4 Mind 4 Life: Mental Health Tips

Note: If you enjoy this article, consider reading Brain Foods: List Of 50 Good Brain Foods.

What are “bad brain foods”?

Know and understand which foods impede brain development

Though it is very important and beneficial to know and understand which foods will help you boost your brain power, it is also great to understand which types of food groups will decrease brain power and potentially kill brain cells. It is obvious that most illicit drugs and alcoholic beverages kill brain cells quickly, but there are many other foods that limit or restrict brain power. Foods that provide both your brain and body with little or nutritional value are considered “bad brain foods.”

Some interesting facts about food vs. body vs. brain

Did you know: Foods that clog arteries will naturally also reduce blood flow to the brain? Foods with high glycemic indexes can also cause wild, detrimental blood-sugar swings that make both your body and brain weaker and less powerful. Foods that are bad for the development and health of your brain often have the following characteristics: high levels of refined sugar, white flour, trans fat and polyunsaturated fat, salt, and numerous food additives such as monosodium glutamate and tartrazine. They are also usually lacking in: proteins, fiber, vitamins, and other healthy attributes.

Foods that are bad for the health of your brain are also terrible for your body. Not only can certain foods cause mental health problems, they can manifest other health-related problems including: obesity, Type-2 diabetes, dental cavities and heart disease. Therefore, in order to heighten your awareness of the foods that are terrible for both the health and development of your body and brain, I’ve compiled a list. Below is a list consisting of what I refer to as “bad brain foods.”

A list of “Bad Brain Foods” and other unhealthy substances:

1. Alcohol
2. Artificial flavoring
3. Artificial food coloring
4. Artificial sweeteners
5. Cereal bars
6. Cheetos
7. Chicharrones
8. Corn syrup
9. Doughnuts
10. Energy drinks (i.e. Monster, Red Bull)
11. Falafel
12. Frostings
13. Gyros
14. Gyozas
15. Highly greasy foods
    
16. High-sugar beverages
17. Hydrogenated fats
18. Jellybeans
19. Junk sugars
20. Marshmellows
21. Nicotine
22. Processed food
23. Rice cakes
24. Sodas (diet and regular)
25. Twinkies
26. White bread
27. White rolls

Understanding “bad brain foods”:

Alcohol and nicotine harm the brain

Most types of alcohol have potential to kill brain cells. Any substances containing nicotine will cut-off or restrict blood flow to the brain. The restriction of blood flow due to nicotine reduces efficient delivery of healthy substances like oxygen and glucose. Nicotine also tightens capillaries, which plays a large role in obstructing the delivery of blood and healthy nutrients to neurotransmitters – messengers which allow neurons (brain cells) to interact and communicate with one another.

Cut hydrogenated fats from your diet

A substance that is absolutely terrible for your brain is hydrogenated fats. In general, most hydrogenated fats cause the body to suffer initially by causing your arteries to clog and your heart to weaken. Though the effects aren’t usually noticeable right away, in the long term, these fats have high potential to cause heart disease.

In comparison, the short term effects of nicotine are equivalent to the long term effects from ingesting hydrogenated fats. Due to the high likelihood that these fats can significantly endanger the health of your brain, it is a good idea to replace them in your diet. You can easily do this by making healthy food and beverage choices.

Stay away from artificial flavorings, artificial sweeteners, and artificial colorings

It is extremely wise to do yourself a favor and try to skip eating substances that contain “artificial” ingredients. Any substance with artificial flavorings, artificial sweeteners, or artificial colorings is a slight hazard to the health of your brain. The degree to which they harm the brain is actually intensified in younger children. Therefore, it may be wise [as a parent] to limit allowing your children to eat artificially-enhanced candies and foods.

Why certain foods were chosen for the list of “bad brain foods”

The other “bad brain foods” make the list because they cause a crash-and-burn effect. This crash-and-burn effect is caused by “bad brain foods” causing your blood sugar levels to rise high temporarily – putting high amounts of stress on the pancreas. Whereas healthy, “good brain foods” cause a steady, balanced absorption of blood sugars in the pancreas – thus preventing the crash-and-burn effect.

Use common sense to choose “good brain foods“

There is no need to memorize the complete list posted above. In fact, all you really need to know is to use common sense before shoving down your food. Be conscious about your food choices and eating habits. Here is a quick recap of what you should stay away from: refined sugar products, anything “artificial” [i.e. flavors, colors, sugars], refined flour products, all drugs, and most types of alcohol. Also, any substance [i.e. snickers bars, candies, etc.] that you know will give you a ton of initial energy, but cause you to crash-and-burn later, should be avoided.

The energy supply to your brain is from utilizing and breaking down blood sugars. Your brain uses at least 20% of all carbohydrates that you ingest. With that said, you brain prefers to intake the blood sugars in a certain way. It likes a constant, steady supply of blood sugars without interruptions or other extreme changes caused by substances on the list above.

Simple carbohydrates put stress on the pancreas, negatively affect blood sugar levels

Virtually all simple carbohydrates have potential to cause wild, uncontrollable shifts in the effective processing of your food by the brain. Simple carbohydrates such as: processed flour products and sugary foods usually cause uncontrollably wild changes in blood sugar levels. Any type of sugary food or processed flour generate an initial sugar-high in the bloodstream, which in turn will trigger an equally powerful rush of insulin shipped from the pancreas. Simple carbohydrates also have been linked to diabetes, so it is definitely wise to cut back or eliminate them from your diet.

Low blood sugar levels a.k.a. hypoglycemia

Because the body is manufacturing so much insulin from the pancreas, this leads to plummeting, low blood sugar levels – commonly dubbed with the term: hypoglycemia. Eventually, this will trigger the release of adrenals and adrenaline hormones like cortisol and epinephrine. Both of these have potential to kill brain cells and put stress on your liver.

A rollercoaster ride: “sugar lows” vs. “sugar highs”

Once you eat the unhealthy foods that cause your blood sugar levels go rapidly rise, you hop on an unexpected rollercoaster filled with “sugar lows” and “sugar highs.” The rapid-changing highs and lows in blood sugar levels can actually cause chemical [neurotransmitter] imbalances in the brain. You can shift from feeling happy and energetic on your “glucose high,” to feeling sleepy, irritable, unfocused (A.D.D.), or aggitated.

A healthy diet will improve your mental health

People must realize that diet plays an extremely huge role in the health of your brain. Certain individuals can even be labeled as having some sort of mental health problem [i.e. a disease or disorder] that is stemming from their diet. For most individuals, their diet is not 100% at fault for causing the effects of their disease. However, healthy dietary changes can help people improve their mood and / or reduce the overall intensity of their mental health problems.

For more in-depth information on brain foods, see the article: 5 Supercharged Brain Foods.

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Note: If you enjoy this article, consider reading Brain Foods: List Of “Bad Brain Foods”.

What are “brain foods”?

Brain foods are foods that help improve functioning within the brain. One example of a brain food is fish. Fish is rich in omega-3 fatty acids which allow the blood vessels of the brain to remain healthy and fluid. Fish also provides nerve cells within the brain with necessary nutrients that allow cells to function at their highest level.

Due to the profound benefits that have largely been associated with eating fish, it is recommended to include fish within your diet at least a couple times per week. If you cannot include fish within your diet, you may want to consider taking fish oil supplements. Taking supplements and eating fish have been proven to be equally as effective.

