4 Mind 4 Life: Health and Mental Health

Mostly because I haven’t given this range a valid shot for brainwave synchronization, I’ve decided to do a 2 week trial of listening to the 15 to 18 Hz beta brainwave range. The session I’m using is called “Energy / Motivation” and can be found in the program Mind Stereo‘s built in session library.

Why did I decide to try this?

I’ve decided to try this range for several reasons. The number one reason is that my verbal skills have declined lately. Though I’ve found 10 hz alpha to make a person calmer, beta can definitely make a person more talkative and focused in conversations. I have listened to several higher beta sessions before (up in the 20 – 30 hz range), but never a session around 18 hz. I am hoping that this session will increase my energy and focus on my website projects, and provide my readers with some valuable insight towards this brainwave range.

What’s my gameplan?

I plan on listening to each “15-18 hz session” through the program called Mind Stereo. This program can be found in my recommended products section of the website for purchase. This program allows me to listen to my favorite music while engaging my brain in “brainwave synchronization.” A nice feature of Mind Stereo is that isochronic tones automatically are embedded into your favorite songs [without doing any work] and you literally only hear your song (none of the brainwave tone)! After about 5 minutes of listening to a brainwave synchronization session, you begin to feel the brainwave effects and the fact that the isochronic tones are definitely synchronizing your brainwaves.

Hopefully I will be able to report back to the blog with some positive, brain boosting results!

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Alpha brain waves appear on the E.E.G. in most people when they are in a relaxed state like “right before falling asleep” or immediately upon awakening. Alpha brain waves are common in extroverts with low traits of neurosis and anxiety. Caffeine and stress deplete the amount of natural alpha brain waves produced by the brain. In the alpha brainwave state, the mind is clear and focused, while the body is relaxed and calm. There are many reasons that you should be interested in increasing the amount of natural alpha activity in your brain.

Key reasons being:

• A sense of a relaxed mind & body - The alpha brain wave will calm you down quicker than you’d ever imagined. I really didn’t think the alpha brainwave could do much for my high stress levels, but after about 5 to 10 minutes of listening to a customized brainwave entrainment session, I immediately was calm and relaxed! The alpha brainwave actually increases the neurotransmitter “serotonin” – which is low in people with depression and anxiety.

• Enhanced creativity - The alpha brainwave has been linked to highly creative minds. Most people’s brainwaves shift to the logical “beta” brainwave when involved in a task requiring them to become creative. In creative people’s brains, the alpha activity actually increases when they need to be creative on the fly. Their brains actually ‘shift’ to the alpha brainwave and the amplitude increases.

• A state of “flow” - A state of flow can be described as life moving along quickly because there are really no mental obstacles such as stress or anxiety. To keep it simple: as new situations arise, you are able to successfully deal with them and move on to the next phase of life. Many successful people know how to tap into the state of “flow” when they need to do hard business work. For all writers out there, the state of flow is the exact opposite effect of writer’s block. “Flow” would mean that as a writer, you would be able to quickly produce quality content and not get mentally “stuck;” your mind keeps bringing more information.

• “Superlearning” - “Superlearning” is a phenomena of the alpha and theta brainwave ranges that has been studied by many scientists. The fact is, when you are in a lower brainwave pattern, the brain is able to absorb and learn more new information in a much quicker period of time. The “superlearning” state of mind is optimal for learning a foreign language or a new skill!

• Relaxed, yet “aware” – The nice thing about the alpha brainwave state is you can remain very relaxed, yet still be “aware” of your surroundings and “conscious” of what’s going on. If you dip in to too low of brainwaves i.e. the theta range, you will be very relaxed, but not as aware of your environment. The too much theta activity is found in the E.E.G.’s of people with A.D.D. & A.D.H.D. And the 10 Hz alpha brainwave is considered to be the safest brainwave!

• The “safest” brainwave – If you get up into the beta brainwave range, too much stress and logical thinking can run your mind in circles. Too much theta and you are relaxed, but not very aware. The alpha brainwave can be considered the “perfect mix” or “border” between the beta range and theta range. Some people actually are born with zero alpha activity in their brains. Does this mean that they cannot ever add alpha activity? Absolutely not! In fact, it would most likely highly benefit the person lacking the alpha rhythm.

If you would like to experience the alpha brainwave state, I recommend either purchasing or trying one of my featured recommended products. I personally use all of my recommended products and have had much personal success with them. I still use the software to improve my focus, decrease my stress levels, and to boost my productivity. Feel free to ask me any questions you may have about the products.

Other ways to increase the alpha brainwave include:

1. Meditation
2. Biofeedback/Neurofeedback
3. Yoga
4. Visualization
5. Deep breathing
6. Light & Sound Machines

I had a very unique personal experience with increasing my alpha brainwave pattern via Neuro-Programmer 2. I thoroughly enjoyed it and definitely noticed a change in my consciousness that I may not have been fully ready to experience.

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Note: you may also be interested in the original article 5 Ways To Make Your Brain Happier (as this article is part 2).

1. Brainwave entrainment

Though brainwave entrainment is not for everyone, it definitely can be used to create positive changes in brainwaves with tremendous results. I currently use the program Neuro-Programmer 2 Professional and have found it enhances the quality of my focus, deepness of my sleep, and heightens my awareness.

I have experimented with various brainwaves, each has their purpose. If you are stressed out, the alpha rhythm will definitely make your brain feel calmer, happier, and more relaxed. Where as a person with ADHD who has too many relaxing brain waves would benefit and feel better using the beta brainwave range in their training.

If you ever consider buying Neuro-Programmer 2 (an awesome program) or Mind Stereo (another awesome program), I’d appreciate if you do it through my “recommended products” section.

2. Neurofeedback

The aim of neurofeedback is to be consciously able to produce healthy brainwave patterns. If you don’t know about what neurofeedback could potentially do for your brain, I suggest checking out the Biocybernaut Institute and reading about the technology and testimonials. Neurofeedback is different from brainwave entrainment in the fact that you consciously learn to ‘shift’ your brainwaves where as brainwave entrainment causes your brainwave pattern to match that of a stimulus.

