelerates the removal of waste products of cells from the body.

Rest after work

The best rest is jogging, swimming, rollerblading and ice skating. Simply cleaning the apartment on weekends can also help you take a break from mental activity.

Avoid monotony in your life: master new routes, change your usual store, study new recipes for dishes, do not watch your favorite films several times, visit museums, theaters and cinemas, read a lot of different literature.

Why does brain performance decrease?

Consider how you can increase the performance of the human brain by improving the environment and getting rid of bad habits.

Unfavorable working conditions

Lighting

One of the main reasons for feeling tired is inadequate lighting in the workplace. You should not be in the twilight or in the dark for a long time, as this indicates to the brain that it is time to fall asleep. Also, the contrast between a bright monitor and a dark room negatively affects vision and is fatiguing.

It is also not worth rushing to extremes. Some companies decide to decorate their offices "outside the box" - in such rooms there are many different sources of light, glare, the walls are painted in bright poisonous colors. A workplace like that destroys productivity.

Extraneous sounds, noise

Music in headphones and the constantly playing radio strain the hearing analyzer, which is not the most the best way affects brain activity. It is better not to listen to anything while working.

Inconvenient workplace

The most common example is placing the monitor too high. This strains the muscles in the neck, which interferes with normal venous and blood flow. The blood supply to the brain begins to deteriorate. In the future, this leads to a decrease in performance and frequent headaches.

Bad habits

Improper nutrition

Instant noodles, chips, croutons and other similar products contain glutamate in their composition, the task of which is to enhance the taste. At the same time, glutamate causes a nootropic effect in the central nervous system. The nootropic passes quickly, but the abuse of harmful products changes the biochemical processes that take place in the nervous tissue.

Also, malnutrition gradually leads to a lack of vitamins and other vital elements in the body. Without them, cells are unable to function normally.

The diet should contain vegetable fats, fish and fresh vegetables.

Vegetable fats and fish are fat-soluble vitamins and fatty acids. These products contain vitamins E and A, which take part in many synthesis reactions, act as antioxidants.

Vegetables are useful because they contain vitamins, provitamins and their derivatives.

Brain performance also decreases in those who adhere to veganism. Meat contains many essential amino acids and iron in the form that is absorbed by the body much easier and faster than plant foods. To improve the working state of the brain, you can not give up meat.

A healthy, nutritious breakfast can boost your brain performance all day.

• Make your brain sweat
• Eat right
• Don't overeat
• Wake up easy
• Massage your head

The pace of modern life with its constant overload and stress does not contribute to clarity of thought and mental performance in any way. Inability to concentrate, distraction of attention, lack of interest, weakness, indifference are clear signs of decreased brain performance. You can not betray them much value if they appear in the evening or when you go to bed, because during the night the body will rest and gain strength. But what if the same signs are on the face in the morning? How to increase brain performance?

How to improve brain performance

Make your brain sweat

Exercising the mind improves the neural connections of the brain and builds up a reserve of intellectual power. Perform special exercises to develop memory, start learning foreign languages, solve crosswords and solve math problems, play games that develop thinking (for example, in board business games). Strain your gray matter more often, and you will not have to ask yourself the question - "How to increase the performance of the brain."

Surrounded by all sorts of gadgets, we too rarely use our brains. Put the calculator aside and count in your head (if you take out the calculator every time you need to add more than two numbers, you will not be able to increase brain performance, and your mental abilities will weaken from day to day), map out the trip route mentally, without resorting to the help of a navigator , try, without looking into your notebook, to remember the phone number you need (the more numbers spinning in your head, the more new connections arise between neurons).

Eat right

It is known that the brain needs sugar to work, and many, wanting to increase the brain's performance, eat sweets in kilograms. With sedentary work, this is a surefire path to obesity: sugar is quickly absorbed and burned out. It is better to eat foods that contain natural starch and sugars: potatoes, legumes, rice, brown bread, nuts, etc. This food will be digested more slowly, and the brain will have enough energy for several hours.