There are many great foods that have been researched and documented to boost brain power. Knowing which foods boost brain power will allow you to make necessary dietary changes that will positively impact your brain. I’ve compiled a list of 50 Good Brain Foods and posted them below. Beneath the list is a section featuring more information about “good brain foods,” more information about the glycemic index, and other various food technicalities.

A list of “50 Good Brain Foods“:

1. Acai berries
2. Almonds
3. Avocados
4. Bananas
5. Blackberries
6. Blueberries
7. Brewer’s yeast
8. Broccoli
9. Brown rice
10. Brussels sprouts
11. Cantaloupe
12. Cashews
13. Cauliflower
14. Cherries
15. Cheese
16. Chicken
17. Collard greens
18. Cranberries
19. Dark chocolate
20. Eggs
21. Eggplant
22. Fish
23. Flaxseed oil
24. Green Tea
25. Lean beef
26. Legumes
27. Milk
28. Oatmeal
29. Oranges
30. Peanut butter
31. Peas
32. Plums
33. Potatoes
34. Pumpkin seeds
35. Raspberries
36. Red cabbage
37. Red grapes
38. Romaine lettuce
39. Salmon
40. Soybeans
41. Spinach
42. Stabilized rice bran
43. Strawberries
44. Tomatoes
45. Tuna
46. Turkey
47. Walnuts
48. Water
49. Wheat germ
50. Yogurt

Understanding “Good Brain Foods”:

Foods in the complex carbohydrates family are amongst the best type of brain foods. In complex carbohydrates, the molecules are longer. Because the molecular structure is longer, it takes a longer period of time for our intestines to digest and break-down the complex carbohydrates into simple sugars that our body is able to use. Why is a longer digestion or breaking-down process optimal? Because they don’t provide us with a large surge of energy and then die down. They provide our bodies and brain with optimal amounts of balanced energy for our body and brain to access.

What is the glycemic index?

The speed and intensity to which sugars from foods impact our brain cells is measured directly by the “glycemic index” also known as the “G.I.” Foods that are ranked with a high-glycemic index are likely to make our bodies create a lot of insulin. The part of the body that produces insulin to regulate our sugars is known as the pancreas. Diabetics often have a dysfunctional pancreas and need to take insulin because their body cannot naturally cope with the sugar levels.

Eating foods with high glycemic indexes

Eating foods high on the glycemic-index will put lots of stress on the pancreas and will directly affect the body, brain, and our hormone levels. Because the pancreas becomes over-stressed and overworked, the body may feel sluggish and the brain may feel initially energized, but will likely crash within a short period of time. That is why eating foods with a low-glycemic index are recommended.

They don’t put pressure on the pancreas to excrete much insulin and our blood sugar levels remain steady. When our blood sugar levels are steady, our brain is being fed a constant, steady supply of energy to work with; rather than excess energy for 20 minutes followed by a mental burnout for several hours. To figure out which foods are better for your brain and overall brain power, use this glycemic index search form.

Types of brain foods – Glycemic Index examples:

• Cereals: Oatmeal and bran cereals are the healthiest. Corn flakes have a higher glycemic-index ranking.

• Dairy: Milk has a relatively low glycemic index: higher than legumes, but lower than fruits.

• Fruits: Apples, blueberries, cherries, and grapes are examples of fruits that have a lower glycemic index rating. Whole fruits rank lower than juices due to the amount of fiber in fruit which slows the production of simple sugars.

• Grains: Spaghetti and rice have a low glycemic index ranking. White bread is less healthy and is higher on the glycemic index.

• Vegetables: Legumes, kidney-beans, soybeans, lentils, and chick peas are all examples of great brain foods. They have the single lowest glycemic-index of any food group. Carrots and potatoes have significantly higher glycemic indexes.

Preparation of your food

The way in which you eat and prepare your food definitely can affect the ways in which the body and brain uses it. For example: eating a cupcake after a meal of vegetables may actually slow the absorption of sugars. You may not get nearly as much of a “sugar high” or crash-and-burn affect. Eating most fats can also slow the absorption of sugars inside your body. Over-cooking certain types of starches can be much like pre-digesting them. This causes them to unload their sugars into the blood at a much quicker rate than usual, which isn’t good.

Amino acids and neurotransmitters

Certain types of proteins also affect your brain’s overall ability to perform at a peak level of functioning. Proteins provide our brains with amino acids, from which neurotransmitters are created. Neurotransmitters carry signals between neurons (brain cells) and allow parts of the brain to effectively communicate with one-another. When you feed the neurotransmitters with quality food, they deliver messages to other neurons more quickly, more effectively, and more powerfully.

When you eat foods that aren’t brain boosters, the neurotransmitters have a much tougher time carrying messages from neuron to neuron – their strength is much weaker. Neurotransmitters are created via substances tyrosine and tryptophan. Tyrosine is not an essential amino acid because the body can make it without any help from food. Tryptophan, on the other hand, is an essential amino acid that can only be obtained via your diet.

Low carbohydrates vs. high carbohydrates and low protein vs. high protein

Several low carbohydrate foods with high amounts of protein and tyrosine include: soy, eggs, dairy products, and seafood. These are all foods that are likely to increase activity in the brain quickly and speed things up. On the other end of the spectrum, we have foods that are likely to calm down the brain. They are low in protein, but high in carbohydrate and tryptophan. Foods that will calm the brain include: almonds, sesame seeds, chocolate, sunflower seeds, legumes, and pastries.

Optimal proportions of proteins to carbohydrates depend on the individual. Everyone is different and certain people have slight sensitivities or abnormal reactions to various foods. It really all depends on the individual, therefore, experimenting is a must. You need to do it yourself to figure out what type of diet feels optimal for your body and brain. Use some common sense in addition to the list of “50 Good Brain Foods” above and you should be off to a great start.

Consider taking multivitamin supplements

You can also consider taking multivitamin supplements. Taking vitamins are healthy, though it can cost you a little bit of money. I take one multivitamin on a daily basis and am satisfied with it. Though I don’t fully know the degree to which it is helping, I have a good feeling that it does make a difference. I don’t always eat a perfectly balanced diet – and I don’t think that most people are able to eat a consistent balanced diet. Here is where vitamins come in to play: they pick up your slack. Any vital vitamins that you may have missed in your diet during the day are usually covered by taking vitamins for memory loss. If you think that you could benefit from taking multivitamins, it sure wouldn’t hurt to give them a try.

For more in-depth information on brain foods, see the article: 5 Supercharged Brain Foods.

17 Comments »

I’ve recently been doing an experiment with brainwave entrainment. I started the experiment several days ago and am entraining the left hemisphere of my brain with an 18 Hz beta brainwave frequency. Thus far, my progress has been great and I’m definitely noticing changes. In this article I will discuss the specifications regarding my current brainwave entrainment / life experiment. To create my 18 Hz frequency I used the program Neuro Programmer 2 Professional, which is featured in my recommended products section.

What side-effects are commonly associated with entraining the 18 Hz beta brainwave frequency?

• Outward awareness and sensory processing – The focus of my awareness is supposed to shift from focus on more internal matters to more external matters. For example – my focus may have been more on my emotions and internal feelings rather than on someone else’s. Another example: my focus could’ve been locked on what was going on inside my body rather than the people around me.

• Throws brain’s sodium / potassium levels out of balance - The 18 Hz beta brainwave frequency has been associated with throwing the brain’s sodium and potassium levels out of balance. I don’t exactly know to what degree, but I know that after awhile, it cannot be too healthy. I am also only stimulating my left-hemisphere which may lessen the degree of a sodium / potassium imbalance.