With brainwave entrainment you are forming new neural-pathways, but you aren’t learning to consciously control your brainwaves. It also promotes natural flexibility and strengthens existing brainwave patterns. Though neurofeedback may be quite expensive, if you’ve got the money, it could prove to be one of the best investments you’ve ever made.

3. Meditation

If you haven’t heard that meditation is good for your brain, it’s about time you crawled out from that rock. Proper meditation practices have been scientifically proven to make a person happier. Meditation increases brain activity in the left-prefrontal cortex which is associated with advanced thought processing and positive emotion.

Testimonials from experienced meditators say that the meditation practice “gives them more control over thoughts and emotional responses.” The great thing about meditation is that it’s totally free and will make your brain happier. Scientific testing in the United States reveal that areas of experienced meditator’s brains associated with good mood and positive feelings are MUCH more active than the rest of the population.

This is because they put forth the necessary effort via meditation to make their brains’ happier;) Experienced meditators really are happier and calmer than other people. Apparently, the amount of time spent meditating also has an effect on exactly how happy you become.

“We can’t rule out the possibility that there was a pre-existing difference in brain function between monks and novices,” says Prof. Davidson (a neuroscientist), “but the fact that the monks with the most hours of meditation showed the greatest brain changes gives us confidence that the changes are actually produced by mental training. Meditation opens up the possibility for the brain to be altered intentionally. Just as running and weight training shape the body, meditation shapes the gray matter.

4. Goal setting

Goal setting triggers mental activity in the brain’s left hemisphere which is associated with advanced thought processing and positive emotions. I don’t know about you, but just the process of goal setting gives me a huge jolt of energy and excitement. Though just setting goals will give you feelings of happiness, to make that happiness permanent, you must actually complete them.

It will keep a successful cycle going composed of: goal setting>>> happiness>>>completing the goal>>>feeling even happier & fulfilled>>>setting a new goal. When you set goals and accomplish them, feelings of happiness naturally follow. Setting goals gives your life a direction and purpose. Once you have set your goals, work toward achieving them consistently for a happier brain.

5. Learn to laugh, haha

Everyone loves a good comedy. Laughter releases brain hormones called “endorphins” which can be described as the brains natural anti-depressants. People that have the tendency to laugh a lot not only appear happier, but actually have happier brains! So, which came first the happy brains or the laughter? Well, that doesn’t really matter, as long as you keep laughing, you should have a happier predisposition.

Laughter lowers harmful chemicals such as cortisol and catecholamines, which are both released by the adrenal glands when feeling stressed. So do the math: lowered stress chemicals = lowered stress = happier mood. You could be even supercharging your happiness if you practice something like “Laughter Meditation” for which I included a link: laugh your brain into a better mood.

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1.  Fish

It’s definitely not a myth that fish is good for the body. But exactly how good is fish for the brain? Fish is actually one of the most healthy foods for keeping the brain at an optimal level of functioning. Eskimo’s and countries that are high in fish consumption tend to have slower aging rates, significantly lower percentages of “mental diseases” and “disorders” and an overall healthier population. High fish consumption has been linked to lowered rates of depression & neurosis and a stabilized mood.

Fish actually fights aging in the brain and significantly reduces cognitive decline in the elderly. “That rate of reduction is equivalent to being three to four years younger in age,” wrote researcher Martha Clare Morris, (ScD, of Rush University Medical Center, Chicago) in the Archives of Neurology. Eating fish high in Omega-3 fatty-acids is especially helpful for not only the brain, but the entire body.

That’s why I take the fish oil supplements daily, which have been proven as effective as actually eating fish.  If you are currently consuming plenty of fish or taking fish oil supplements, you are helping your brain reach a peak level of performance! If you aren’t, your brain is definitely missing out.

2.  Avocados

Avocados are almost as good as blueberries in enhancing brain health. While the avocodo is pretty fatty, the fat is monounsaturated; promoting increased circulation and bloodflow. The increased circulation from avocado nutrients is not only found in the body, but is highly prevalent in the brain.

So if you want increased oxygen and bloodflow to the brain, stock up and chow down on some avacados. Avocados also lower blood pressure levels — which is known to benefit the brain. Lower blood pressure is linked to an increase in cognitive abilities and I.Q.

3.  Blueberries

Compounds in blueberries have been proven to actually “reverse” short-term memory loss. Research compiled on blueberries effects on the brain found that they actually increase the number of cells in the hippocampus – the region of the brain which is responsible for memory.  So blueberries actually cause neurogenesis – the production of new brain cells.

This is a great finding for those who may have killed off a few too many cells from stress. Blueberries have also been known to prevent brain aging and actually trigger specific neural-pathways in the brain to enhance cognition and mental processing speed. I suggest keeping those blueberries around for a snack.  By eating them you are literally feeding your brain new neurons!

4.  Spinach

Spinach has been linked to preventing dementia in women. A study has proved that middle-aged women who ate spinach and other green vegetables, delayed cognitive decline by 2 entire years.  Spinach is literally brain food and feeds the brain vital nutrients and enzymes that it needs to strengthen synapses and produce healthy levels of neurotransmitters. Spinach also keeps up Folic acid – low levels of Folic acid have been linked to memory decline and heart disease.

To keep your Folic acid levels up, eat spinach! Spinach helps control the amount of water your body retains and helps eliminate bloating. Neurologists recommend eating spinach at least 3 times a week as brain food. It is now highly recommended by experts to find organic spinach because spinach is on the top ten list of insecticide-laden vegetables. But if you aren’t already eating spinach, it definitely wouldn’t hurt to incorporate a little bit of Popeye’s diet into your own!

5.  Eggs

Eggs are known to enhance many executive brain functions. Recently, the National Sciences Academy recognized the nutrient “cholin” in eggs as being “essential to one’s diet.” “Cholin” plays an essential role in the development of brain motor functioning and memory. At the University of North Carolina, research conducted by Steven H. Zeisel found that the brains of babies whose mothers were given “cholin supplements” showed increased memory functioning and capacity.

