6 Ways to Improve Brain Power WITHOUT Supplements

Nootriment is all about the safe and informed use of dietary supplements to support both good health and mental and physical performance.

But no matter how effective the supplement, adopting a healthy lifestyle always comes first. Here are some tips to help support cognitive performance without using supplements.

Scientists once thought most of the brain’s development occurred in the early years of life and afterwards change was difficult or impossible: our brains were set and so were our personalities.

But researchers have recently discovered that the human brain is more plastic and malleable than once thought. This means the brain can be modified well into our adult years, a phenomenon often called brain plasticity or neuroplasticity.

The new evidence of the brain’s plasticity has many people looking for ways to improve their cognitive performance. We normally think of cognitive performance as intelligence, but it is so much more: focus, long-term memory, working memory, attention and mental health all impact how well you can mentally perform.

The good news is contemporary research indicates adopting certain lifestyle habits may help improve aspects of cognitive performance. Here we talk about how six of these habits – mindfulness, exercise, diet, sleep, new experiences and socialization – impact the brain and help improve your performance.

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#1: Mindfulness Meditation: Training Focus and Attention

This ancient spiritual practice has received a lot of attention recently for its ability to help stave off 21st century stress and improve attention.

Harvard Medical School’s Ronald D. Siegel defines mindfulness as “awareness of present experience with acceptance.” [1]

Sounds easy enough, but anyone who has sat and watched their thoughts knows the mind is an unruly thing that can take you from one stressful thought to the next.

The practice of mindfulness is just that: practice. In fact, some have described it as a daily workout for your brain. What are you working out, exactly? Your ability to focus and develop cognitive discipline, two hallmarks of heightened cognitive function.

In his 2013 TIME Magazine article, Daniel Goleman writes, “forget delayed gratification: what kids really need is cognitive control.” [2] The same can be said for adults.

Cognitive control (also referred to as executive function) is a term used to encapsulate the regulation of many cognitive functions, including reasoning, memory, focus, problem solving and planning.

The ability to exercise cognitive control is associated with improved efficiency, decreased stress and increased productivity. When you can recognize your desire to check your email after five minutes of work and are able to shelve that thought for a bit, you work better and reduce stress related to inefficiency.

Practicing Mindfulness

While mindfulness is a crucial component of ancient spiritual traditions like Buddhism, it is possible to practice mindfulness meditation without subscribing to any larger spiritual belief.

The practice of mindfulness can involve a daily meditation session where you focus your attention on one experience – usually the breath – and kindly bring your attention back to the breath when your mind inevitably wanders.

Meditation isn’t about clearing your mind of thoughts, but practicing letting go of thoughts and returning your attention to one point of focus.

At the core of mindfulness is a commitment to begin again, over and over, after you inevitably get distracted. Being able to do this without chastising yourself or placing judgement is the training of mindfulness.

But you can practice mindfulness without meditating. Really paying attention to doing the dishes, making a sandwich or the feeling of your feet as you go for a walk helps train your attention and focus, and that can help reduce stress and encourage creative thinking.

The Science of Meditation

Researchers have observed that individuals who are trained in mindfulness meditation exhibit improved executive attention compared to non-meditators. [3] The same researchers also observed that the attention of meditators was more flexible and less prone to distraction – either by outside stimuli or internal thoughts.

Researchers hypothesise that the practice of detaching from distractions and reorienting to the task at hand is trained during mindfulness meditation, which may explain why they observed the meditators exhibited better attention compared to the untrained group.

How Meditation Changes Your Brain

There is a lot of talk about the effects of meditation, but what does meditation actually do to your brain?

The brain is made up of three major areas: the cerebrum, cerebellum and brain stem. The cerebrum takes up the most space in your skull and is the site of everything from problem solving to feeling, thinking to bodily movement.

The cerebrum is covered by a wrinkled surface known as the cortex, which is involved in forming memories, interpreting sensations, solving problems and critical thinking. Scientists have mapped most of the cortex to understand what portions of the cortex are correlated with specific functions.

Under the cerebrum, at the back of your head, is the cerebellum, a curiously small portion of the brain thought to be responsible for coordination and balance. But while it only accounts for a fraction of the brain’s volume, the cerebellum is thought to contain over 50 percent of the brain’s neurons, making it one of the central mysteries of neuroscience.

Neurons are extremely important because they do all the heavy lifting (or heavy thinking) in the brain. The average adult brain contains about 100 billion neurons (also known as nerve cells) that connect to form what scientists often call a neuron forest: a complex series of linkages that are responsible for forming our memories, feelings and thoughts.