• Mental fatigue - Staying in the 18 Hz beta brainwave frequency for too long can obviously cause mental fatigue. Basically, you end up thinking too much and actually ‘overworking’ your brain. Think of it as you running a mile: sprinting the first 2 laps around the track will probably leave you dead tired for the final 2 laps. Your brain is the same way… Think of 18 Hz as a pretty fast jog for your brain (a speed to fast to run the entire mile at). If you stay in this state too long, you can actually become mentally fatigued. I have yet to experience any yet, but I have only begun the entrainment process.

• Relaxed body / focused mind state of awareness - For certain individuals, the 18 Hz brainwave frequency can allow them to retain a relaxed body + concentration-type state at the exact same time. This is a cool state of consciousness to achieve because the body feels good and the brain is still able to perform all the demanding functions within the beta brainwave state.

• Fully awake / some stress / anxiety - 18 Hz beta brainwaves are associated with being fully awake, fully conscious thinking. Think of it as the exact opposite of brain fog: crystal clear concentration. With that said, this crystal clear thinking and focus can cause stress and anxiety after awhile. Sometimes, when individuals are in this 18 Hz state for too long, they can experience stress or anxiety. As a matter of fact, some people who have anxiety disorders and stress problems are often in too high of beta brainwave states like 18 Hz and would be recommended to entrain the alpha brainwave.

• Memory improvements - It is not a surprise that memory improvements are associated with the 18 Hz beta brainwave because conscious thinking is associated with the recollection of past memories. The beta brainwave state is great for recalling old memories and improving your overall cognition. Your brainwaves are cycling quicker and bring your consciousness more information (from more thoughts) than slower brainwave states.

• Reading speed, speaking, and spelling improvements - Beta brainwaves are associated with the left-hemisphere of the brain (that is where they are largely produced). Because the left hemisphere is associated with thinking, memory, speaking, and spelling, it is no wonder that 18 Hz will do the trick to improve your overall critical thinking and working skills.

• Math improvements / less hypearactivity - Math is another subject that is associated with the left, logical side of the brain. Math improvements are very common when someone is stimulated with the beta brainwave. In fact, 18 Hz has been specifically linked to improvements in mathematics. Also, less overall hyperactivity (in most cases) will be experienced. 18 Hz has been long associated with quieting and / or eliminating the symptoms experienced by most individuals with ADD / ADHD.

What I am hoping to get out of this experiment:

Increases in overall energy levels

I am hoping that the 18 Hz frequency will give me an energy boost (especially in the mornings). I usually feel sluggish in the mornings and don’t want to get up. I remember when I used to be in a high-beta brainwave state I could just jump out of bed and feel excited and ready for the day. I want to experience a little boost in the mornings without drinking coffee or other caffeinated beverages. The beta brainwave range should to a great job getting me up and keeping me up in the morning without forcing me to ingest any (potentially harmful) substances.

Improvements in concentration + focus

Though I think that I could concentrate fine before I began the experiment, I have noticed improvements. All I would like is to improve my concentration and focus levels. Improving my concentration allows me to blog more efficiently and stay focused on certain activities. I am able to exercise more efficiently and get tasks done quicker in a smaller period of time; a natural productivity booster.

Increased overall excitement and motivation

If there is one thing that you’ll really feel from beta brainwave entrainment it’s excitement. Every time I get into the mid to high beta brainwave range, I feel excited. Not about anything in particular, just life, the day, or events coming up. Sometimes the excitement is accompanied by anxiety or stress, but it feels really good. It’s similar to the jolt of energy you get when you feel nervous about something (i.e. before skydiving, bungee jumping, a roller coaster, etc.) – except it feels good. This increase in excitement is associated with a more positive mood, and feeling more motivated.

Less negative emotions and negative thinking

Since beta brainwaves are largely associated with the left-hemisphere of the brain, they tend to make an individual less ‘emotional,’ more rational, and more likely to think-before-doing. Usually people in these states are energetic, thoughtful, respectful, and quick-witted. However, on the opposite end of the spectrum, we have the ADD / ADHD individuals and people struggling with depression.

These people are usually very emotional and are usually in a theta brainwave state of consciousness. The remedy for lessening the havoc that can be caused by too many theta brainwaves is to stimulate the brain with beta brainwaves. Beta brainwave entrainment will naturally lessen the overall amount of theta brainwaves and make you feel less impulsive, more in-control, and more conscious. You will also probably think more positively. Think of them as natural anti-depressants.

Increased logical thinking

If you currently struggle with illogical thinking or random thoughts that don’t make much sense, beta brainwaves may be in order. They are derived and primarily produced by the left-hemisphere of the brain. The left-hemisphere regulates logical thinking, whereas the right-hemisphere is associated with intuition, emotions, and less logical thoughts. Slower brainwaves are produced by the right-hemisphere. If you’d like to experience logical thinking or feel that you do not think in a logical enough thought-pattern, try some beta brainwave entrainment.

How am I stimulating the left-hemisphere only?

I can stimulate the left-hemisphere of my brain at an 18 Hz brainwave frequency by using an isochronic tone. I first create a customized 18 Hz brainwave entrainment session in my program Neuro-Programmer 2 Professional. Next, I usually upload the session to my iPod and play it with “earbud”-type headphones. Next, I remove the “left earbud” and keep the right earbud in my right ear. I then only hear the isochronic tone at 18 Hz through my right ear.

The right ear is associated with stimulating the left-hemisphere of the brain and vice-versa (left-hemisphere stimulation = increased right hemisphere activity). I typically have my eyes open throughout the entire 18 Hz beta brainwave session. Closing my eyes would likely reduce the effectiveness of this session due to the fact that closed-eyes are associated with producing slower alpha and theta rhythms. Slower rhythms would interfere (at least slightly) with the beta brainwave entrainment.

Why did I choose to entrain only the left-hemisphere of the brain?

I currently don’t want to have a synchronized brainwave state. I want to experiment and see how I feel with a very active left-hemisphere. I also think that synchronized brainwaves can lead to problems or even change the desired result. For example, in certain cases, when high-beta brainwaves become synchronized, they actually boost theta / alpha brainwaves later (after the entrainment process).

So the desired result of more beta actually brings forth a production of extra theta brainwaves. I don’t want to run the risk of something going wrong so I used some logic. Since beta-brainwaves are associated with the left-hemisphere and logical thinking it couldn’t hurt to only stimulate the left-hemisphere. Sure my left-hemisphere will become more active, more powerful, and the frequency of the brainwaves will gradually shift towards an 18 Hz pattern, but that doesn’t mean my right hemisphere will become underactive either; it will still be doing it’s job.

How has it been so far? What changes have I noticed?

So far, my experience with entraining 18 Hz in my left-hemisphere has been great. I started 3 days ago and entrain for around 25 minutes each ‘session.’ I have been noticing gradual changes in my state of consciousness (i.e. my desires, music taste (fast tempo vs. slow), desires, appealing activities, etc. I have definitely been noticing changes in my personality and I feel like brainwave entrainment gives me control to manipulate reality and experiment with different states of consciousness in order to “do whatever I desire” in my lifetime.

The changes that I’ve noticed thus far:

Increased focus level

I have already noticed that I am more focused in both conversation and while working than I was before starting the experiment. It hasn’t been a huge shift in concentration, because I could focus fine before. It’s just that my focus has increased since beginning the experiment. It makes perfect sense that it would too. Beta brainwaves are associated with some of the most focused states of consciousness.