“The difference is so clear that we can differentiate between them even when they have reached adult age”, says Dr. Zeisel. Eggs have always remained high on the “brain-food” chain.  So, if you enjoy eating eggs, you are actually enjoying the associated benefits of enriched brain functioning.

Side note: An extensive study from the Harvard School of Public Health proved beyond any doubt that healthy people can eat eggs without any adverse effects on the incidence of cardiovascular diseases.

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Note: If you enjoy this article, consider reading 5 Ways To Make Your Brain Happier [Part 2].

1. Rigorous physical exercise

Challenging exercise changes the overall structure of your brain. Not only does it change the overall structure for the better, it increases the baseline level of helpful neurotransmitters like dopamine and serotonin. It also causes the brain to release natural opiates. When your body is exercised, your brain benefits.

Exercise alone causes I.Q. increases. Contrary to popular belief, more natural geniuses engage in highly physical activity like rugby and football than non-geniuses. They are also more likely to exercise on a daily basis. Exercise increases the amount of oxygen in the brain and blood to the brain! It also simulates “neurogenesis” – a process of the brain which produces new neurons a.k.a. new brain cells.

By exercising, you are making your brain happier via the production of helpful neurotransmitters and hormones like endorphins, which ward off depression. If you aren’t already exercising, I recommend it – it will make your life better and brain happier. Lace up those running shoes and hit the treadmill!

2. Get proper sleep

Do you even realize what proper sleep can do for you? Proper sleep, and by that I mean at least 8 hours of “quality sleep,” causes the brain to recycle troubling thoughts and spark solutions to difficult problems. Deep sleep in the delta brainwave range causes Human Growth Hormone to be released as well as other anti-aging hormones.

Make sure you block out at least 8 hours a night and take whatever steps you feel are necessary to get that high-quality, deep sleep. If you need to get that Craftmatic adjustable or new Tempur-pedic to get “proper sleep,” then by all means, do it. You could be doing your brain a world of good.

3. Eat healthy foods

By eating fruits and vegetables, you are actually giving your brain more energy and more vital nutrients to work with than eating a double McThickBurger. Eating a double McThickBurger will give your brain and body some energy, but a very little amount. You don’t want to eat foods that take away more energy than your body produces (i.e. Chocolate Cake).

If you eat “lifeless” food, your brain will lack electrical activity and be “lifeless.” If you eat plentiful food that is full of vital nutrients, your brain will be “full of life.” For example: A chocolate cake contains 1-3 Mega Hz of electrical charges, while a big mac has 5 mega Hz of energy.

You need at least 72 to 78 mega Hz of food to meet your brains electrical requirements. So do the math: are you getting enough energy from the foods you eat? Green vegetables provide 70 to 90 mega Hz. Other foods high in energy are fruits, beans, raw almonds, and legumes. Start eating energizing foods & your brain will reward you immensely.

Note: For more information discussing brain foods, check out my article 5 Supercharged Brain Foods.

4. Be with your true friends

Being around others is proven to make a people happier for the long term. Being with friends gives you someone to share memories with and experience good times with. Life is generally more fun when you are with others and have someone to love, talk to, and even challenge to a stimulating debate.

Friends can help guide your life in the right direction. If you don’t already have some good, true friends, I suggest that you make some quickly because “true” friends are always around for moral and emotional support through the toughest of times. By being around others, your brain will reward you by creating happier emotions and will allow you to develop empathy — a great quality which allows you to understand & literally “feel” other’s emotions.

5. Live your purpose

By finding your purpose and living your purpose, you will be able to feel truly fulfilled in life. There isn’t really any feeling that can take the place of fulfillment. You will know when you feel fulfilled because your entire being will resonate with joy, power, and motivation.

Everyone has their own unique life-purpose and there are many ways to find it. If you do not yet know your life purpose, you can try this exercise to find your life purpose in about 20 minutes. Living your purpose keeps you happy, focused, and truly “living for the moment.” Your brain will reward you for being fulfilled by releasing joyful emotions and keeping you in an empowered state of mind!

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1) Take Fish Oil Supplements - Fish oil supplements are great for preventing virtually all mental diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease. They stabilize mood and help promote maximum brain functioning. I take Nature’s Made supplements (3.6 grams daily). Fish oil supplements have been proven as effective as actually eating fish. They stabilize brainwave patterns and increase overall brain activity. In fact, there are currently many studies that show fish oil prevents A.D.D. from developing. For more information about fish oil, check out this article.

2) Exercise Daily – Exercising daily has been known to be good for the brain and studies have shown that it prevents Alzheimer’s. Exercise builds new neural connections in your brain and is one of the only activities that causes “Neurogenesis” – the production of new brain cells.

3) Do Sudoku’s & Crossword Puzzles – Sudoku’s and crossword puzzles cause people to critically think and naturally increase their brain activity.

4) Read Something Challenging Daily – Reading something challenging daily causes synapse growth and increases thinking ability. By challenging your brain and using it will help prevent you losing it!

5) Eat Healthy – Eating healthy is a huge factor in determining a healthy brain. The food you put in your body is what your brain is forced to work with. Eating a lot of McHardeesKing will cause your brain to function poorly. Eating a lot of fruits and vegetables will actually enhance your executive brain functions.

6) Engage In A Debate – By engaging in a debate, you are challenging your brain’s ability to generate a stimulating conversation which requires rapid thinking and high levels of focus. This is VERY good for you! To start one of these, just ask someone “who should be president?”

7) Turn Off The T.V. – T.V. promotes less mental activity and a lazy brain. Rip that T.V. chord out of the wall, take it to the street, get a baseball bat and beat the plasma and high-definition straight out the back of the cathode ray tube! …Or, just turn it off… and go do something else.

