Ways to develop mental abilities. Development of mental abilities in adults: exercises and recommendations. Methods for developing intelligence

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Before looking for the answer to the question of how to increase your intellectual level, you need to decide what intelligence is. The Latin stem of the word ("intellectus") indicates the specific lexical meaning of "understanding". What exactly must a person “understand” in order to be able to be called an intellectual? Public opinion most often associates intelligence with the mind and the amount of information that it can absorb and reproduce in the process of life. The merging of static knowledge about the world with the dynamic component of working on it gives us a true understanding of intelligence as a special mental and at the same time psychological quality of a person.
What is intellectual level?

The classic components of the intellectual level are cognitive (memory, sensation, perception, representation, imagination) and mental (flexibility of mind, breadth, logic, evidence and criticality of thinking) human abilities to perceive and analyze the surrounding reality.

The higher the intellectual level, the better the thinking subject works with the information coming to him. A broad outlook, the ability to comprehensively study the object of mental activity, separating the main from the secondary, constructing logically sound reasoning and the ability to promptly abandon incorrect conclusions indicates a high intellectual level of a person.

The foundations of intelligence are laid in us from the moment of birth. Family and public education, primary, secondary and higher education - all these stages of acquaintance with the outside world, year after year, form within a person specific knowledge bases and logical thinking tools for operating with them. However, in order to become a highly intellectual person, it is not enough just to grow up in a good family and get an education. You need to engage in self-improvement every day and train your mind, offering it newer, more interesting food for thought.
Memory training

To train your memory, you should use classic school methods of memorizing your favorite poems and literary quotes and solving mathematical, physical or chemical problems. Choose the area of ​​knowledge that you prefer and work with it until you get bored.

An excellent way to keep your memory in good shape is to study foreign languages. The more foreign words you memorize every day, the easier it will be for you to work with information received in your native language.

Numerous crosswords (verbal - classic and scanwords; visual - Japanese; digital - Sudoku and many others), as well as various mathematical and logical puzzles develop the dynamic properties of memory associated with reproducing information and establishing cause-and-effect relationships necessary to solve specific problems. practical problems.

Introduction to culture
A high intellectual level is unthinkable without a certain cultural knowledge base. Its basics are laid in school, while subsequent realities depend on the person himself. Only we choose what to do: read Dontsova’s frivolous detective stories or Sartre’s philosophical works, watch My Fair Nanny on TV or enjoy a live theatrical production of La Bohème. Of course, there is nothing bad in popular culture (in its own way, it also has a beneficial effect on the general level of erudition and on understanding the foundations of modern life), but it is precisely the familiarization with time-tested classics that allows a person to learn the immutable laws of life, its principles and problems, exciting civilization over the past centuries and even millennia.

Mass culture entertains the consciousness, classical culture opens up the world of true values. Literature, music, painting, theater, architecture, photography, ballet fill our memory and develop the spiritual qualities of the individual.

Communication with other people
We live in a world filled with people. Society surrounds us in the family, at work and at leisure. Understanding other people allows us to better understand the world around us and ourselves. The more we communicate, the more we learn. Human psychology, habits, interests are revealed to us. With proper observation, we can learn to empathize and help other people. A more complete immersion into the inner “I” of an outsider frees us from contacts with unworthy people and opens us up to interesting people.

Communication with people of different professions opens up access to truly invaluable practical information. Nothing enriches a person more than other people's professional secrets. Not a single book, not a single textbook can teach us what outsider’s personal experience, other people’s mistakes and achievements can teach.

Interaction with objects
The world around us consists not only of scientific information, people and works of art. It contains a huge number of objects, working with which allows you to increase your intellectual level and also benefit your business. Which one? The one you decide to do.

Culinary operations with products and technical operations with broken items can make your home a little “tastier” and more serviceable. The ability to understand fashion and materials will be useful for purchasing high-quality clothes and shoes, and the ability to sew will ensure the purchased items have a long service life. Mastering the repair and construction sector of everyday life will save costs and nerves that are usually spent on hired workers. Taking up one of the sports will strengthen not only your mind, but also your body.

The more you penetrate into the essence of objects, the easier it will be for you to master new material areas of your life. It just seems that the accumulated life experience is worth nothing. In fact, many, at first glance, useless and fragmentary knowledge can emerge in your consciousness at a critical moment and save you from sparking wiring or a stalled car on a deserted road.