Increased energy levels

I have noticed increased energy in the morning and throughout the mid-afternoon than previously. I feel like my brain is literally creating more energy for me to work with. I am not amped up like I drank a red-bull, but feel like I can stay awake easily throughout the entire day until I fall asleep at night.

Slight anxiety + nervous

Though I haven’t noticed a lot of anxiety, I have noticed some. Since I have dealt with it in the past, the anxiety is not crippling nor preventing me from doing any activity that I’d normally do. If I feel nervous, I understand that it’s from the 18 Hz frequency entrainment and actually feel great about it. I know that I am just experimenting with my brainwaves and learning what the various brainwave states feel like. I also understand that I can always fall back on a lower frequency and I’ll calm down quickly.

More overall thinking + more aware

I have also noticed that I am thinking more than before. I consciously notice myself thinking at a much faster rate than before. I also noticed that I am more aware of everything going on in my environment. Things that I may have previously never thought about I now think about. I know that beta brainwaves can cause an individual to think deeply about very little, which isn’t always good.

12 Comments »

1. To experience deep inner peace.

2. To experience a greater sense of wellbeing.

3. To increase the amount of grey-matter in your brain.

4. To increase the amount of activity in your brain.

5. To take control of your thoughts.

6. To take control of your life.

7. For spiritual purposes.

8. To develop greater compassion for others.

9. To create a more positive outlook on life.

10. To develop greater emotional understanding.

11. To shift your perception.

12. To raise your current level of conscious awareness.

13. To deeply relax your mind and body.

14. To consciously control your brainwave patterns.

15. To increase your I.Q. score and level of intelligence.

16. To increase your overall energy levels.

17. To increase your levels of concentration.

18. To increase your levels of inner motivation.

19. To help build up a stronger immune system.

20. To make your life easier.

21. To learn more about yourself.

22. For self-mastery purposes.

23. To consciously control unconscious body functions.

24. To enhance your religious practices.

25. To “awaken” your mind.

26. To consciously control your reality.

27. To lower levels of destructive stress hormones.

28. To improve the condition of a mood disorder.

29. To “bliss out” and experience inner euphoria.

30. To make you happier than you already are.

31. To quiet your mind.

32. To strengthen your heart.

33. To improve blood flow to the brain.

34. To build new neural connections in the brain.

35. To increase your overall vitality.

36. To help manifest your desires.

37. To decrease chronic pain.

38. To try something new.

39. Because your friends meditate.

40. Because it sounds like an interesting practice.

41. To give the brain a quick “refresh.”

42. To use as an alternative to taking a nap.

43. Because there are so many different types of meditation.

44. To transcend space and time.

45. As an escape from the physical world.

46. Because it feels soothing [to your body and brain].

47. To use as a healthy alternative to watching T.V.

48. For healing past traumas.

49. To improve your memory.

50. To connect with the universe.

51. To enhance your ability to visualize.

52. To develop greater empathy.

53. To connect with God or the Source.

54. To learn about and guide your ego.

55. To untap the full potential of your soul.

56. To develop a more creative mind.

57. For personal growth or personal development purposes.

58. Because successful people meditate.

59. To get a “natural high” off of your own brain chemistry.

60. Because you want to change.

61. To help create peace on Earth.

62. To develop high-levels of brainwave coherence.

63. To develop high-levels of heart wave coherence.

64. To spend time with just yourself.

65. To improve your negative behavior patterns.

66. To improve your quality of thinking and clarity.

67. To help develop a warmer, more positive personality.

68. To improve relationships and your social life.

69. To feel relaxed in any environment.

70. It is the single most effective relaxation technique.

71. To reduce or overcome insomnia.

72. To help you kick a drug habit.

73. To help you kick an alcohol habit.

74. To help you boost your brain power.

75. To help you ditch an addicting habit.

76. To experience enlightenment.

77. To reach a state of nirvana.

78. To improve your sex-life and libido.

79. To lower your blood-pressure.

80. To help prevent devastating diseases.

81. To help prevent brain-aging.

82. To help you discover your purpose.

83. To replace suffering with understanding.

84. To develop a state of detachment.

85. To aid in the production of vital neurotransmitters like “serotonin.”

86. To increase the production of healthy hormones.

87. To slow physical deterioration and the process of aging.

88. To overcome limiting beliefs.

89. To increase work-productivity.

90. To develop a more open mind.

91. To set a healthy example for others to follow.

92. Meditation is an easy practice to learn.

93. Meditation gives you something to do when you are bored.

94. To clear past negative karma and bring forth positivity.

95. To cleanse your energy centers a.k.a. “chakras.”

96. To develop a greater mind-body connection.

97. To help replace aggressiveness with assertiveness.

98. To curb anger (and other negative emotions) and prevent fighting.

99. To help improve any area of your life.

100. Because there are so many positive side-effects associated with with meditation.

Bonus: 101. [Insert your reason(s) here] – Feel free to post your reason in the comments section.

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A groundbreaking study + video games on the brain + male brains vs. female brains

Allan Reiss and his fellow researchers have a good idea why your male counterpart can’t seem to put down his X-Box 360 controller. In a groundbreaking, imaging study, Stanford University School of Medicine scholars have found that part of the brain that generates rewarding feelings is more active in men than women while playing video games.

The differences between male and female brain-activity while playing video games may help us fully understand why males are actually much more likely to get addicted to Nintendo games than females. Over 100 million video games wer sold in 2005. According to a survey by Harris Interactive in 2007, younger males are at least 2 to 3 times more likely than females to feel addicted to playing video games!

Though video games are very popular, little research has been conducted in the area of neural processing and brain activity while people are actually playing the video games. And, to top things off, absolutely zero research has been conducted on gender-differences in the brain while playing video games. As you may have already eluded: this study is monumental.

This study was lead by Allan Reiss a Howard C. Robbins Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences. Allan has been interested in studying gender differences throughout his entire career. In 2005, Reiss published a study that was able to show how mens’ and womens’ brains process comedy differently. He then directed his research towards exploring territoriality. His team thought that the best way to study territoriality would be by using a simple computer game.

How the research worked

Brain researchers devised a game which involved a vertical line, which was referred to as “the wall.” This “wall” was located in the middle of a computer screen. When each game began, 10 balls appeared to the right of the wall and moved left directly towards the wall. Each time a participant clicked on the ball, the ball disappeared from the screen. If the balls were kept a certain distance away from “the wall,” the wall moved further to the right and the player gained extra space (territory) on the screen. If the balls hit the wall before they were clicked by the players, “the wall” moved further to the left and the player lost space (territory) on the screen.

Who were the participants?

While playing the computer game, 11 men and 11 women (a total of 22 young adults) were hooked up to an fMRI machine which allowed researchers to understand what was going on in each of the brains. Each of the participants played several 24-second games while hooked up to the fMRI machine. The fMRI machines were able to produce dynamic images showing activity in specific areas of the brain during the game playing.

How the study worked + the results

While playing the games, participants were told to attempt to click on as many balls as possible. They were not told that they would gain or lose space (territory) on the screen depending on how successful they were with clicking. All participants learned quickly how to play the game and the purpose of it. All of the male and female participants wound up clicking on roughly the same number of balls. Though they were relatively even in ball clicks, the male participants gained a greater amount of territory than the women. This was due to the fact that men identified which balls – [the balls closest to the wall] – would help them acquire the most territory when clicked.

The females fully understood the concept of the game and they moved the wall in the right direction. The difference between the male and female territory at the end of the game was summed up by study leader Allan Reiss: “They (the females) appeared motivated to succeed at the game. The males were just a lot more motivated to succeed.”