8) Control High Cholesterol – Eat properly, exercise, consider fish oil, consider taking a cholesterol medication if you need to…lower cholesterol correlates with a reduced risk to develop Alzheimer’s.

9) Get Enough Sleep – We all know that sleep is good for the brain, yet most people still do not get enough. Have some self-control and set aside at least 8 hours of sleep each night. As we age, we still need plenty of sleep. Sleep refreshes the brain and promotes relaxation and releases anti-aging hormones.

10) Practice Meditation – Meditation has been known to reduce stress, lower blood pressure, promote positive thinking, and reduce depression and anxiety. Meditation also increases memory, alertness and task-performance. Meditating increases the thickness of gray-matter and increases overall brain activity.

11) Think Positive Thoughts – Positive thinking reduces stress, makes people feel happier, and is a trait associated with longevity and a healthy brain. Set aside 10 minutes a day and focus only on thinking positive thoughts. It will make you naturally feel more energized and happy.

12) Get Adequate Vitamins (Especially Vitamin E) – Vitamin E has been studied in the prevention of Alzheimer’s disease and is found to be somewhat helpful. I recommend getting adequate amounts of all vitamins. Pop that daily multi-vitamin and consider taking some extra Vitamin E…

13) Reduce Stress – It’s never a good idea to unnecessarily stress yourself out. Some stress is healthy, but too much actually kills brain cells with excess amounts of cortisol. Use techniques like deep breathing, self-hypnosis, and brainwave entrainment to reduce stress.

14) Write In A Daily Journal- Writing is a great activity to keep your mind stimulated and reflect on daily activities. Writing definitely stimulates the brain in profound ways that talking doesn’t. Go buy a journal to write your thoughts in each day, it will be a great investment!

15) Get Out Of The House! - Get out of your house, go do something outside. Get some sunshine on your skin, exchange smiles with a stranger, experience the beauty of nature! Just being outside can really have an significant impact on your mood and brain.

16) Do Some Neurofeedback – Neurofeedback promotes brainwave flexibility and the conscious control of mental activity to reduce stress, increase focus, and keep a healthy brain. If you can afford Neurofeedback, I recommend checking out the Biocybernaut institute and reading the book “Getting Started With Neurofeedback” by John N. Demos.

17) Listen To Music – Listining to music is severely underrated for keeping a healthy brain. Listening to music stimulates increases of activity in the right hemisphere of the brain. The right hemisphere is associated with emotions and creativity. If you bump some tunes while exercising, you could really give your brainpower a big energy jolt.

18) Play Nintendo – Contrary to popular belief, limited amounts of Nintendo is actually good for the brain. Nintendo promotes altered brainwave patterns in the visual cortex and overall brain flexibility. It is only when Nintendo playing time gets out of control that it isn’t good for overall brain function… About 30 – 60 minutes of Nintendo each day will actually benefit the player’s brain.

19) Drink Fruit Juice – A study has been done showing seniors who drink fruit & or vegetable juice at least 3 times a week have a lower risk of developing A.D. than those who don’t. The antioxidant action of “polyphenols” is well noted to help prevent A.D. is found in many other A.D. prevention studies.

20) Eat Curries – The consumption of curries have been studied in the prevention of Alzheimer’s disease. Apparently, people from India eat a lot of curries and have a significantly reduced Alzheimer’s disease rate than the United States. It has been found that eating “curries” actually prevents Alzheimer’s via an enzyme found in the curries. This enzyme reduces “free radicals” in the body and is great for the brain!

21) Don’t Do Drugs- (Drugs are bad for you…) Drugs kill brain cells, make you naturally more stressed out, and decrease healthy brain activity. Just stay away from them; common sense…

22) Cut Alcohol Consumption – Alcohol isn’t good for brain function. Either cut alcohol consumption or make a conscious effort to reduce your alcohol intake.

23) Play Brain Fitness Games (i.e. “Brain Age”) – Games like Brain Age for the Nintendo DS and “Big Brain Academy” do actually challenge your brain and promote quick thinking. The nice thing about these games is that they chart your progress.

24) Consider Taking “Statins” – A class of drugs created to lower cholesterol levels that includes: Lipitor, Crestor, & Zocor. Studies have shown that these drugs can aid in Alzheimer’s prevention.

25) Selective Estrogen Receptor Molecules (SERMs) – These drugs (i.e. Evista) were made to prevent bone-loss from Osteoperosis. These SERMs have also been proven to be effective at lowering the risk of developing “cognitive impairment” – a memory disease which often precedes Alzheimer’s.

26) Change It Up, Do Something Different! – Your brain grows new connections when it’s environment changes. Experience more in life, stop following the same daily routine. Your brain actually grows when it is exposed to a new atmosphere. Get out, get change!

27) Control High Blood Pressure – Know your blood pressure, get it checked regularly, avoid salty foods…you know what to do. Lowered blood pressure is associated with a reduced Alzheimer’s risk.

28) Plan Your Day – By planning at least a couple of activities in advance for each day, you will always have something to look forward to. This is good for your brain because it keeps you excited and wards off depression.

29) Hang Out With “True Friends”- Being with people that truly care for you and always love you benefits you emotionally and mentally. You will naturally be less stressed and always have someone to share a stimulating conversation with.

30) Live For The Moment – Take whatever action you need to “today” to make your dreams come true “tomorrow.” You never know what could happen to your life… Though this last one may not relate to preventing Alzheimer’s disease, I feel that it is generally a good rule for everyone to live by!

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Small doses of meditation daily significantly improves concentration and performance.

According to neuroscientist Amishi Jha, “meditation is an active and effortful process that literally changes the way the brain works.” A study was done to examine how meditation changes our: ability to prioritize (tasks & goals), ability to voluntarily focus (on specific information), and our ability to remain alert in our environment.

In this Pennsylvania study, a group of subjects was split into 2 categories. The first group of subjects was new to “mindfulness meditation,” while the second group was experienced in the practice. During the study, the second group attended a rigorous 1 month meditation retreat. The first group did not attend, but they did meditate.