How to eat right to increase mental performance, learn in the article - " Vitamins for the mind - food for memory».

It is important not only what we eat, but also what we drink. A cup of coffee every hour is not the best way to increase your brain performance. Put a bottle of plain water on your desk and drink a glass every hour, even if you don't feel like drinking. This will save you from the heat (it will soon come) and from dehydration of the body (including dehydration of brain cells), which is often the cause of loss of performance and overwork.

Don't overeat

The performance of the brain depends on the amount of food we eat. Scientists from the University of Florida, through an experiment, have shown that satiety leads to dullness and negatively affects mental performance.

During the experiment, laboratory rats were divided into two identical groups. The first group received food in excess, while the diet of the second group was significantly limited.

Regular observations have shown that the body of malnourished rats produces an order of magnitude less cytochrome (a protein that destroys brain cells), which, according to scientists, causes irreparable damage to the brain, and therefore affects the performance of the brain in general, and in particular on decision making process, on development of memory and thinking.

The second group of rats, hungry, responded much better than those who ate as much food as they wanted. The scientists gave the media interviews, they summarized the following words: “ Now it is safe to say that hunger is good for health and has a positive effect on increasing brain performance ».

Surely many who overeat during lunch feel that their performance is deteriorating, and draws to sleep right at the workplace... So don't overeat!

Read useful literature more often

The benefits of reading for improving brain performance, I think, are beyond doubt.

Reading not only increases concentration, but also stimulates the imagination: the content of the book turns into visual images in our heads. Hence, the brain is working. Scientists from the Mayo Clinic (USA) are convinced that reading reduces the likelihood that over time we will be blunt about any reason. " New material- this is not only new information, but also new images in the head. Any history book will force you to make comparisons with the present, which involves the analytical skills that the right hemisphere is responsible for."- says one of the researchers at the Mayo Clinic.

Instead of staring at the TV, grab a cognitive book and spend at least 30 minutes reading it (reading for half an hour every day will increase your brain performance).

Speaking about informative and useful literature, I mean Russian and foreign classics, historical and special literature, poetry. But the yellow press (who is with whom, who has more, and who is more expensive), comics and other similar reading materials are unlikely to have a good effect on increasing the performance of the brain.

Get distracted, rest and get enough sleep

Working without rest always leads to loss of performance. Recently, the American Journal of Epidemiology published a study that states: “ Fifty-five or more working hours a week (eleven hours a day for a five-day week) lead to rather low indicators in tests for vocabulary and ingenuity. The best option is 35-40 - hour work week". It is clear that you cannot approach the authorities and say: “ If you want the team to work better, reduce the working time". In such conditions, it is possible to increase efficiency by taking short breaks.

Feel free to scratch your tongue over a cup of coffee with your work colleagues. Here is what Oscar Ibarra, the author of one of the studies conducted at the University of Michigan, says: “ Sometimes idle talk is helpful. Those who take breaks from work and chat with coworkers for ten minutes pass the quick wits tests better than those who do them right away, without talking. And that's why - communicative communication sharpens memory and activates other brain functions, because it requires information processing (for example, to determine if the interlocutor is lying or telling the truth)».

To those who have remote work can control their working hours without fear of being reprimanded to take an hour or two off. The main thing is not to sit like a robot and remember that if you get distracted and rest, it will increase your performance.

Do not forget to arrange for yourself the weekend (especially for those who work remotely and for themselves). The best vacation is outdoor recreation! Hunting, fishing, hiking in the forest for berries, climbing the mountains, barbecue in the country - all these are good ways to give your brain a break from stressful everyday life, recharge with energy and increase the efficiency of the brain.

And of course, speaking of rest and its effect on improving brain performance, it should be noted the importance of healthy and adequate sleep. After all, it is known that lack of sleep and lack of sleep lead to premature overwork and short-sighted decisions.

Follow a routine: fall asleep every day and wake up at a specific time. Even on weekends, try to stick to the established routine.

Wake up easy

Physiologists all over the world advise learn to wake up without an alarm... Getting up at the right time without the aid of an alarm clock will make you feel more sleepy. Consequently, you have more energy and strength, a clearer head and better mood.