These neurons encode memories and thoughts as tiny electrical charges that cause the release of neurotransmitters – chemicals that can bind to and signal other neurons. All of this happens at the synapse, the sites where neurons connect to one another. When a neuronal charge reaches a synapse, the synapse may release neurotransmitters that can trigger other neurons.

Over the course of our lifetime neuronal paths are developed, similar to well-worn paths that we have walked many times. These neuronal paths play a role in how we think and our sense of self.

Meditation and the Brain

Researchers have observed that people who maintain a consistent meditation practice have an increase in gray matter density in the medulla oblongata, the portion of the brain near the cerebellum that is largely responsible for involuntary muscle movement. [4]

Daily meditation practice has also been observed to increase the neuronal connections between the brain’s lateral prefrontal cortex (the logic center of the brain) and the insula (the portion of the brain that interprets bodily sensations.

In non-meditators, the insula and the medial prefrontal cortex (what Dr. Rebecca Gladding describes as the “Me Center” of the brain) possess stronger neuronal connections and this connection is broken down in regular meditators. [5]

In practical terms, what this means is that those who meditate are less likely to interpret bodily sensations as an indication that something is wrong with them (because of the breakdown of connection between the insula and the medial prefrontal cortex).

By increasing the connection between the logic center of the brain and the insula, meditators are better able to contextualize their experiences and not be so reactive. This is one of the ways meditation is thought to reduce stress. [5]

# 2: Exercise Your Way to Improved Memory

It turns out gym class was an extremely important part of your education.

Universities have long held that physical activity is tied to improved scholarly performance and higher education has long been connected to sports and other physical activity.

Many of us have experienced the restorative nature of exercise, which can help us achieve the mental clarity to get in that extra hour of studying.

Contemporary research is beginning to reveal why exercise helps support mental function and what effect it has on the brain.

Improved Blood Flow

The benefits of exercise for brain function are numerous, beginning with the most obvious: exercise gets your blood flowing.

According to the Alzheimer’s Society, with every heart beat 20 to 25 percent of your blood goes to your brain and once there blood is distributed via a complex network of blood vessels. The billions of cells contained in the brain use over 20 percent of the blood’s oxygen and nutrients for healthy function.

So listen to your mother and get your blood flowing to help your brain! Take frequent breaks and move around, go for a walk and re-energize for productive and sustainable work.

Aerobic Exercise and the Brain

Researchers at the University of British Columbia, Canada have observed that regular aerobic exercise increases the size of the hippocampus in older women with memory impairment. [6]

The hippocampus is a located in the medial temporal lobe of the cerebrum. It is thought to play a role in the consolidation of short-term memory into long-term memory. Although the study does not indicate if exercise will increase the size of the hippocampus in healthy individuals, it does suggest that there is a close connection between exercise and brain function and development.

Regular aerobic exercise has also been observed to increase the production of a protein that plays a crucial role in the growth and development of neurons: Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) promotes brain development, neuron survival, synapse production, hippocampal function and learning. [7]

Researchers are even beginning to pin down the exact biochemical pathway that explains why exercise can help improve learning and cognitive function.

Exercise and Mental Health

Aside from its impact on memory, exercise can also help stave off stress, reduce instances of anxiety and depression and encourage an overall sense of well-being.

This is important for maintaining cognitive function because the stress hormone known as cortisol may harm the brain. Prolonged and excessive stress negatively impacts brain function by maintaining high cortisol levels. Both exercise and mindfulness meditation have been observed to reduce stress and decrease cortisol levels.

Exercise can also reduce inflammation, improve sleep quality and reduce insulin resistance. [8] All the more reason to squeeze in that daily walk!

#3: Fuel Your Brain for Good Mental Health

You are what you eat.

This old adage is gaining ground in the mental health community through the emerging field of nutritional psychiatry. Studies are now being focused on how diet impacts different aspects of cognitive function, particularly related to mood disorders like depression.

Food, the Gut and the Brain

The association between food and mental performance has long been suspected. The human gastrointestinal (GI) tract contains a surprisingly high number of neurons, second only to the brain.

In addition, serotonin (the neurotransmitter that plays a role in sleep, mood and pain) is primarily produced in the GI tract: astonishingly, nearly 95 percent of all serotonin is produced in the human gut.