Research results showed that even the group that was new to the “mindful meditation” significantly improved their overall task-performance and ability to focus. This study also showed that after only a few weeks of practicing meditation, the meditaton created drastic positive change within the meditator’s brains. This study is set to be published in the journal “Cognitive, Affective, & Behavioral Neuroscience” to imply that the meditation practice is a new non-medical means for improving focus, cognition, and overall learning ability.

How were the results of the study determined?

Study participants performed certain tasks at a computer which measured their accuracy and speed. The first group of participants (new to meditation) had leaps of improvement in their abilities to quickly process information and to “focus their attention.” This is an awesome finding, I knew that meditation produced significant positive changes! The second group of participants (which attended the meditation retreat) showed enhanced ability to demonstrate functioning skills, voluntary focus, and managed to prioritize their goals extremely well. After the month retreat, participants improved their ability to keep their attention “ready.”

This study suggests that as little as 30 minutes of meditation daily can improve attention and focus for everyone, especially those who are extremely busy & active. The meditation practice may not feel restful or even relaxing, but the attention-performance improvement that comes from the practice may greatly improve your life. My advice to you: try a meditation routine.

References: University of Pennsylvania. “Meditate To Concentrate.” ScienceDaily 26 June 2007. 13 January 2008 <http://www.sciencedaily.com­ /releases/2007/06/070625193240.htm>.

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1) Get Some Exercise

Exercise always makes people feel better. Aerobic exercise boosts the body’s circulation, creativity, and the comprehension of new information! Research has proven that chronic exercisers are more creative and have a significantly better memory than non-exercisers. Exercise will make you more creative and boost your overall productivity & cognitive performance while “on the job.”

2) Ditch The Distractions

In more than 80 clinical trials, Dr. Glenn Wilson, a psychiatrist at King’s College London University found that workers distracted by phone calls, e-mails, and text messages suffered a greater loss of I.Q. than if they’d just smoked marijuana! The I.Q. of people distracted with technology while at work fell by an average of 10 points. This I.Q. loss is equivalent to that of missing an entire night’s sleep, falling 10 points. A 10 point drop is more than double the I.Q. loss seen after smoking pot. For some reason, the intelligence drop was even more significant in men. To keep your intelligence at it’s peak, don’t check your messages until you have a break!

3) Get Proper Nutrition

Many studies show that getting enough Antioxidants in your diet can have a significant affect on overall cognitive function. It is recommended to eat a high-protein breakfast to raise serotonin levels, which produce hormones that make you feel alert. If you are feeling a bit sluggish mid-day through work, eat an energy bar or some rich fruits to give you a boost! Keep that water bottle by your desk and stay well hydrated throughout the day. It is important to stay well hydrated to help prevent headaches and keep your body at an optimal overall level of functioning.

4) Exercise Your Brain

We all know that physical exercise makes us feel good, but what about mental exercise? Using your brain in new ways like learning a new language, doing a Sudoku, or engaging in a debate strengthens neural-pathways and neuronal synapses between nerve cells in the brain. Other ways to strengthen overall brain function include: word-puzzles, reading challenging vocabulary, brain training games (i.e. brain age), and doing activities with your non-dominant hand (i.e. eating with your left hand if you are a righty). By giving your brain a good hard work-out, it will strengthen new neural-pathways that involve problem-solving and intelligence.

5) Always Think Positive

Leading neuroscientist Richard Davidson conducted over a decade of research @ the W.M. Keck Laboratory for Functional Brain Imaging and Behavior. The research results showed that consciously choosing specific thoughts and emotions can change the structure and working of the brain. When participants practiced feeling “love and compassion,” their brains showed much more high-frequency 40 Hz gamma activity in the prefrontal cortex than the average person. Their brains went into action and literally “built” new connections and neural-pathways. Richard Davidson concluded that positive emotions are linked to increased intelligence. He also found that taking only 10 minutes of personal time each day to focus on positive, happy thoughts correlated with increased intelligence and a happy mood! This will help you feel positive throughout the workday and put you into a state of “flow” where time goes by quicker because you are happier, having more fun, and thinking positively!

6) Go To Sleep At Night

We all know that taking a short nap can significantly boost brain function, but so can getting a good night’s sleep. Experts recommend getting at least 8 hours of sleep in order to maintain peak-brain functioning throughout the workday. A National Sleep Foundation study found that half of U.S. workers say that lack of sleep “interferes with the amount of work they get done.” Twenty-percent (20%) of U.S. workers say that not getting enough sleep causes them to make more mistakes. Dr. William C. Dement, a sleep expert, says that “we all need to get at least 1 hour of sleep for every 2 hours we’re awake!” If you keep sleeping “one hour less each day,” you will acquire a “sleep debt.” This sleep debt can take a heavy toll on your emotions, I.Q., cognition, and overall mental abilities. Now that you have access to such great work-tips, I recommend that you utilize them to keep your brain and life on the right track! Recommend these to anyone that you think could benefit!

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Want a boosted brain? Ever consider just sitting down and eating a some dark chocolates to enhance brain function?

An expert at the University of Nottingham has found that eating chocolate gives the brain a powerful short-term boost to cognitive skills! A study lead by Professor Ian McDonald found that a cocoa drink rich in “flavanols” — a key ingredient in dark chocolate — boosts bloodflow to key cognitive areas of the brain for 2-3 hours after consumption.

Increased blood flow to these areas enhances overall alertness and task-performance for the short-term. These findings were released @ one of the biggest scientific conferences in America. Ingredients in chocolate are now being studied to treat dementia and strokes. The study also demonstrates that the “cocoa flavanols” could be used to help people fight fatigue, sleep deprivation, and to combat the effects of aging.

How do the “flavanols” work in the brain?

In the study, an MRI was used to show where and how the brain was able to produce increased blood flow due to the “flavanols.” The effect from a single drink of “flavanol-rich” cocoa is linked tothe dilation of cerebral blood-vessels, allowing more blood flow (therefore more oxygen) to reach the key areas of the brain. Professor MacDonald stated, “Acute consumption of this particular flavanol-rich cocoa beverage was associated with increased grey matter flow for two to three hours.”