After thoroughly analyzing the MRI imagery and data of the entire group of players (11 men and 11 women), the researchers learned that the participants’ brains showed activation in the mesocorticolimbic center – a region commonly associated with addiction and reward. The difference between the male and female brains was in the amount of activation in the mesocorticolimbic center. The brains of the 11 male young adults showed much greater activity. And, to top things off, researchers discovered that the amount of activity closely correlated with how much space (territory) they gained during the game. (This correlation didn’t happen to occur in the women participants). Three more key brain structures involved in our reward circuitry: the amygdala, the orbitofrontal cortex, and the nucleus accumbens – were also shown to influence each other in men much more than women. The better connected this circuitry, the better the males performed at the computer game!

What these results suggest

The results of this study indicate that “acquiring territory” in a computer game is more rewarding for men than women. And researchers, especially lead researcher Allan Reiss, is of the least bit surprised. Reiss was quoted saying, “I think it’s fair to say that males tend to be more intrinsically territorial.” He later added the fact that, “It doesn’t take a genius to figure out who historically are the conquerors and tyrants of our species; they’re the males.”

Allan also thinks that this study suggests that men have neural circuitry in their brains that make them more liable than women to feel rewarded by playing computer or video games – especially those with territorial objectives. Reiss made the statement, “Based on this, it makes sense that males are more prone to getting hooked on video games than females.” Later, he added the fact that: “Most of the computer games that are really popular with males are territory and aggression-type games.” Researchers believe that the findings in this study may even apply to other types of video games. Though there are some questions that remain unanswered after this study, Reiss and his team are already working on further research in the area of the effects of video games on the brain niche; particularly in younger populations like children.

For more information note:
A report of this unique study has recently been published the Journal of Psychiatric Research online. http://med-www.stanford.edu

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New synaptic molecular evolution theory

Human intelligence has little or nothing to do with brain size – scientists have known this for awhile. Having a bigger brain will not necessarily make you more intelligent than another person. A relatively recent report by the Daily Mail Newspaper discussed a study that compared human brains to the brains of other species. The research and its findings were very interesting.

Researchers found that mammals have a higher percentage of proteins in the synapses – brain regions of interconnected nerves. They also discovered that of the 600 proteins found within the synapses of mammalian brains, about half of those synapses are found in invertebrates. Only one-quarter were found in single-celled organisms – which are a species without nerves.

The Daily Mail Newspaper quoted one lead researcher who stated, “This work leads to a new and simple model for understanding the origins and diversity of brains and behavior in all species. We are one step closer to understanding the logic behind the complexity of human brains.”

This highly-complex brain study contributes knowledge about the differences in a highly-important group of brain proteins between species. This study did not produce a comparison between the relative contributions of differences in these proteins. Nor did the study fully determine the relation of brain size to intelligence in humans or any other species. Because of the inconclusiveness, it is virtually impossible to draw any conclusions about their importance. Our brains are highly-complex organs and many external and internal factors determine differences in behavior and learning in all types of species.

What were the results of this study?

Researchers discovered genes which encoded proteins similar to the mouse postsynaptic proteins in all of the species – even yeast! There were obvious differences in the numbers of types of the proteins between the yeast, vertebrates and invertebrates. Basically, as organisms became more complex, they were found to contain a wider variety of postsynaptic proteins. In yeast, a species without nerves, these proteins were utilized in a wide-variety of jobs including: decision making, breaking down proteins, moving substances around the cell, and responding to the environment.

When comparing the mice proteins with the fruit fly proteins, the mice showed a much more complex range of postsynaptic proteins. Also, different regions of the mice’s brain displayed different combinations and levels of proteins. This eludes to the fact that they may actually be responsible for some of the different functions in these areas of the brain… Pretty confusing stuff, but it makes sense.

What were researchers able to learn from these results?

Researchers in this study believe that basic proteins that make up synapses have evolved over time to become more complex. This evolution of proteins has created differences in cognitive abilities between different species and to the adaptation of different regions of the brain for different functions.

Basically, this study has contributed to knowledge about the differences in certain groups of brain-proteins between different groups of species. The brain is an extremely complex organ and there are many differences between different species which create differences in cognitive abilities and behavior. Humans have a significantly more complex set of synapse proteins than other species. This allows us to have cognitive differences in behavior, thinking, memory, etc.

Why was this study done?

They hoped to determine how the synapses have evolved and why different types of species behave in more complex ways. Researchers also make it a point to note that all existing discussions of how the brain and behavior evolved failed to take into account the possibility of “synaptic molecular evolution.” Researchers worked by looking at differences between synapses in different species. Species ranged from: single-celled species to humans.

To take into account “synaptic molecular evolution,” scientists looked at proteins that were located in a certain part of the synapse – called the postsynaptic region. For starters, scientists took sequences of certain genes which contained the blueprints for 651 proteins found in the postsynaptic regions of mice. They then used computers to match similar sequences in the genetic coding of 19 different species.

The species included: simple species that did not have nervous systems like yeast (a single-celled organism), and a range of organisms with nervous systems such as: invertebrates (i.e. insects or worms), non-mammalian vertebrates (i.e. fish), and mammalian vertebrates (rats, chimpanzees, and human beings).

The researchers looked into the function of these proteins in yeast. Next, they determined which proteins were found in the postsynaptic regions of fruit flies. They then compared the fruit flies postsynaptic regions with that of mice. Eventually, they were able to look into mice’s brains and discover where these different proteins were found.

In my opinion, this study can get a little bit confusing. There is still a lot of material that was left unexplained that is still being researched. Based on this study, scientists will have a solid foundation developed for researching new molecular evolution theories. This is one of the latest “evolution of brain power” theories that has surfaced, so I figured that I’d share it with the blog. I will keep you all updated if I discover a new one!

Where did the story come from?

Dr. Richard Emes and colleagues from Keele University, Edinburgh University, the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, and the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology did the research. Their research study was funded by Wellcome Trust, the Medical Research Council, Edinburgh University, GlaxoSmithKline, the e-Science Institute, and the European Molecular Biology Organisation. The study was published in the Nature Neuroscience medical journal.

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Skipping sleep can shut down the brain

Being sleep-deprived for just one night will make your brain unstable and more prone to sudden “shutdowns.” These shutdowns are like lapses that don’t allow you to utilize the full power of your brain. The natural function of the brain is weaker and you may experience shifts between sleep and wakefulness throughout the day state researchers.

“It’s as though it is both asleep and awake and they are switching between each other very rapidly,” says David Dinges from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. His “sleepy brains” study appears in the Journal of Neuroscience and has gained mainstream attention.

David Dinges, a lead researcher was quoted saying, “Imagine you are sitting in a room watching a movie with the lights on. In a stable brain, the lights stay on all the time. In a sleepy brain, the lights suddenly go off.” This quote explains the findings of his research in a nutshell. When you provide your brain with adequate sleep, your brain is fully operating. When you deprive your brain of sleep, your brain can shift between functioning and shutting down (malfunctioning). We already know that depriving yourself of sleep is one of the things that kill brain cells.

What the findings of this study suggest?

The findings of this study suggests that individuals who are sleep-deprived will shift between stages of near-normal brain functioning and significant lapses in cognition throughout the day. Two key areas that sleep-deprived brains are usually not able to perform well in are: visual processing and attention skills.

David Dinges and other researchers conducted brain imaging studies on 24 adults who performed simple tasks which involved visual attention when they were well rested and compared the results to those of when they had missed 1 night’s sleep. Researchers used fMRI imaging to analyze the results, allowing them to measure and observe the amount of blood flow in the brain.