Ability to draw conclusions
The highest point in the development of a person’s intellectual abilities can be called the ability to draw correct conclusions based on the data obtained. It can take years to achieve this, but you shouldn’t be afraid of it. Life is given for this purpose, to experience it. Do you want its current to obey you? Pay attention to the little things, think about why things happen the way they do. Look for causes, consequences, connections. Build internal systemic relationships between objects, people, and events. Learn to get the information you need from any available sources - books, television, the Internet, other people, personal experience. Consider the facts that interest you from all sides. Don't throw anything aside. Don't let information overwhelm you - it is just a means to understand the world, not the world itself. And don't be afraid to make mistakes. Admitted mistakes, like nothing else, allow you to increase your intellectual level.

Intelligence is a special quality of the human psyche, which includes the ability to adapt to various life situations, learn and assimilate information based on experience, understand and apply abstract concepts and existing knowledge in order to manage the surrounding reality. Simply put, intelligence is a person’s general ability to cognize and overcome difficulties, combining such areas as thinking, imagination, representation, memory, perception and sensation.

It is easy to notice that intelligence covers the work of several parts of the human brain at once, from which it follows that an integrated approach consisting of different methods should be applied to its development. The methods that you will become acquainted with further can be used as a special system for developing intelligence (and), and it can be used to train it in both children and adults.

Development of intelligence: simple and effective ways

The information you will become acquainted with may at first glance seem extremely unusual when it comes to the development of intelligence, but it is in its unusualness and simplicity that the greatest effectiveness lies. It is also interesting that you can apply it without much effort in everyday life, simply by devoting a little of your time every day.

Method one - optimal time to rest

This method can be called basic, because in a state of fatigue and exhaustion, there can be no talk of any development of intelligence and memory, as well as other abilities. So first, start devoting appropriate time and attention to your sleep. Healthy sleep is not only an excellent prevention of absent-mindedness, forgetfulness and difficulty thinking, but also increases intelligence and all mental abilities in general. I’m interested in an article on the topic of sleep, by the way, you can read.

Method two - keeping records

Here we are talking about analyzing information through record keeping. Often, each of us has smart thoughts and good ideas, but instead of trying to remember them, as most people do, we advise you to write them down. In addition, in writing you can also reflect, thinking through prospects and options for the development of events, making plans and lists. This way you will use several parts of the brain and, at the same time, improve your concentration. As for the analysis of information, its visual display will allow you to see the broader picture and make the right decisions based on this vision.

Method three - peace and quiet

Many people, at the end of the working day, and in any free time, are not engaged in the development of intelligence, but in some activities that do not contribute to this at all. These include being “stuck” on social networks, meaningless conversations on the phone or non-developing computer games. This tendency is especially evident in children. All this, of course, may have a time and place in life, but if there is a goal to develop intelligence, it is better to be in peace and quiet as much as possible - this allows you to generate new ideas, think over plans, find correct and wise solutions to complex problems and generally better and have better quality rest.

Method four - educational games

To develop intelligence and memory, attention and concentration, it is very useful to play, for example, logic games, chess and checkers, dominoes (Monopoly, Imaginarium, Millionaire, etc.). If you make such a pastime regular, you can create an effective system for developing not only intelligence, but also the ability to analyze, count in your head, find cause-and-effect relationships, make calculations and develop thinking in general. You can also devote time to completing various developmental trainings and courses, for example.

Method five – communication with people

Interaction and communication with different people brings a huge number of positive aspects - it broadens your horizons, helps you obtain new information, gets rid of complexes, develops communication skills, and self-esteem. To provide your intellect with the basis for constant development, communicate with others as much as possible, and try to communicate with people who are better than you in some ways, for example, smarter, more educated, stronger, more confident, wealthier, etc. The higher you set the bar for yourself, the stronger and more developed a person you can become.

Method six - reading books

Another excellent and simple way to develop intelligence in children and adults is reading. People always keep their brain in good shape and cognitively active. By filling it with new information, they simply force themselves to grow personally and intellectually. In addition, a well-read person experiences much fewer difficulties in communicating with others, because literature carries information of a completely different kind, which can always be successfully applied in life. And another advantage of reading is that a well-read person with a developed outlook can be an excellent conversationalist in almost any situation.