The brain boosting ingredient, “flavanols” is also found to be rich in Green Tea, Red Wine, and Blueberries. Professor Nottingham emphasized that the level of “flavanols” used in the study was significantly formulated for the study and is not available for sale.

References: University of Nottingham. “Boosting Brain Power — With Chocolate.” ScienceDaily 22 February 2007. 10 January 2008.

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I always feel great after getting good workout. When I listen to music while working out, I feel even more energized and happier when the workout ends! Recently, a psychology professor @ Ohio State University, Charles Emery conducted a study to determine the effects of music and exercise on the brains of cardiac rehabilitation patients.

The study included 33 men and women and this was “the first study to look at the combined effects of music and short-term exercise on mental performance.” Most of the study’s participants had undergone bypass surgery, angioplasty or cardiac catheterization. Why did they do this study on cardiac rehab. patients? Coronary artery disease may compromise cognitive ability, Emery said; that’s why he and his colleagues chose cardiac rehabilitation patients for this study.

Researchers had participants complete a verbal fluency test before and after 2 sepearate sessions of exercsing on a treadmill. Workouts were scheduled 1 week apart and lasted 30 minutes. Participants in the study listened to classical music (“The Four Seasons” by Vivaldi) during one of their workouts. Why would they choose “The Four Seasons” by Vivaldi? “We used ‘The Four Seasons’ because of its moderate tempo and positive effects on medical patients in previous research,” Emery said. “But given the range of music preferences among patients, it’s especially important to evaluate the influence of other types of music on cognitive outcomes.”

As a way to measure anxiety and depression, participants completed a 30-item checklist before and after exercise. The list included adjectives to describe the patient’s current mood. The researchers also tested each person’s verbal fluency before and after each exercise session by asking participants to generate lists of words in specific categories. Why did they choose to test verbal fluency? “This kind of task challenges the part of the brain that handles planning and abstract thought as well as a person’s capacity for organized verbal processing,” Emery said.

When Exercising, Bump Some Of Your Favorite Tunes!

Participants reported feeling better emotionally and mentally after working out regardless of whether or not they listened to music. However, the improvement in verbal fluency test performance after listening to music was more than double that of the non-music condition. Exercise seems to cause positive changes in the nervous system, and these changes may have a direct effect on cognitive ability,” Emery said.

“Listening to music may influence cognitive function through different pathways in the brain. The combination of music and exercise may stimulate and increase cognitive arousal while helping to organize cognitive output,” said Emery. Music therefore can be used as a major catalyst for positive personal change and increased brainpower when used in conjunction with exercise!

References: Ohio State University. “A Little Music With Exercise Boosts Brain Power, Study Suggests.” ScienceDaily 24 March 2004. 10 January 2008.

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It always feels good to come home after a hard day’s work, lay back on the recliner and take a nice hearty nap. Not only do naps feel good, it is great for your brain’s memory according to a recent study. University of Haifa’s Behavior and Brain Research Center conducted a study lead by Professor Avi Karni and Dr. Maria Korman. They found that a daytime nap changes the course of memory formation in the brain for the better.

The study involved 2 groups of participants: one group which took a nap for 1 hour & 30 minutes after learning a specific sequence involving bringing the thumb and forefinger together. The other group stayed awake after the learning process. The research process examined how quickly and accurate the subjects were able to repeat the sequence involving the thumb and forefinger.

What were the results? The group that took an hour and 1/2 nap in the afternoon showed significant improvements in overall memory performance later that evening. The research suggests that a daytime nap enhances the overall level of performance in the brain! After a nights sleep, the subject’s brains were on the same level, but “the group that slept in the afternoon improved much faster than the group that stayed awake,” noted Professor Karni.

A second experiment was conducted as well to verify results. The second study demonstrated that another aspect of memory is definitely accelerated by sleep. It was previously shown that 6-8 hours after completing an effective memory practice session, there can be interference in the neural process of memory consolidation. When one learns or performs a second, different task, one’s brain will not be able to successfully remember the first trained task. The group that took a snooze were able to remember the trained task and the second different task!

There was also a third group of participants in the study that learned a different thumb-to-finger sequence 2 hours after practicing the first task. They were not allowed to take a nap. When the second task was introduced at the beginning of the 6-8 hour period, the second task the group didn’t show any improvement or boosted brain task-performance during the evening or the next day. However, when the fourth group of participants took a 90 minute nap between learning the first set of movements and the second. This group showed a significant improvement in their task-performance the following morning!

“This part of the study demonstrated, for the first time, that daytime sleep can shorten the time “how to” memory becomes immune to interference and forgetting. Instead of 6-8 hours, the brain consolidated the memory during the 90 minute nap,” said Professor Karni. She also said, “That while this study demonstrates that the process of memory consolidation is accelerated during daytime sleep, it is still not clear which mechanisms sleep accelerates in the process.”

What has this study shown me? If you want a good memory, take a snooze during the day! This makes perfect sense to me because when you take a nap your brain shifts down from the beta brainwave pattern to some deep alpha & theta patterns which have been proven to accelerate learning processes and improve long-term memory. Theta waves can literally bind memories in your brain for the long-term, which is really cool.

A note to all students: if you have a big test or examination coming up, remember to keep sleep in proportion with your study time. Rather than staying up all night cramming, it is better to study for a little while and then get some quality sleep because the sleep will help your brain form memories of what you just crammed! When scientists are able to identify these mechanisms, new methods could be used to accelerate the development of memory consolidation. Until these are found, if you need a good memory especially for learning “how to do” something, snooze on it!

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Always looking for new methods to boost my brain power, I decided to try taking fish oil. I had heard good things about it and had read a lot of research surrounding this supplement. I started taking Fish Oil supplements at the beginning of 2006 and have been taking at least 1200 mg daily. I usually try to take around 3.6 grams daily (3 tablets daily – one w/ each meal).