The key findings: the sleep deprived vs. the well rested

• Sleep Deprived: The fMRI imaging showed that when individuals were sleep-deprived, there were significant lapses in key areas of the brain.

• Well Rested: When the individuals were well rested, fMRI imaging showed no lapses in functioning in the areas that faltered in the sleep-deprived brain. The brain power of well-rested individuals remained strong and healthy.

The lead researcher also stated, “These people are not lying in bed. They are sitting up doing a task they learned and they are working very hard at doing their best.” Lapses seemed to suggest that lack of sleep impairs the brain of fully warding off the involuntary drive to sleep. Dinges also says that this study makes it clear how dangerous sleep-deprivation can be while driving on the highway – when even a split second lapse could potentially get you into a major accident!

The obvious conclusion

I think it is obvious to say that we need a goodnight’s sleep for optimal brain functioning! So do yourself a favor and get to bed at a decent time. Too much lack of caring for yourself and your sleeping patterns can cause health problems, cognitive impairments, and is unhealthy. For optimal brain power, you already know that it is good to take a nap if necessary – or set aside some time to sleep in. Get to bed earlier, do whatever you need to to fulfill your necessary sleeping requirements. Sleeping replenishes the body and revitalizes the brain. Cutting it from your routine or trying to avoid it for productivity reasons will only impair your brain functioning. So do yourself a favor… get a good-night’s sleep!

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Is it possible that only waking up and smelling coffee gives your brain a jolt of energy (more beta brainwaves) without even taking a drink? Many people drink coffee in the morning for some caffeine-energy. However, a new study shows that just smelling coffee may have some of the same benefits. The research in the area of coffee is discovering how drinking and smelling coffee affects the gene expression and proteins in your brain.

The new “coffee bean study”

The author of this new “coffee study” was Han-Seouk Seo of Seoul National University. He wrote about how this is one of the first bits of research to look at how the smell of coffee affects our brain activity and behavior. This new study dealt with lab rats, most of which hadn’t gotten adequate sleep. Han-Seouk Seo wrote: “There are few studies that deal with the beneficial effects of coffee aroma.” Apparently, this study is the first ever with a primary focus on the effects of “coffee bean aroma” on sleep-deprived rats’ brains.

For this study, lab rats were used in combination with “Colombian coffee beans.” Researchers tested how the smell of coffee affected the brains of: adult male rats who were “stressed” and sleep deprived, and a group of unstressed adult male rats. They were compared with 2 more groups of rats: stressed and unstressed rats not exposed to the aroma of Colombian coffee beans.

The results of the study

The group of researchers then observed the rats’ brains to attempt to discover the molecular effects of the coffee bean scent. Below is what they discovered:

• The sleep-deprived “stressed” rats showed displayed different levels of activity in 17 genes in the brain. Whether they were better or worse, the study did not say… It just said the levels of activity were different than normal.

• This isn’t to suggest that sleep-deprived or “stressed” people are the exact same as sleep-deprived lab rats. Some study authors believe that since drinking caffeine can cause the same “stress” associated with sleep-deprivation, it may be better for people to sniff coffee.

Should I start sniffing Colombian coffee beans?

Does this mean that you could carry around some Colombian coffee beans to help keep your beta brainwaves roaring? Could you beat the sleep by taking a sniff of some coffee beans? The question remains to be answered! This study found that the scent of coffee affects our brain activity levels and proteins in 17 genes…

They did not find any conclusive evidence supporting the scent of coffee’s effects on the brain. I personally think that sniffing coffee beans would have some effect on us and our brainwaves. Many aromas can change our brainwaves. Taking a whiff of peppermint or chewing peppermint gum can give our beta brainwaves a boost! More coffee-brain-interaction research is in the works and is interesting to follow. Stay tuned for more, I’ll keep you updated!

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Note: If you enjoy this article, consider reading 5 Ways Of Enhancing Brain Power [Part 1].

No matter how high your current I.Q. or level of education, there are still tons of great things that you can do to boost your brain power!  Boosting your brain power doesn’t always deal with reading books or hanging out with scientists on a daily basis!  There are many great methods that you can use to improve your brain’s overall level of cognition.  The following 5 methods included in this article will definitely help you flex your neural connections a bit and allow you to build a better brain!  In follow-up to the first part of this series (posted above), are 5 more great ways of enhancing your brain power!

1. Take Control Of Your Thoughts (Neurofeedback)

Taking control of your thought-patterns is much easier than most people imagine!

Though the concept of Neurofeedback sounds slightly New-Agey, there is a method of thought-control that you can use to actually boost your brain power! Most people that use it don’t have any idea as to how it works, but definitely are able to testify that it is highly-effective. It is not exactly a method of relaxation or meditation, though you can use it to help yourself relax! What is it? It’s called neurofeedback, and it is slowly gaining credibility in the field of psychology and scientific community.

Neurofeedback stemmed from the practice of Biofeedback and the terms are often used synonymously. Neurofeedback works by showing people (giving them feedback) of real-time measures of things like: brainwaves, heart rate, skin temperature, etc. and encourages them to take conscious control over it. The amazing part of this practice is that though people don’t think it will work initially, walk away with astonishing results proving that they were able to do it!

Neurofeedback has recently gained popularity in neuroscience and psychology to help patients boost their brain power and recover from diseases and disorders like anxiety or ADHD. The very first attempts of neurofeedback were done to increase the amount of alpha brainwaves (associated with a calm, relaxing mental state) displayed in an individual’s E.E.G. So far, researchers and neurofeedback practitioners have had much success with treating things like ADD and ADHD. They have also found plenty of scientific evidence that proves its effectiveness! It also has been effective in treating certain cases of depression, anxiety, stroke, brain injuries, and epilepsy.

Some experimenters have even used brain scanners that allow individuals to see and control brainwave activity in specific parts of their brain! This is an amazing advancement, in my opinion! What about for people that don’t have a brainwave problem? Can neurofeedback be effective for boosting the brain power of an ordinary, average guy? Definitely. Neurofeedback has been proven to improve memory and levels of calmness before exams in many average people.

It has also been effective at improving technique in dancers and musicians. With this said, virtually anyone can benefit from the practice. There is also evidence that the practice of neurofeedback can boost our confidence, levels of creativity, enhance our sexual performance, lift depression, balance brain activity, improve relaxation, and change personality traits. All of this improvement just through the act of controlling out thoughts!

2. Pay Closer Attention (Cut Distractions)

No matter your level of genius, creativity, or common sense, none of it matters unless your mind paying attention!

Paying attention is a fairly complex brain function that allows us to focus on details or see the “big picture.” Though there is no single best way to improve concentration, there are many things you can do to improve it! The first way to enhance your concentration is to increase your level of arousal. When you are in a highly-focused, beta brainwave state, your level of arousal is much higher than usual. The brain’s concentration-state of mind is controlled largely by the production of the neurotransmitters: dopamine and noradrenalin. Dopamine induces a “goal-oriented,” pleasurable, yet highly productive state of mind. Noradrenalin induces an vigilant, slightly paranoid state of mind. It is not shocking that doing activities to raise dopamine levels boost our ability to pay attention.

One way to boost our ability to pay attention is by taking drugs like amphetamines (Ritalin, Adderall, etc.) – drugs that treat ADHD. Caffeine also works well to boost our levels of concentration. I personally prefer a drug-free approach due to safety concerns associated with taking drugs. I know (from experience) that these drugs are not the way to go: they are a short term solution to a problem that needs a long term approach.

