Workplace Fitness: Health decisions that affect your intelligence
Smarts: most of us think we have them but surprisingly, few really do. Although it's true that your intelligence is in good part determined by factors out of your control (like genetics and whether or not your parents let you eat lead paint chips as kid), it's also true that you have more control over your brain power than you probably think. All kinds of daily decisions affect how well your brain works and how "smart" you are, including everything from what you eat to how you act to what exercises you choose for your workout. Are you maximizing your mental potential? If your coffee cup is too big or you often try to multi-task while working out you probably aren't. The following is a list of a few of the ways you can make the most of what you've got in the smarts department (don't worry, they're all pretty easy!).Choose the right exercises!
Some exercises are better than others when it comes to strengthening your body, some are better than others when it comes to strengthening your mind, and some do both.
Some exercises are better than others when it comes to strengthening your body, some are better than others when it comes to strengthening your mind, and some do both.
The best exercises for boosting intelligence:
Aerobic Training, Yoga
The worst exercises for boosting intelligence:
Weight lifting, Multi-tasking on the Stairmaster
Aerobic Training, Yoga
The worst exercises for boosting intelligence:
Weight lifting, Multi-tasking on the Stairmaster
Don't panic! (It makes you stupid)
Panicking triggers responses in the brain that cause your IQ to drop and suppress functions like creativity and your sense of humor. Your neurons are "hijacked" and you essentially revert to nothing but caveman-style instincts. It's not good. Combat the effect by consciously telling yourself to relax, or do a few minutes of meditation or Yoga.
Drink your caffeine in several small doses (not one or two big ones)
Caffeine gets a lot of bad press, and although it can do damage in large quantities (like everything else) in moderation it has some good qualities too. Caffeine blocks adenosine in the brain (a chemical that causes mental fatigue) but small doses spread out are more effective than one or two large ones. Instead of slamming a jumbo latte (or two, or three...) first thing in the morning it's wiser to spread your coffee out over several hours. Just a half a cup at a time will do the trick, clearing your mind and making it easier to focus.
Panicking triggers responses in the brain that cause your IQ to drop and suppress functions like creativity and your sense of humor. Your neurons are "hijacked" and you essentially revert to nothing but caveman-style instincts. It's not good. Combat the effect by consciously telling yourself to relax, or do a few minutes of meditation or Yoga.
Drink your caffeine in several small doses (not one or two big ones)
Caffeine gets a lot of bad press, and although it can do damage in large quantities (like everything else) in moderation it has some good qualities too. Caffeine blocks adenosine in the brain (a chemical that causes mental fatigue) but small doses spread out are more effective than one or two large ones. Instead of slamming a jumbo latte (or two, or three...) first thing in the morning it's wiser to spread your coffee out over several hours. Just a half a cup at a time will do the trick, clearing your mind and making it easier to focus.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Vishaal 7-02-2008 @ 11:22AM
Woohoo! I do ashtanga yoga three times a week. =)
Reply