I currently take the Nature’s Made brand, and find it to be one of the best. When shopping for Fish Oil, I look for a brand with a “laboratory tested” stamp on it to ensure that it is going to be safe and without harmful mercury content. I also store my Fish Oil in the refrigerator since it is supposed to be stored in a “cool environment.” With a history of A.D.H.D., anxiety, and depression, my life was uncontrollably difficult to deal with.

It took a lot of open-mindedness and trying new things to overcome these states of mind. A ‘huge key’ to unlocking these mental disorders in my life was Fish Oil. I’ve researched and read enough about Fish Oil to know that there are a large number of health benefits that have been associated with Fish Oil. Of all the research I’ve come across pertaining Fish Oil, I’ve found virtually zero negative side-effects derived from Fish Oil. I didn’t think it was going to work, but hoped for the best and positive changes followed.

Fish Oil is like membrane material for the brain.

It is literally brainfood and helps the brain alter itself for the better, in a natural way. Not all fish oil includes Omega-3 Fatty acids, which are healthy fats associated with brain growth and healthy function. I recommend staying away from products like “Cod Liver Oil” as they can cause unhealthy increases in Vitamin A.

Most junk food like chips contain Omega-6 Fatty acids which promote stress and unhealthy body function. It is accurate to say that the average American gets almost a 3 to 1 ratio of Omega-6 Fatty acids to Omega-3 in a day. (This could be a reason for the poor mental health epidemic in America). By taking Fish Oil you can reverse that ratio and be healthier.

The EPA VS. DHA Debate

The two main ingredients within the Fish Oil that I take are EPA (Eicosapentaenoic Acid) and DHA (Docosahexaenoic Acid). There have been several arguments that EPA is better than DHA and that DHA is completely unnecessary, and vice versa. With my personal Fish Oil experience, I believe that both contribute to boosting my brain in their own ways.

From what I’ve read, DHA acts as building block material in the brain and helps promote brain growth especially at young ages. The body is also able to convert EPA to DHA, which is why EPA-based supplements are probably favored. EPA is different and helps nerve stimulation and improves overall brain functions. I also found it interesting that in cultures where fish consumption is high there are significantly lower rates of depression and other mood disorders. This is a great finding.

Fish Oil To Improve Focus

According to several studies and articles, large doses of Fish Oil have been proven more effective than Ritalin for A.D.D. & A.D.H.D. for improving focus. These studies demonstrated that the kids who took Fish Oil continued to improve their focus and their parents continually noted more positive changes as the kids continued the supplement. For me, Fish Oil has definitely aided to promote a nice calm focus.

Fish Oil As Anti-Depressant

There have been many studies done on Fish Oil for anti-depressant purposes. This is where the EPA comes in. The EPA in the Fish Oil supplements has been linked to improved moods and mood-stability. Fish Oil supplements have been tested in double-blind studies against common anti-depressants such as Prozac and in most cases have been proven as effective, if not more effective than anti-depressants. Though Fish Oil may cure everyone’s blues, Fish Oil definitely does a great job at easing depression.

Makes You Smarter & Slows Brain Aging

Fish Oil has also been linked to increased intelligence and slowed brain aging. IQ tests of people taking Fish Oil have been compared to others. Scientific research showed that people who took Fish Oil scored higher on tests than those who didn’t. People are also less likely to develop the devastating Alzheimer’s disease by just popping in a daily dose of Fish Oil. If you want to be smarter and slow your brain aging, a great strategy is: taking Fish Oil.

Prevents Heart Attacks

Fish Oil has been found to raise “good” cholesterol throughout the body. It also lowers triglycerides (blood fats linked to heart attacks). Since stress is linked to heart attacks, and Fish Oil is linked to lower stress, these supplements lower heart attack risk. I would suggest reading more about this aspect of Fish Oil benefits if you have a dysfunctional heart or know someone who could benefit.

Fish Oil Helped Me A Ton

This supplement helped me in many ways. The benefits are really beyond words and I was very skeptical about using just “Fish Oil” to improve my brainpower. The major thing it has done for me is allow my mind to be completely relaxed. I feel healthier and laugh more. Based on personal observation, it seems to me that each day I take it, I feel way more relaxed the next day than the day before.

For me, it is a never ending trend: take Fish Oil >>> feel more relaxed the next day>>>take Fish Oil >>> more relaxation, etc. It has worked wonders in terms of anxiety reduction. It has virtually eliminated my fears by itself. I notice that my fears have been significantly reduced within my thought process.

My emotions are balanced and I don’t get ‘stuck’ in feelings of depression or anger anymore. Also, I had pretty severe A.D.H.D. and I can positively say that it has been cured & eliminated. I feel that I can focus with ease and have been highly productive because of it.

I have recommended this supplement to several friends. They all found it beneficial for improving their focus, mood, and increasing their overall energy levels. They are still continuing to take Fish oil supplements and they all report positive changes. I am happy that they are all having success.

Supplement of the Decade?

Fish oil increases the overall performance of your brain in so many ways, I have nominated and gladly given the supplement of the century award to fish oil. Yeah, I brag it up, but Fish oil deserves all the credit it can get. There is so much positive mental change linked to Fish oil, that you owe it to yourself to give it a shot. May many days of no fish burps bless your future.

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A few months ago, I decided to buy and try out the program Neuro-Programmer 2 Professional. My primary intention when using the product was to create sessions to reduce my anxiety and improve my focus. The program Neuro-Programmer 2 works by changing your brainwaves — patterns of electrical activity in the brain. There are 5 primary types of brainwaves that have been researched:

• Gamma Brainwaves (40 Hz +) — The 40 Hz gamma brainwave is found in advanced sensory processing, heightened focus, and coordinates simultaneous processing of information throughout the brain. Increased gamma activity is associated with a good-memory. Lack of the 40 Hz brainwave is found in people with learning disabilities.