Another great way to boost your ability to pay attention is to get a good night’s sleep, eat brain foods, and get plenty of exercise! Meditation is also a great practice to incorporate into your lifestyle. Studies have proven meditation’s effectiveness at increasing our ability to pay attention. After you have chosen one of the methods mentioned above to improve your focus, you need to begin cutting distractions. Studies conducted at the workplace discovered that it takes at least 10 minutes to regain a quality state of focus after becoming distracted.

Psychologists highly recommend that you avoid doing work near noisy, annoying, distracting appliances like the dishwasher, fridge, or T.V. It is best to drown out background noise while working by finding a quiet place to work, using earmuffs or earplugs (if necessary), or even listening to music to kill the other noise. There are plenty of tactics you can use to help you keep paying attention. Pick one method you like best and stick with it!

3. Can You Learn From The Nuns?

If you don’t want to develop senility throughout your old age, you should consider asking a Nun what to do!?

A convent in Mankato, Minnesota may seem like an abnormal place to run a brain experiment… But, a study of 75 to 107 year old nuns has revealed great insight into keeping the brain healthy and powerful moreso than most other experiments to this date! This “Nun study” was done with over 600 total Catholic Nuns and an expert of Alzheimer’s disease and aging.

The nun’s high-levels of longevity is largely attributed to their lifestyle. They do not drink or smoke, they live quietly and socialize, they are calm, deeply spiritual, and have a healthy diet. All of these small differences in lifestyle appeared to make huge differences in brain power and aging later in life. A relatively low percentage of the nuns suffered from Alzheimer’s disease, but many have avoided dementia and senility that most individuals develop. Many of the nun’s brains revealed no signs of excessive aging.

The overall study revealed a few common factors that helped the nuns’ brain power: having the correct amount of vitamin folate, verbal ability early in life, and having positive emotions early in life. Also, activities such as: sewing, doing crossword puzzles, and exercising helped prevent senility. Spirituality and the positive emotions resulting from it, also had significant benefits. Individual differences also matter: irregular metabolism, strokes, and head injuries, all increase your susceptibility towards developing Alzheimer’s disease.

You definitely don’t need to become a nun to stay mentally fit, though! We can all work towards brain power improvements! With that said, this study can provide us with a plethora of great advice to take from the lives of some nuns and apply it to our own lives!

4. Physical Exercise Vs. Mental Exercise

Staying active through physical exercise can not only make you stronger physically, it will boost your brain power!

Are you the type of person who hates studying? Well, according to researchers, exercising for just 30 minutes a day up to 3 times per week can significantly improve your ability to concentrate, use reasoning, and your overall learning abilities by nearly 20 percent! The brain boosting effects of exercise are even more powerful and easier to observe in old people. Elderly individuals that are able to walk regularly perform much better on memory tests than their non-exercising friends. Even more impressive is the fact that over several years, their overall cognitive performance shows much less decline than those who don’t exercise. Every extra exercise session has significant benefits!

Though elderly individuals display the most noticeable changes in mental performance, they are not the only group of people that benefit from exercise. Children have been studied too: school-kids that exercise 3 to 4 times per week get higher exam scores than those who don’t! Though the effect is most observable in male schoolchildren, females do definitely benefit as well! Research suggests that aerobic exercise boosts cognition by getting extra oxygen to the brain.

There is also another great reason that your brain is so fond of physical exercise: it promotes neurogenesis a.K.a. “the growth of new neurons (brain cells)!” Until recently, scientists figured that we were born with a maximum amount of brain cells and that we could not replenish lost or killed brain cells. New studies, however, have confirmed that exercise definitely produces new brain cell growth (in people of all ages), even in adults!

The brain boosting effects of exercise are most seen in the hippocampus – the part of the brain responsible for learning and memory. This is also the brain region that is easily damaged by cortisol – a brain-cell killing stress hormone. This is why if you are ever feeling stressed, the best thing you can do for your brain is to go for a hard run! Even relaxing, stretching-type exercise like hatha yoga can work wonders for your cognition. Scientific researchers have discovered that bending backwards – as opposed to forward bending and standing – is the best way to get a quick mood lift!

Apparently, not only does a fit body positively affect our brain, our brain can actually produce changes in our body! In 2001, researchers at the “Cleveland Clinic Foundation of Ohio” asked volunteer participants to spend 15 minutes each day thinking about exercising their biceps. After 12 short weeks, their bicep muscles were 13 % stronger than they were before! This is very interesting and a phenomenon that (in my opinion) should be studied more! The effects from this study were amazing, just from spending 15 minutes “thinking” about exercising a certain muscle group!

5. Get A Good Night’s Sleep (Seriously…)

You should never underestimate the power associated with getting a good night’s sleep!

Cheating your brain of sleep is actually very harmful to your brain! Depriving yourself of sleep is one of the many things that kill brain cells! (Yikes!) Your ability to problem solve, plan, learn, and concentrate all are significantly reduced. Intelligence scores are lowered. You become unable to properly function: if you have been awake for twenty-one hours straight, your cognitive abilities are equal to someone who is legally drunk! You should not be on the road… lack of sleep is just as bad for your brain as driving drunk. And, you don’t need to pull an all-nighter to suffer from the dangerous effects: just 2 to 3 (back-to-back) late nights with early mornings have the exact same negative side-effects!
What is also interesting is the fact that if you allow someone who isn’t sleep deprived to get an extra hour of sleep, they perform much better on normal tasks requiring high levels of attention, such as taking a test! These are not the only benefits resulting from a good-night’s sleep either! While you are sleeping, your brain is able to process new learned skills, the formation of memories, and solve problems.

An example is working on an extremely difficult math problem… Instead of working 8 hours straight trying to solve the problem, you would be better off working for a couple hours and taking a cat-nap. Why? Because, while you are asleep your brain refreshes and reactivates the neural circuits that it used when you were working on the problem. It then rehearses your memories as you worked on the problem and converts short-term memories into the long-term storage. The same applies to other skills such as learning a sport, playing an instrument, and driving a car.

There is also plenty of evidence that getting quality sleep helps us produce moments of problem-solving insight. Many people claim that their problems are solved sometimes in their dreams. One famous story and example, is that of the Russian chemist Dmitri Mendeleev. He claimed to suddenly “understand” a problem he was trying to solve with the periodic table in a dream, after he had spent an entire day struggling with the problem! It appears as though sleep allows the brain to juggle new experiences and memories, and provide us with flashes of creativity and ah-ha moments! If you are ever in doubt about a problem or stressed out, snooze on it! You may be surprised at what your brain is able to accomplish!

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Note: If you enjoy this article, consider reading 5 Ways Of Enhancing Brain Power [Part 2].

No matter how much education you’ve had or how high your current I.Q., there are still many things that you can do to boost your brain power. Boosting your brain power isn’t always dealing with reading books or hanging around scientists 24/7! There are tons of great methods that you can use improve your brain’s overall level of functioning. The following methods included within this article should help you flex your neurons a little bit and build yourself a better brain! 5 great ways of enhancing brain power are included within this article!

1. Consider Taking “Smart Drugs”

Should aging automatically cause slow reactions, memory decline, and unfocused thinking?

At around 50 years of age, many people admit to discovering noticeable changes in their mental processing abilities. At this point, individuals are at the beginning of a natural process of decline. In many individuals, this “decline” can quickly turn into the devastating “dementia.” Everyone should be doing everything they can to slow dementia, so scientists have devised a solution to slowing the dementia problem: “smart drugs.”

