How to Get Smarter
Who couldn't use a few more brain cells? Get smarter with these strategies.
Up next in Self-Help & Improvement (51 videos)
Learn 50 ways to improve yourself with the tips in these Howcast videos.
You Will Need
- Naps
- Curiosity
- New skill
- Meditation
- Language course (optional)
Steps
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Step 1
Realize intelligence is malleable
Realize that intelligence is malleable. Research indicates that simply knowing it's possible to raise your I.Q. makes you more likely to succeed in doing so.
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Step 2
Take a nap
Sneak in a midday siesta. The brain recharges while you sleep, making you much sharper in the afternoon.
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A 90-minute nap works best because it allows time for the brain to go through an entire sleep cycle.
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Step 3
Get off autopilot
Complete a routine activity in an unfamiliar way. Getting your brain off autopilot stimulates it to produce new cells.
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Step 4
Be an explorer
Explore new ideas, entertain different points of view, and be inquisitive. Scientists have discovered a link between curiosity and increased brainpower.
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Step 5
Learn something new
Learn a new skill, preferably one that requires you to use several parts of your brain simultaneously. Mental challenges are like exercise for the brain.
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People who learn another language score higher on many forms of intelligence testing.
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Step 6
Meditate
Meditate for at least 12 minutes a day. One man who did this for 8 weeks improved his memory by as much as 50 percent. Now that's something to think about!
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In a Swedish study, 15-year-old boys who ate fish more than once a week for 3 years scored better on intelligence tests than those who consumed less, or no fish at all.