Method seven - make familiar things unusual

It's about doing quite ordinary everyday things in extraordinary ways. We all brush our teeth every day, wash our faces, comb our hair, wash the dishes and tie our shoelaces - such things have long become habitual and are performed automatically, which means that the brain does not strain at all. But it’s really possible to make a cool system for developing intelligence out of them. Start taking new routes to work, fasten your seat belt backwards, always cross the road starting with your left foot, etc. This way you will activate your thought processes, you will begin to pay attention to little things, you will... Remember that even such trivial experiments contribute to the development of the mind and serve as a good way to train intelligence and memory, attention and concentration, thinking and creativity.

Method eight – fine arts

To develop your intellect, you don’t have to become the next Pablo Picasso or Leonardo da Vinci - you can just do it from time to time. Set yourself the task of drawing a specific picture, and you will notice how your brain begins to work more actively. When a person draws, both hemispheres of the brain are activated, concentration increases and coordination improves. In addition, in the process of drawing, a person seems to disconnect from the outside world for some time, thanks to which the consciousness is cleared and rested.

Method nine - constant training

Learning is always progress and moving forward. Thus, by constantly absorbing new knowledge and mastering new skills, you will automatically force your intelligence to develop. Anything can be suitable: a detailed study of a world map, immersion in historical chronicles, reading autobiographies of famous people, etc. But you can go further and, for example, get a new specialty, take retraining and advanced training courses or even start running your own business. Such a development system will be an excellent assistant for you and will always keep your intellect in good shape.

Method ten - self-education

This method is a logical continuation of the previous one. Unfortunately, not every person is ready, but those who are thinking about training their intellect make self-education an indispensable part of their life. There are more than enough opportunities for this today. Read books and textbooks, learn new things and communicate with interesting people, get involved in unusual things and find a hobby, watch documentaries and educational programs. And if you want to engage in self-education in full, you can, for example, take some good online training. Here we would like to remind you that any new information, if it involves practical application, must always be used in practice - only in this way will self-education become complete and effective.

Method eleven - positive thinking

Naturally, life never goes absolutely smoothly, and sometimes it brings surprises. Circumstances and situations that we did not even suspect can deprive us of strength and unsettle us, make us worry and sound the alarm. But they should be perceived precisely as another chance for self-development and intellectual development. By gathering our will, rising from our knees and directing energy in the right direction, we become stronger, more experienced, wiser and smarter. And a special role in all this is played by nothing other than positive thinking, because... It is what allows us to remain calm, think creatively, be persistent and self-confident. And from here all the other benefits flow - training time management and planning skills, developing willpower and stress resistance. Remember that life, together with all its events, can itself be used by you as an ideal system for the development of intelligence. And such an attitude towards it should be formed in both children and adults.

Method twelve - vision of prospects

The ability to see perspectives is a defining link on the path to success and a fulfilling life. If you learn to always be determined to look for new steps to develop, your thinking will be entirely focused on analyzing the prospects that exist for you. In reality, fate constantly offers you something valuable and significant, and your task is to see, understand and appreciate. By thinking constructively, you contribute to the development of your intellect and artificially create for yourself the need to expand your horizons. And everyone who strives for self-improvement should act exactly this way, and not otherwise. Without this component, it will simply be impossible to achieve full success and happiness.

Method thirteen - physical activity

Despite the fact that this method of developing intelligence is considered more indirect than direct, it gives excellent results. Firstly, by exercising yourself physically, you help improve blood circulation, enrich your brain with oxygen, thanks to which it begins to function many times more efficiently, and promote the production of the protein responsible for the formation of neurons - a key element in the development of intellectual abilities. Secondly, physical work is a wonderful way to relax and gain strength for your mind, because... if he is constantly tired, the effectiveness of any work on himself will be greatly reduced. And thirdly, coupled with mental development, this is the most complete development that we should strive for. If you wish, you can sign up for a sports section or go to the gym, although jogging, exercise, breathing exercises and banal push-ups will do just fine.

A lot depends on how well your intellect is developed. Of course, it cannot be called decisive in achieving success and improving your life, but if your intellectual abilities are well developed and you work on yourself, your chances of self-realization and realizing your dreams increase many times over. Train your intellect and memory, develop a desire for improvement in yourself and your children, and, of course, improve your thinking - then unprecedented opportunities will open up before you that can make your life bright, rich and happy.

Every person strives to be successful, and for this you need to have a broad outlook: how to develop intelligence if you are dissatisfied with the level of your knowledge and skills? How to be an active and wise person in old age?

