A-Z Of A Lifestyle To Increase Intelligence

Every single person in the world wants to get smarter than they are. Now some people want to get smart to make more money, others want to impress girls. But the bottom line is that we all want to improve our intelligence quotient at least a notch. Don't worry, you will not have to go through a brain surgery to do this. Its your style of living that matters. A lifestyle to increase intelligence can help you to get smarter.

No pills or brain exercises can help you as much as the right lifestyle to increase intelligence can. Good habits pay off dividends by keeping your brain healthy and active. An unhealthy lifestyle on the other hand keeps dumbing down every day. A proper lifestyle to increase intelligence includes good habits like sleeping enough, eating right and doing some exercise.

Well it all sounds simple enough. You eat the best brain foods, sleep as much as you want and jog a little. But that is not the mantra to make you smarter. A lifestyle to increase intelligence is a result of carefully inculcated good habits. You have to follow a disciplined way of living for years together to be able to get smarter.

Here are the steps in a lifestyle to increase intelligence.

Wholesome Breakfast

Wholesome Breakfast

If you get up in the morning and try to run your car with fuel, would it work? Similarly, after 8 to 10 hours of gap, your body needs fuel in the morning. Research proves that people who have breakfast are smarter than people who skip it. It is simply because your brain needs glucose in the morning.

Work It Out

Work It Out

When you start your car after a long gap, it grunts for a while. Every machine needs a warm up, and so does your body. Unless you exercise, the blood supply to your brain can never be abundant.

Get Enough Sleep

Get Enough Sleep

A lifestyle to increase intelligence has to include 8 hours of sleep in a day. Your brain needs rest and so does your body. Sleeplessness can actually cause insanity so don't take your sleep lightly.

No Sugar, Honey

No Sugar, Honey

You may feel that sugar sharpens your brain but you are wrong. Sugar spikes your blood glucose and energy levels for a temporary high. The low that comes later can last for hours. So snack on dark cocoa instead of sugar for sustained brain power.

Read For Pleasure

Read For Pleasure

Reading is elementary to learning and there is no end to learning in life. Read books, the Internet is not a replacement for knowledge. Reading also helps to improve your concentration and exercises your brain.

Have Antioxidant Rich Foods

Have Antioxidant Rich Foods

Antioxidants are the best brain foods ever. The simple reason for this is that they protect your brain cells from free radical damage. Have berries, green veggies and olive oil generously.

Be Heart Healthy

Be Heart Healthy

A healthy heart is the precursor to a healthy brain. Don't believe it? Why not, only when your heart is healthy can it pump more blood to your brain. So chuck dumb junk foods that give you nothing but artery choking fats.

Play With Puzzles

Play With Puzzles

Just like the muscles of your body, your brain too needs some exercise. If you don't use your brain, it gets lazy and you become dumb. So try doing puzzles, Sudoku and mind games. It keeps the brain active.

Take A Break

Take A Break

There is nothing like a relaxing holiday to recharge your brain cells. Fatigue can set into your brain cells. Going for a vacation should always be part of lifestyle to increase intelligence.

Meditate

Meditate

You are hardly ever conscious of your brain doing all the hard work for you. That is why, sometimes you feel you have no control over your brain. Meditating helps you calm down and channelise your mental faculties in any direction of your choice.

Get Musical

Get Musical

It is true, listening to Mozart increases your 'spatial reasoning'. And when you play an instrument, your IQ increases by 7 points. Music has a profound effect on your brain and the practice makes you smarter.

Stop Consuming Rubbish

Stop Consuming Rubbish

Don't waste your brain by consuming dumb content. When you sit with laptop and play real time games, you are wasting your time and not using your brain. Similarly, television shows that are meant to stop you from thinking are actually not helping your IQ.

Story first published: Thursday, July 11, 2013, 12:56 [IST]
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