Have you ever stopped to marvel at the incredible organ that is the human brain? The majority of people will probably say, “no.” But why? The brain is a fascinating thing that can grow, change, rewire itself, and even regrow. It doesn’t matter if you are a genius or not. With a little training, you can increase the capacity of your brain and effectively boost brain power, making you think faster and with more insight.

Here’s how:

1. Get lost

Throw away the GPS. Going on an adventure where you aren’t reliant on something that tells you the way does two things. First, it opens the mind to the sense, helping you see, hear, smell, taste, and touch in a whole new way—because you need that spatial relationship and awareness to find your way. Second, it keeps you curious. You never know where you’ll end up.

2. Try something new

“New” is the best stimulant. Go somewhere new. Try a new exercise or dance class. Make a new recipe. Read a new book. Learn a new language. All these new experiences will actually create new neural pathways in the brain and increase your overall intelligence level.

3. Reading

Go on, be a bookworm. It doesn’t matter what genre you decide to delve into, reading is one of the best ways to boost your brain power. The new vocabulary words, philosophies, information, and knowledge written on those pages are like IQ points just waiting to be devoured by your brain. If you don’t like reading, it’s okay. Start slow with the newspaper or even short articles like this one on the internet.

4. Chess

The ancient and underestimated game of chess is one of the ultimate methods for boosting brain power. Not only do you have to remember various strategies, rules, and formations, but you need to be able to predict what the opponent is going to do and read their intentions. All of this is an incredible training activity for the brain.

5. Optimism

Did you know that stress kills brain neurons? Not only that, but stress also prevents new neurons from forming, so if you are constantly flooded with cortisol, it might be time to start learning how to manage it more effectively. The first step is positive thinking. Next, take up some mind-body practices, like mindfulness, meditation, and yoga to help you along the way.

Bet you weren’t expecting this list! Well, the good news is that in learning something new today, you have taken your first step towards boosting your brain power. Now, you need to apply these 5 effective ways to boost your brain so you can keep getting smarter.

Author's Bio: 

Hey there, I’m Nancy and I’m absolutely in love with food and health blogs. I’m on a mission to share my insider cooking, food and health tips with all of you…