What knowledge is needed for parents who want to raise a smart child with a wide range of knowledge, an inquisitive mind, and the ability to apply their skills in practice? You can develop intellectual abilities throughout your life; this process never ends.

10 habits for developing intelligence in an adult

We all admire the experts of the “What? Where? When?". We are amazed by the volume of their knowledge, breadth of outlook, and ability to find answers to a wide variety of complex questions. Don’t be sad or upset that you will never reach this level. Intelligence is possible at any age.

Previously, it was believed that such development was possible only during the period of growing up - in childhood and adolescence, after which all these processes are inhibited, and progress is no longer possible.

But now scientists have proven that new cells in the brain are constantly being formed and its plasticity, that is, the ability to develop under the influence of experience, changes - the richer your experience, the more flexible and developed your mind.

RULE	INSTRUCTIONS FOR ACTION
	Play logic and intellectual games- chess, backgammon, puzzles train the mind, memory and attention, logical and spatial thinking
	Read every day and everything that interests you- artistic, educational books will make the brain work constantly, besides, being well-read has never hurt anyone
	Write down, sketch everything you want to remember, your ideas, ideas- when writing, several areas of the brain are activated, which helps to better assimilate information
	Do math - it trains several mental abilities at once: abstract, analytical, critical and logical thinking, their speed, as well as memory and attention
	Do math - this trains several mental abilities at once: abstract, analytical, critical and logical thinking, their speed, as well as memory and attention
	Change your habits, what you do automatically every day- walk a different route to work, brush your teeth with a different hand, etc.
	Play sports- physical activity accelerates the blood, the brain is enriched with oxygen, and protein is produced that helps form neurons
	Eat properly and fully - By receiving the required amount of vitamins and minerals, your brain will work at full strength.
	Don't get depressed perceive all failures and obstacles as a chance for improvement and development
	Be sure to give yourself proper rest, preferably in silence and without TV

What is intelligence

If the brain is loaded with a solution, then new synapses will be formed - connections between neurons, otherwise these connections will die off as unnecessary.

What is intelligence? This is a quality of the human psyche. It unites thinking, imagination, perception. This is knowledge, understanding, the ability to analyze information, reason, draw conclusions, the ability to highlight the main thing, see patterns, generalize experience, and think critically.

An intellectual always strives to learn and understand what he did not know before. A person must control the work of his mind, and not vice versa.

Moreover, we can direct brain development in the right direction by persistently acquiring new skills or improving those we already have.

Advice: read Svetlana Pristalova’s book “How to Develop Super Memory, Intelligence and Attention.” In it you will find many exercises to help pump up your mind.

Formation of intelligence

According to scientists, intelligence begins to form in the womb, so when asked how to develop intelligence in a child during pregnancy, you can hear various recommendations.

Don’t be nervous, spend more time in nature and admire it. It is also important to eat properly and nutritiously so that the child can develop normally.

Much, of course, depends on genetics, but if the child was born without pathologies, then problems with intellectual abilities could arise during the period of intrauterine development.

If the baby does not begin to speak or walk when his peers have already mastered these skills, you need to find out if one of the parents was also a little late with this, in which case there is no need to panic.

No one can do absolutely everything better than others. Every person has some innate inclinations and talents, something that he likes to do. The task of parents is to notice and develop these features in time. But here it is important not to overdo it.

There is no need to try to teach a child something for which he has not yet matured physiologically - this can provoke big problems in the future.

For normal development, it is necessary to combine intelligence training with physical activity, normal nutrition, walks and avoid overwork.

Children develop in communication with adults. Psychologists have long noticed that in socially prosperous families, with parents with a high level of education, children have a higher level of intelligence.

Every person is endowed with some abilities from birth.

Still just a baby, the child enthusiastically looks at bright objects, tries to reach them and taste them. This is how intelligence begins to develop.

In this, kids resemble scientists who are passionate about their work - they try to learn everything about what interests them, explore from all sides and in all the same ways, while simultaneously improving their skills and rejoicing in their successes.

How to develop intelligence in a child?

First of all, you need to communicate with the child, even when he is very small. Talk to your baby and you will notice how attentively he listens to you.

Don't stop his curiosity, but also watch out for safety. Play together, show and explain everything - children will learn from their parents how to act correctly.

Just don’t rush to get ahead of development standards, even if the baby is very talented. Many of us try to realize our ambitions by “sculpting” a child into a child prodigy.