With more research underway, the idea of taking care of your gut to support your mental health is gaining traction. In one study, researchers observed that individuals who took a daily probiotic – a dose of so-called ‘good’ bacteria – were less likely to develop depression. [9]

This may be because the GI tract is filled with important microbes that are involved in keeping harmful or pathogenic bacteria at bay, supporting digestion, producing vitamins, protecting our immune system and regulating appetite.

But with all the neurons in your GI tract, researchers are discovering that the bacteria in your intestines play a role in activating neural pathways, supporting neuronal function and impacting the production and use of neurotransmitters like serotonin. [9]

With the growing evidence connecting the GI tract and the brain, making sure you are eating a healthy diet to support these good gut bacteria is becoming increasingly tied to mental health and cognitive function.

Eating for a Healthy Biome

The biome in your gut refers to the collection of bacteria in your GI tract. Eating a diet to support these good bacteria may help ward off mental illness and support cognitive function.

Tim Spector, professor of genetics at King’s College, London has recently written a book called The Diet Myth: The Real Science Behind What We Eat. He recommends consuming foods containing prebiotics – the nutrients bacteria need to grow and thrive – and probiotics – fermented foods that contain healthy bacteria.

Prebiotic foods are high in fibre and the non-digestible components, such as the carbohydrate inulin, which can’t be broken down in your upper intestine. Probiotics like yogurt contain helpful bacteria that support the bacterial population in your intestines.

To help support your intestinal biome, Prof. Spector’s list of the top ten gut-friendly foods [10] include:

1. Jerusalem artichokes
2. Leeks
3. Garlic
4. Lentils
5. Apples
6. Nuts
7. Yogurt
8. Extra virgin olive oil
9. Red wine
10. Dark Chocolate

Diet and Mental Health

Researchers have observed that diet may impact the likelihood you will develop a mental illness like depression. [11] But researchers are also examining how different diets affect the size and structure of the brain.

A recent review highlighted that individuals who ate a Mediterranean-style diet high in fruits, vegetables, nuts, whole grains and fish had a larger hippocampus compared to individuals who ate a traditional Western diet. [12] The Western diet was characterized as high in fat and sucrose, and was correlated with decreases in the protein BDNF, which helps support brain health and function, as well as the size of the hippocampus.

This study and several more like it suggest that consuming a diet high in nutrient-rich foods can help support brain health.

Diet and Inflammation

There is also increasing evidence that chronic inflammation can impair cognitive function. Inflammation is the body’s natural response to unhealthy invaders, such as viruses and pathogenic bacteria. Inflammation is an important immune response that helps support good health, but when it is a chronic condition it can lead to a number of health consequences, including depression.

Researchers have concluded that chronic inflammation may play an important role in the development of depression and other mental disorders. Eating a diet to reduce inflammation may help support cognitive function and reduce the risk of developing mood disorders. [13]

Anti-inflammatory diets are high in fruits and vegetables, cold-water fish, nuts and seeds, whole or cracked grains and water.

#4: Get a Good Night’s Sleep to Support Memory Formation and Promote Focus

Sleep has long been known to play an important role in the consolidation of memory. That means that at the end of a study session, prioritizing a good night sleep – around seven hours – can help promote memory consolidation and retention. [14]

Sleep deprivation can cause severe cognitive and emotional difficulties, but getting enough sleep is also important to support memory formation and focus. But why is sleep so important to memory formation?

Memory Formation

Memory is crucial for survival. For our ancestors, remembering that there was a predator in the cave could mean the difference between life and death. Developing a memory is a three-step process that begins with encoding, followed by consolidation and, finally, retrieval.

Encoding involves the perception of a stimulus and the formation of a new memory trace. At the neuronal level, this memory trace is likely the result of increased long-term potentiation or the strengthening of synapses (sites of connection between neurons) that result from recent activity. The memory trace may also lead to long-term depression of synaptic connection.

If we take our predator example, a wolf may encounter a bear in a cave, which will form a memory trace in both the wolf and the bear. This memory trace will eventually be consolidated.

At the neuronal level, this consolidation may be characterized by an increased strength of connection between synapses involved in memory. Finally, retrieval helps the wolf access its memory in the future, so if it sees the cave again it won’t go back in.

For humans, memory is important for survival, but also is of great cultural importance. Learning or studying is predicated on memory development, and understanding the significance of sleep in memory development is a crucial component of promoting cognitive health.

Sleep is crucial for memory consolidation. And memory consolidation is a complicated process: new memories need to be included without removing or compromising old memories, and these memories may sometimes be contradictory.

Memory and Sleep

The exact mechanism of memory formation is still being investigated, but the role of sleep is becoming increasingly apparent.