Give up bad habits

Much has been said about the dangers of smoking and drinking alcoholic beverages, but there are people who claim that tobacco and alcohol (especially smoking) stimulate the efficiency of brain activity. However, doctors with their numerous experiments (I will not go into details) have proved that the opinion about tobacco and alcohol as stimulants of brain activity is false and unfounded. Tobacco, like alcohol, is not a true, but a false stimulant of efficiency and productivity. He creates only the illusion of "enlightenment" of the head and a surge of strength. In reality, smoking tobacco and drinking alcohol do not allow focus on study and work, reduce the level of efficiency, reduce the amount of work performed, and also worsen their quality.

Not sure how to improve your brain performance? The first thing to do is quit smoking and excessive alcohol consumption!

Force yourself to move as much as possible.

Daily exercise will help improve the elasticity of blood vessels and blood circulation, help restore lost neural connections and promote the emergence of new ones, which will lead to improved brain performance.

Massage your head

Head and neck massage improves blood flow in the cerebral cortex, and therefore is beneficial for cellular cerebral circulation. If possible, visit a professional massage therapist, if finances or time is tight, self-massage will help. Information on how to do self-massage of the head and neck area on the Internet is a dime a dozen. I will only say that if you perform this massage every day for ten minutes for several weeks, you will notice that by the evening the ability to think clearly and clearly will not disappear, and fatigue will not be so obvious.

Use colors and aromatherapy

It has been proven that some smells and colors have a calming effect, while others, on the contrary, are pathogens and irritants for the brain (for more details, see the article "Color therapy"). The work of the brain is well stimulated by yellow color - it tones up and invigorates, increases mental performance and cheers up (you can hang a drawing above your desk in which this color prevails). Of the scents, citrus and woody aromas are well suited to increase brain performance. Use natural essential oils, not air fresheners.

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We offer a small list of actions to improve brain performance:

Learn a foreign language

Learning a foreign language is a rather complicated process that we go through as children, when our brain is still developing. The way to create a similar development in our brain again is to try to learn new language when we became adults. This will dramatically sharpen our minds and help us deal with memory problems as we age.

Create reading lists

Reading lists enable us to learn purposefully and focus on the information we consume. We can create reading lists by area of ​​interest, region, culture, or historical period.

Appreciate cultures

Another way to increase your brain performance and make yourself smarter is to expand your understanding of culture, for example, good creative works. Watch movies, visit galleries, listen to music, get to know your own and other cultures.

Get enough sleep

A night's sleep gives your brain cells a rest so they can recharge and clear our heads. Sleep actually increases the functionality of your brain, resulting in a person becoming smarter and able to process more information.

Eat healthy foods

Eating healthy foods (eating and drinking) gives your body the nourishment it needs to keep your brain in top shape. What's more, certain types of nutrients can actually increase the ability of neurons to function faster and more efficiently.

Interaction with society

When you are working on social networking, online or in real life You are training your brain's ability to connect with different people. Recent studies on prisoners held in solitary confinement show that brain activity decreases as well as after a severe head injury!

Play the right video games

Several recent scientific studies have shown that certain types of video games can help you get smarter, because video games often train hand-eye coordination while at the same time forcing you to take quick decisions in critical situations. Researchers in the UK found that children who played brain-training video games for 10 minutes a week improved their math scores dramatically.

Look for educational content online

The Internet can be a great source of distraction and entertainment, but it is also a great source with many educational resources. Oftentimes, many universities download video lectures from their courses. You can also find many sites that allow you to sign up for free seminars and classes.

Solve puzzles

Don't underestimate the importance of puzzles and difficult tasks such as crosswords and number puzzles. They can really help you, especially if you are looking for a way to pass the time on the road or in flight. The Mayo Clinic claims these puzzles support your brain especially well when it is going through old age.

In our Main Thought Library, you can read reviews of books by John Medina and. You will learn a lot from them interesting facts about how the brain works and how to improve its performance.