Our task is to provide children with normal life. Don't limit it to narrow boundaries.

The curiosity inherent in nature will certainly bear fruit, and the child will master all intellectual skills - distinguish objects by characteristics, generalize and highlight, see logical connections, retell fairy tales, build analogies.

Fundamentals of intelligence according to Doman

Many modern parents are familiar with Glen Doman's early development methods. He developed it for many years, researching and observing healthy and sick children.

Here are the basic principles of the technique:

1. The brain grows and develops under constant stress
2. By intensively developing a child’s intelligence from birth to the age of three, you can achieve the best results
3. Physical development helps shape the brain and motor intelligence
4. The active growth phase lasts up to five years. At this time, training does not require additional motivation

You need to start from the age of three months, showing the child cards with images of various objects and naming them. This develops speech, attention, logic, memory.

They begin to work with the baby at the age of three months.

Whether you adhere to this method or not, in any case, work with your child, develop his creative and intellectual abilities, teach him to draw, write, invent and tell fairy tales.

A child at any age is interested in exploring something new, imagining and learning. And when everything works out, my parents praise me, I want to know even more.

How to develop intellectual abilities?

By constantly training your brain with special exercises, you can develop both intelligence, memory and attention at any age.

For example, you can use any object to train attention and memory - pick it up, very carefully study all the smallest details - color, shape, weight, roughness, abrasions, remember your tactile sensations.

After this, you need to close your eyes and imagine the object as accurately as possible.

You may not be able to do this right away, but regular training will help improve your memory. You can remember and compare sounds - how are they similar, is it possible to replace one sound with another, as they do when scoring films.

Develop manual dexterity, because fine motor skills are known to have a positive effect on the brain. Always strive to learn and learn something new - this is how new synapses are formed and your intellectual abilities will improve.

Develop your child’s abilities, but don’t try to force him to become a child prodigy

All these methods are suitable not only for adults, but also for children. Intelligence must be developed comprehensively, not limited to one way.

There are many activities that help develop intelligence, they are especially important for people in adulthood - they help to relax and learn to concentrate.

Dancing, which uses different areas of the brain to remember movements; martial arts that develop concentration and a sense of balance; gardening, which significantly reduces the risk of dementia.

Knitting, which is calming and develops fine motor skills, as is playing a musical instrument; Keeping a diary relieves stress and helps with decision making.

You can choose any of them or even several, and be sure to devote an hour or two a day to them.

Emotional intellect

How many of us understand ourselves and our feelings? As we age, we push them inside ourselves and don’t let them spill out.

What can we say about accepting and understanding other people’s feelings and patterns of communication! We often lack emotional and social intelligence.

Physical activity is necessary for harmonious development at any age.

Emotional intelligence is the awareness of emotions, understanding and managing them, the ability to communicate effectively with people, understand and empathize.

If you are prone to making impulsive decisions that you later regret, then you need to develop emotional intelligence.

How to do it?

1. Track your emotions reactions to events happening to you and around you, try to understand your attitude towards this.
2. Learn to feel the connection between body reactions and feelings. By learning to understand body language, you will better understand the experiences and feelings of other people.
3. Record your emotions and subsequent actions in a journal. Don't ignore any feelings. Face the truth, no matter how unpleasant it may be. By calming down and re-reading the notes, you will be able to look at yourself from the outside. This helps you understand if you did the right thing. If you lost your temper because of nonsense, then next time try to behave more restrained.
4. Understanding the causes of unconscious reactions, you will learn to manage them.
5. Learn to see and hear- small nuances, such as movements during a conversation, the tone in which it is said, can tell a lot about a person and the feelings that he experiences. This way you can learn to recognize whether a person is being cunning or whether he is being honest with you.
6. Be open, friendly and honest in all relationships

Developed emotional intelligence helps a person to be less susceptible to stress and to communicate calmly and effectively with any people.

Understand their feelings and be truthful in your emotions and reactions, without hiding them under the guise of equanimity. Use any of the above methods - all together or some separately.

Take care of your mental health. Choose how to develop your intelligence, and remember that it is important to learn, and laughter is called active meditation, helping to avoid stress and relax.

To achieve the desired result, you need to make a lot of effort, because modern man is lazy. Overcome laziness and make your life brighter and happier.