Sleep is characterized by reduced responsiveness to stimuli, relative inactivity and loss of consciousness. [15] During sleep humans experience two primary states that alternate: slow-wave sleep (SWS) and rapid-eye-movement sleep (REM).

Researchers hypothesize that both SWS and REM sleep play an important role in memory consolidation. In SWS sleep the memory trace is reactivated and the resulting images are transformed for consolidation during REM sleep.

Researchers have concluded that the sleeping brain is optimized for memory consolidation, not the awake brain. [15] So getting enough sleep is just as important as finishing that extra hour of study.

#5: Try New Things for Improved Fluid Intelligence

Psychologists have characterized two types of intelligence: fluid intelligence and crystallized intelligence.

Fluid intelligence refers to the ability to solve problems and think abstractly independent of previous knowledge or experience. [17] In contrast, crystallized intelligence is derived from the collection of knowledge and experience you have gained over your lifetime.

Our crystallized intelligence is known to increase as we get older, but now some researchers are arguing that fluid intelligence can also be improved throughout life.

Fluid intelligence is important in learning and is closely correlated with educational and professional success. Questions that are designed to assess your fluid intelligence are often included in standardized tests and other performance exams.

Many study for tests of fluid intelligence by practicing similar questions over and over. Researchers have observed that while practicing questions can improve test scores, this occurs by making the questions more familiar, which works to undermine the assessment of actual fluid intelligence.

But new research indicates that training in areas that are similar to fluid intelligence but still sufficiently different – like working memory – can actually help improve fluid intelligence. [17]

Researchers agree that working memory is similar to fluid intelligence, but there is occasional disagreement about how they are similar. Some suggest both are both constrained by similar means: working memory is limited by the number of ideas or objects that can be held at once while fluid intelligence is constrained by the number of connections that can be made between different information points. Others see the similarity as the kind of attention required for each process.

Researchers observed that individuals trained in working memory exhibited significantly higher fluid intelligence. [17] These results indicate that fluid intelligence can be improved through hard work and the right kind of training. But the training needs to be consistently challenging, which is what brings us to the practice of new things.

Being Open to New Experience

It is important to keep trying new things – from taking an art class to trying pottery – because with every new undertaking new neural connections are being formed. These novel experiences help expand the neural networks in the brain, which may help improve cognitive performance.

Engaging in novel pursuits has also been connected to the increased release of dopamine in the body, which keeps you motivated and helps create new neurons. [16]

The combination of these effects may be one of the reasons why the characteristic of openness – meaning openness to new experience – is closely correlated with IQ. [16]

#6: Socialize to Improve Cognitive Performance

New research indicates that social interaction shouldn’t be seen simply as a break, but as a means of improving cognitive function.

And social interaction needs to be more than logging on to social media. Face-to-face meetings, whether with friends, family or business associates, demands we use a number of so-called ‘executive functions’ of the mind: including attention, working memory and cognitive control. [19]

Social interaction also demands that we interpret other people’s meaning and actions, adapt to different perspectives, assess complex situations and determine appropriate behavior, to name only a few. [19]

All this means that ‘cognitive boost’ can be added to the many benefits of maintaining a strong social network.

Researchers from the Universities of Michigan, California and Colorado recently published findings that indicate even short bursts of social interaction – as little as ten minutes – can improve overall cognitive function.

In two studies – including an experiment where participants engaged in ten minutes of socialization before taking tests for cognitive function – researchers observed that social interaction improved cognitive function.

The author’s concluded it’s likely that “as people engage socially and mentally with others, they receive relatively immediate cognitive boosts […] This perspective suggests that anyone, older and younger alike, can do things that come naturally to most of us to stay cognitively engaged.” [19]

This study is important because previous research had mostly focused on the importance of socialization for maintaining cognitive function in elderly populations, but in these studies the conclusion was the same: social interaction keeps us mentally sharp.

As the American Association of Retired People notes, most researchers are in agreement that social interaction in the later years of life is extremely important for maintaining good mental health, memory and warding off cognitive disorders like dementia and Alzheimer’s. [20]

Conclusion

The more research reveals about the plasticity of the brain and what contributes to cognitive performance, the more reason there is to work towards a healthy lifestyle.

Get a good night’s sleep. Go for a brisk walk with friends. Make healthy food choices. Keep an open mind and try new things – maybe even a meditation class. Scientific research continues to reveal that these basic lifestyle choices can go a long way in maintaining good mental and physical health.

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