• Beta Brainwaves (12 – 40 Hz A.K.A cycles per second in your brain) — these are associated with external focus and being consciously alert. When we feel afraid, agitated, or tense we are high in beta. People with anxiety disorders are found to have too much high beta activity. Some calming to the alpha brainwave may help.

• Alpha Brainwaves (8 – 10 Hz) — the alpha rhythm is associated with feelings of calm, pleasant relaxation, and daydreaming activity. Extroverts are found to naturally have more baseline alpha activity, while introverts naturally have more baseline beta activity. The 10 Hz brainwave is associated with serotonin release, feelings of “flow”, “superlearning”, positive thinking, and creativity.

• Theta Brainwaves (4 – 7 Hz) — Are very slow brainwaves that the brain produces while we are asleep. Theta activity is usually high in children, people with A.D.D., depression, and learning disorders. The theta rhythm is associated with being extremely relaxed, emotional, unfocused thoughts, paranormal experiences, and enhanced creativity. When most people wake up, theta activity quickly decreases and our brains shift through alpha and to the beta range where we remain most of the day. In people with A.D.D., the theta wave increases when they wake up and when they try to focus, which is why they find it very difficult to focus.

• Delta Brainwaves (1 – 4 Hz) — These are the slowest brainwaves. If you are in this brainwave state, you are in the deepest form of sleep (dreamless sleep) and completely unconscious. Delta brainwaves are very restorative and help to naturally release Human Growth Hormone, DHEA, and melatonin, which all slow the aging process.

Something you all should know is that everyone’s brain produces a combination of all brainwaves all the time. There are only increases in certain brainwaves depending on the activities that are being done. For example: during deep delta activity, there are still traces of beta activity. The traces of beta are extremely small, but they are there.

The opposite is true as well: when there’s high beta activity, there are still traces of delta, but they are extremely tiny. There’s something else that you should know about called brainwave amplitude. Brainwave amplitude increases when there are lower brainwave ranges present (i.e. alpha, theta and delta) and the amplitude decreases with higher frequency ranges (i.e. gamma and beta). If you are entrained to a specific frequency, the amplitude of that frequency increases.

The B.A.T. Triad

Research has been done to find out problems associated with brainwaves. The BAT Triad is a general rule of thumb to follow when training. It says that there should be: increased higher frequency activity in the brain’s left hemisphere (gamma & beta) than the right hemisphere and there should be increased slow wave activity in the right hemisphere and decreased slow wave activity (alpha & theta) in the left hemisphere.

Basically, if there is too much beta activity in the right hemisphere of the brain, the result is anxiety. If there is too much slow wave activity in the left hemisphere (i.e. theta), depression follows. It is generally optimal to have beta in the left hemisphere and alpha & theta in the right.

For more information on brainwaves, I recommend reading the book “Getting Started With Neurofeedback” by John Demos. This book contains a shrine of information about brainwaves… It gets a bit complicated in parts, but it will really help enhance your overall understanding in brainwaves.

How Brain Wave[s] Technology Works

“When the brain is given a stimulus, through the ears, eyes or other senses, it emits an electrical charge in response.” So basically, if I use an isochronic tone, (the most effective tone for brainwave entrainment) set the tone to 10 Hz and play it, I will get an evoked alpha response. If I play the isochronic tone in both ears or through my speakers without headphones, my brainwaves will become synchronized.

Brainwave synchronization is usually healthy and fine, but it doesn’t work out for everyone, which is whytransparent corporation offers individualized hemisphere entrainment via isochronic tones. Other forms of entrainment include binaural beats and monaural beats. Binaural beats, which include 2 tones, require that you wear headphones for them to be effective. The idea of binaural beats is that 2 different tones are applied to each ear, then the difference between the 2 tones evokes a cortical brainwave response.

An example: a beat of 110 hz is applied to the right ear and a beat of 100 hz is applied to the right ear. The difference (110 – 100) = a 10 hz entrainment response. Monaural beats are similar to isochronic tones in the fact that they can be used for entrainment without headphones, but they just aren’t as effective as the isochronic tones.

After buying a package deal of their Neuro-Programmer 2 Professional with the program Mind Sound Stereo, I read up on the different types of brainwaves to see what I thought would be healthy to use. I came across a lot of good articles and research pertaining the “10 Hz Alpha Brainwave.” Since alpha activity correlated with reduction of anxiety, relaxation, calmness, and focus, I felt that I had nothing to lose.

My Experience With 10 Hz Alpha

When I began my journey with alpha, I initially felt highly unfocused, day-dreamy, relaxed, pleasant, and didn’t care what anyone said or thought about me if it was negative. I thought this was very cool. Initially, my overall energy levels decreased and I felt that my thoughts were way too unfocused. Though I felt very weird coming down from an extremely high beta brainwave pattern, it was worth it.

I went through a very tough period of about 2 months wondering if I would ever feel normal again. I woke up each day and my consciousness was different than the day before. I also was able to, for the first time in my life, not wake up in the mornings to eat breakfast. This period lasted for about a month, I would hear my alarm clock and unintentionally drift back to sleep until about 10 minutes before I needed to leave each morning.

I had virtually no time to just brush my teeth, and get ready. When I arrived at work, I felt very pleasant, but unfocused and almost too relaxed. Though I felt this way, I still kept up the entrainment. It was about the 3rd month of my alpha entrainment experimentation and I was not doing daily training. I would do it once about every other week. Eventually I came to a state of focus, relaxation, and what I believe to be a happy, normal state.

I really never thought I would reach this point. Now, I notice that the alpha brainwave kicks in and is stronger than it used to be at various times throughout the day. It seems that my brain is able to shift between alpha and beta throughout the day.  I don’t consciously shift between the 2 (as I would be able to if I was an experienced meditator or did neurofeedback), but my brain automatically shifts to alpha when I am involved in a calm activity where less brainwave activity is required like watching T.V. and falling asleep. Overall, this has been a success story! I will continue experimenting with various brainwaves for set time periods to study their effects on my emotions and state of consciousness.

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