In the era of advanced technology and the Internet, the mental development of people is becoming increasingly important. " Brainy is the new sexy”, that is, “Mind is sexy,” they tell us from the screens. Therefore, the question naturally arises: how to increase your level of intelligence? This will be discussed in this article.

How to become a smart person?

First you need to decide what the concept of “mind” includes. The following components of intelligence are usually distinguished:

• Potential at birth, that is, innate abilities;
• Memory is muscle, visual, olfactory, tactile and cognitive;
• Logical and creative thinking;
• Agility of mind;
• Speed ​​reaction.

All of these parts, except hereditary data, can and should be influenced during life. Our brain is like a muscle; it requires constant training and increased load in order to maintain its functionality for a long time.

What important lobes of the brain do you need to know to understand how it works:

1. Frontal - responsible for a person’s ability to discipline himself and concentrate attention.
2. Broca's gyrus is the motor center of speech.
3. Temporal – stores auditory memory.
4. The parietal is the center of tactile sensations, helps to understand words and formulate thoughts.
5. Wernicke's field interprets speech received auditorily.
6. Occipital - plays the role of the visual center of perception of the world.
7. The cerebellum helps maintain balance, coordinate movements and stores muscle memory.

By learning how the most important cognitive organ in the body functions, you will see developmental pathways.

In this video you will be asked 10 questions, based on the answers to which you will be able to assess your mental abilities:

Food and lifestyle of a genius

The human brain consumes 20% of all energy needed per day. So lifestyle certainly matters to your mind. Top 5 tips on how to improve daily brain function:

1. The optimal sleep schedule is 6-8 hours a day. At this time, the brain does not receive new impressions, but systematizes and processes information already received.
2. Regular aerobic exercise. During activity in the fresh air, you inhale an increased amount of oxygen and this saturates not only your muscles, but also your brain, and prevents oxygen starvation.
3. Add foods that improve cognitive function to your diet.
4. Stop smoking, as nicotine causes vasoconstriction, and the head does not receive the necessary substance.
5. Read more - it expands your erudition and increases your stock of active vocabulary.

To keep your brain working like a clock, pay attention to the microelements you get from food. List of useful substances and where to look for them:

• Iodine, omega-3, vitamin B12 – in fish, especially in salmon;
• Lutein – found in green plants such as spinach and arugula;
• Zinc – in pumpkin seeds, seaweed;
• Flavonoids – in dark chocolate;
• Catechins and caffeine - in green tea, coffee;
• Antioxidants – in apples;
• Vitamin B4 is in eggs.

By changing a few habits to healthy ones, you will feel lighter, your thinking will become easier and faster.

How to become a smart girl?

In addition to a balanced diet and regular alternation between rest and activity, the brain requires training. The best load options are:

• Intellectual games, for example, Sudoku, Go, chess, crosswords;
• Logical and abstract problems, riddles, puzzles;
• Reading articles, books, obtaining new information;
• Expanding your vocabulary by communicating with new people, watching movies and TV shows;
• Contact with foreign languages, memorization of phrases and expressions;
• Keeping personal notes, blogs, diaries, formulating thoughts in writing;
• Learning poems and songs.

Each training session is aimed at developing different cognitive skills: games promote reaction speed and logical calculations, reading expands the boundaries of thinking, foreign languages ​​and poetry improve memory.

Start with the aspect that seems most important to you and requires training. Constant exercise will not make you wait long for results.

Books that increase intelligence

1. Turn to the classics, both of your own culture and foreign ones. It is not for nothing that only some of the works remain in the memory of generations for a long time;
2. Get acquainted with the latest popular science literature, as well as educational articles. You will be aware of the inventions and concepts of recent years;
3. Get into the works of philosophy, read criticism and comments on them; Other people's reflections stimulate critical thinking;
4. Look through the autobiographies of great and successful people. You will essentially see how a person who achieved his goals thought and expressed his ideas;
5. Understand psychological theories. When you think about how the human psyche works and how the brain works, you learn to apply this knowledge in practice;
6. Study reference books and encyclopedias. A large number of new facts will expand your horizons.

Websites and applications for brain development

You can train your mind not only with books, but also with the help of modern technologies. The Internet gives access to data banks from all over the world. Conventionally, all useful resources can be divided into two parts:

1. Educational projects. World-famous universities, such as the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Harvard, Oxford, Moscow State University, and the Higher School of Economics, make materials on their curricula publicly available. Anyone can study the lectures, answer questions from seminars, and write essays on the proposed topics.
2. Websites that specialize in mind training, such as Vikium or braintraning. Such mailing list resources give people access to exercises for different areas of the brain. Based on statistics, the program itself determines what needs to be developed and which tasks are best suited. A person can customize the regularity of classes to suit himself.

The human mind is an instrument that requires constant training. It is useful for people of any age to know how to become smarter, how to increase their level of intelligence. If you approach the issue comprehensively, you will maintain the vigor of not only your body, but also your mind for many years and you will feel on the same wavelength with life.

Video test: does your age match your intelligence?

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The human brain is an amazing organ. It is the most accessible and at the same time the most complex “device” in the Universe.

We offer you several techniques that will help “pump up” your brain.

Workout

• Aerobic exercise. These are exercises where oxygen is the main source of energy. Aerobic training strengthens muscles, normalizes blood circulation, and relieves stress. And a recent study from the University of Illinois also showed that “oxygen” exercise has a beneficial effect on the brain. Just 30 minutes of training a day, and cognitive function improves by 5-10%.

• Strength exercises. Are jocks stupid? No matter how it is! Lifting weights not only builds muscle, but can also increase levels of something called brain-derived neurotrophic factor, a protein responsible for protecting neurons in the brain.

• Music. Another study found that the brain begins to work better if you listen to your favorite music during exercise. So let's move on to genius.

• Dancing. This is a great way to keep fit, improve flexibility and coordination. Moreover, according to Daniel J. Amen, MD, neurophysiologist and neuropsychiatrist, author of the book “Great Brain at Any Age,” dancing is also an excellent thinking simulator. After all, when dancing, we use different parts of the brain.

• Golf. It is not for nothing that it is called an intellectual game: calculating the force of a blow and the trajectory of the ball is not as simple as it seems at first glance. In addition, doctors believe that golf stimulates the sensory cortex of the brain.

• Yoga. The ancient Indian spiritual-physical practice, it turns out, not only has a beneficial effect on health, but also improves memory, the ability to self-control and long-term concentration. At least, this is the conclusion reached by scientists from the University of Illinois, led by Neha Gothe.

Nutrition

• Water. The body is 80% water. Every organ needs it, but the brain in particular. In the course of another scientific experiment, it was found that people who are thirsty cope worse with logical problems than those who drank half a liter of water before testing.

• Omega-3. Unsaturated fatty acids are super healthy. Including for the brain and nervous system. They provide a rapid influx of energy necessary to transmit impulses from cell to cell, which, in turn, increases mental abilities and helps to quickly retrieve the necessary information from memory “reservoirs”. There are a lot of Omega-3s in fish, walnuts and flaxseed oil.

• Greenery. Spinach and other greens contain folic acid, vitamins E and K. These substances prevent the development of dementia (dementia). In addition, the antioxidants contained in greens protect the brain from stroke, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases.

• Apples. They contain quercetin, a substance that has antispasmodic, anti-inflammatory and other beneficial effects. But the main thing for us is that quercetin protects brain cells from damage, and therefore prevents the impairment of its cognitive properties. Most of it is in apple peel.

• Nuts. They are rich in protein, and protein supplies the brain with energy. In addition, nuts are rich in lecithin, the lack of which in the body can cause multiple sclerosis and other nervous diseases.

• Vitamins. B9 (citrus fruits, bread, beans, honey) and B12 (liver, eggs, fish) - without these substances the normal functioning of the body is impossible. The former is necessary for the creation and maintenance of new cells in a healthy state, and the latter reduces the symptoms of senile dementia and mental confusion.

• Eggs. What came first: the chicken or the egg? Perhaps you will find the answer to this philosophical question if you eat both. After all, chicken yolk is a source of choline, and it helps develop the cognitive functions of the brain, that is, the ability to understand, cognize, study, realize, perceive and process.

• Milk. Children, drink milk and you will be healthy! After all, milk is calcium, which strengthens bones. In addition, scientists have found that a glass of milk a day improves memory and other mental abilities.

• Coffee. I'm not kidding. Scientific research has found that caffeine can improve attention and short-term memory. And of course, it will add vigor.

• Chocolate. When you go to an exam, eat a chocolate bar. Everyone does this, but few people know why. Or rather, few people know how chocolate makes us smarter. It's all about glucose and flavonols. Sugar speeds up reactions and improves memory, while flavonols stimulate other cognitive skills.

Schedule

• Deep sleep. We have already talked about how important sleep is for normal functioning. Let’s just repeat - in order for the brain to move, you need to sleep at least seven hours a day.

• Nap. Taking a nap is beneficial. This is an indisputable fact. The question is how much? The ideal duration of an afternoon nap is 10-20 minutes. A person does not have time to fall asleep soundly and it is easier for him to wake up. But on the other hand, according to scientists, a 90-minute nap has the best effect on the brain (memory improves, creative ideas appear). More details about.

• Habitual way of life. Break it! Yes, yes, for one day, destroy the established order for years - drink coffee in another cafe and not at 9, but at 11 o’clock, go to work on a new route, redraw things in your diary. Such “shake-ups” are very useful - they help the brain to be in good shape.

• Sense organs. Another interesting workout for the brain is the sharpening of individual senses. For example, hearing. To do this, blindfold yourself and try to walk around the room, focusing only on the sounds around you.

• Workplace. Will the devil break his leg on the table? Then in my head too. A cluttered workspace is not only unsightly, but also has a significant impact on productivity. Has a negative effect. Get your workspace in order and you will be surprised how much faster your brain will work.

• Sketches. If you're having a hard time focusing on a task (and you really should), try taking a pen and paper and drawing it. Diagrams, tables and other sketches will help you concentrate and, perhaps, open up a new vision of the problem.

• Notes. It is useful not only to draw by hand, but also to write. Gadgets have almost replaced paper from our lives, which is why we are unlikely to become smarter. After all, creating handwritten text develops higher brain functions such as memory, attention, psychomotor coordination and others. It is no coincidence that a foreign word written by hand is remembered better than one entered on the keyboard.

• Flight of thoughts. Everyone is familiar with the round dance of thoughts. This is when you need to think about a project, there are a thousand and one ideas in your head, but not a single one you need. At such moments, we try to “curb” our randomly racing thoughts and, finally, get down to business. And in vain. Scientific research shows that by letting our thoughts fly free, we stimulate the creative activity of the brain. So relax and let yourself just dream.

Education

• Novelty. New, more complex activities stimulate the release of dopamine, which promotes neuronal growth. Go up the intellectual ladder. Each time, complicate the task for yourself - solve more difficult puzzles, read smart books.

• Orientation. Don't know your city or even area well? Great! From the point of view of training mental abilities. Mastering new routes develops memory, attention and other cognitive functions.

• Music playing. Musicians have a well-developed parietal lobe of the brain, which is responsible for hearing, motor and visuospatial skills. If you want to “pump up” these qualities, try learning to play some musical instrument.

• Foreign languages. Learning a second or third language improves memory, broadens your horizons, and also protects the body from Alzheimer's disease.

• Oral speech. If you say something out loud, you remember it better. Proven scientific fact.

• Positive thinking. Positive psychology experts are relentless and unanimous: think positive thoughts and you'll become smarter.

Rest

• Meditation. We have already written about that. Let us only recall that regular meditative practice helps to get rid of sudden feelings of anxiety, respond more adequately to physical illness, and also better understand other people.

• Computer games. They shout on TV that children are becoming dumb from playing computer games, that teenagers who spend a lot of time playing Xbox are degenerating. But a professor from the University of Rochester claims that gaming improves multitasking and spatial thinking. In addition, logic computer games cannot be called “stupidizing”.

Relationship

• Conversations. "Hi, how are you?" – do you hate this phrase? Do you feel sorry for the time for “empty” chatter? Do you prefer to keep the dialogue strictly to the point? On the one hand, it is commendable, but on the other, even trivial conversations, “about nothing,” develop cognitive functions - speech, attention and control.

• Sex. This enjoyable activity in all respects increases the level of serotonin in the blood (“the hormone of happiness”, which, among other things, increases creativity) and the level of oxytocin (“the hormone of trust” - helps a person think in new directions and make bold decisions).

• Laughter. It, like sex, is the best cure for many diseases. If you have been engaged in intense intellectual activity for a long time, then you should not pick up a volume of Schopenhauer when you come home from work. Give your brain a break, turn on a good comedy and laugh heartily.

• Ancestors. It was published in a prestigious journal dedicated to social psychology. According to him, people who thought about their ancestors before taking tests of memory, thinking and attention scored better than those who did not remember their grandparents. It’s difficult to say how objective the scientists’ arguments are, but knowing your genealogy is definitely useful.

How do you train your brain?