Several drugs that might help with dementia and enhance cognitive abilities in the brain are already on the market. A ton of these drugs are also ready to hit the market in upcoming years. One such example is: “modafinil,” known to treat narcolepsy. Modafinil is also known to keep a person alert for 90 hours straight without jitteriness or poor concentration like common-day amphetamines.

What is really cool is the fact that with “modafinil,” sleep-deprived individuals can even perform better than their well-rested selves. (Sounds a bit insane to me…) The amount of deprived sleep doesn’t even really need to be made up! (Scary?) Military research has found that people on “modafinil” can stay awake for 40 hours, sleep the normal 8 hours, and then pull a few more all-nighters with no ill effects! It is also well-known that many people who do not even suffer from narcolepsy take modafinil to increase their energy and enhance their cognition.

The pharmaceutical industry has been riddled full of cognitive-boosting compounds. Some drugs have also been specially designed to improve memory. Many of these drugs appear to work well without any major side-effects! Then why isn’t everyone taking cognitive enhancing pills? Because screwing around with our memory may have unwanted effects – we may end up remembering things that we didn’t want to! In disorders such as: Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, this can be a big problem!

What looks to be a cognitive enhancer, could have drawbacks. However, the opportunity to increase brain power by popping a pill may be too tempting to pass. The drug acts only in the brain and has a short half-life. Several of these types of drugs, especially the Ampakines class, have been proven to restore complete brain function in sleep deprived humans. By taking these “smart drugs,” you can make an elderly person perform like a younger person. Which elderly person wouldn’t want to boost their brain?

2. Eat “Brain-Foods” (Food Determines Thoughts)

What you eat, directly affects your brain… Then what is the optimal diet for your brain’s functioning?

Your brain is the organ in your body with the most dietary requirements. It isn’t at all surprising that your food choices will directly affect the functioning of your brain! Many people find it hard to believe that simply changing their diet will improve their mental health or mental disorder, but they need to start! What you eat will directly affect the thoughts that you think.

One great way to aid your brain is by simply eating breakfast each and every day. The brain is fueled by a steady supply of nutrients, vitamins, and glucose, which breakfast always supplies. Studies have shown that skipping breakfast reduces cognitive performance in the brain.Another way to improve your diet includes cutting back on sugars and fizz-drinks. According to research published in 2003, children who ate lots of sugar and fizz drinks in their breakfast diet, performed at the same cognitive level of the average 70-year-old attention and memory tests. So what should you eat?

Toast alone is one food that has been proven to boost kids scores on cognitive tests. However, when the tests get tougher, those who had diets with high-protein performed the best. Beans are a great way to get protein and fibre and are actually one food that is recommended to have with your toast at breakfast. Researchers claim that if you aren’t able to eat beans before lunchtime, wholemeal toast with “marmite” makes a phenomenal alternative. Marmite, a yeast extract, is enriched with vitamins that have been known to have a direct effect on boosting the brain.

Junk food has been linked to tons of mental disorders. Great substitutes for junk food at lunch are eating things like omelettes and salads. Eggs are rich in choline, which your body uses to produce the neurotransmitter acetylcholine (which helps improve memory and alertness). A deficient amount of acetylcholine has been linked to a significantly reduced ability to remember words. Lower than average acetylcholine levels are also associated with Alzheimer’s disease. The good news is that studies show that eating a healthy diet may slow age-related memory loss!

A salad packed full of antioxidants, will also help keep an aging brain in peak-performance by helping eliminate damaging “free radicals.” A diet high in antioxidants has been shown in studies to aid in learning and improve cognitive skills! You can top off your lunch with a zesty yogurt dessert. The yogurt will naturally help you produce amino acid tyrosine, needed for the production of the neurotransmitters dopamine and noradrenalin, which lower stress.

In case you like to snack in the afternoon in between lunch and dinner, be sure to avoid junk food! Avoid processed foods like cakes and pastries. These types of foods add fat to your body and have been linked to causing mental disorders due to their higher than average amount of trans-fatty acids. Trans-fatty acids have been linked to dyslexia, A.D.D. / A.D.H.D., and even autistic symptoms. Triglyceride is another cholesterol-like substance that trans-fatty diets bring to the body and brain, which has also been linked to mental disorders.

Since brains are roughly 3/5ths fat, trans-fatty acids can clog up your operating system quickly! In stead of polluting your brain with the unhealthy fat, scientists are recommending a supplement of Omega-3 Fatty Acids (commonly found in Fish Oil – which I have preached about). Therefore Eskimo’s are correct: fish is the single best brain food. Not only do fish feed and support a developing brain, D.H.A. (found in Fish Oil) also seems to ward off dementia!

A great, healthy way to finish off your final meal of the day is to eat blueberries and strawberries. Rodents fed on these fruits showed boosted short-term memory, attention, and coordination abilities. Whether or not they work well on your brain, they still taste great – you’ve got nothing to lose by eating healthy fruits like these!!

For more brain-boosting foods, check out this article: 5 Supercharged Brain Foods!

3. Listen To Mozart Music

Music has been known to boost brain power in certain areas, but you cannot listen to some music and instantly become brilliant!

Listening to Mozart has long been known to improve one’s mathematical and spatial reasoning abilities. Even rats are able to run faster and more accurately when listening to Motzart than other types of noise. This sounds like a great way to help improve your brain, right? Well, according to researchers, it doesn’t work for everyone who listens to Mozart! What is even more interesting is the fact that other researchers believe that music boosts brain power because of its ability to make the listeners “feel better”: more relaxed and aware at the same time. Another crazy thing is the fact that listening to stories have yielded similar performance enhancements.

There is, though, one way in which music has been proven to actually make you smarter: by taking lessons! Studies have shown that children that were given music lessons, improved their I.Q. scores by roughly 3 points compared to others! Scientists have also found that after two years of music lessons, children scored better on spatial reasoning tests than those who took “computer lessons.”

Music lessons seem to build a wide-range of mental skills due to mental coordination of finger movements in combination with various sounds, pitches, and rhythms. Listening to music also has been known to have an emotional impact. So if you want to improve your brain through music, consider taking lessons! It sure would do more good for you than harm!

4. Give Your Brain A Workout

Putting your brain to work can actually repay you with some impressive cognitive results.

It was only until recently that people thought that I.Q., problem solving skills, memory, and verbal reasoning were mostly determined by genetics. Recent research has shown that our “working memory” – the brain’s short-term information storage system – can be utilized to increase our intelligence level and our ability to recall memories.

An example of working memory: each time you do math, working memory allows you to store the intermediate steps to solve the problem. The amount of information that our working memory can store, strongly correlates with our general level of intelligence.

Researchers have studied working memory through magnetic resonance imaging (MRI scans) and have found that individuals who participated in active brain training programs had significant boosts in regions associated with working-memory. Training our working memory is a key part of boosting and increasing our brain power. Children were also researched: those who had completed “mental workouts” had roughly 10% leaps in their I.Q. scores! Though “working-memory” training is in its earliest periods, it could be a key part of enhancing our brain’s cognition. Anyone’s brain can be improved through a well-devised brain-training program!

5. Use Memory Boosting Techniques

Is your memory below par? No need to stress, just use some memory boosting methods…

First of all, a great way to improve your memory is to learn how to use your memory. Tricks like “mnemonic devices” can significantly help boost your ability to memorize. When researchers studied World Memory Champions and compared their brains to normal people, they didn’t find a higher I.Q. in these individuals than an average person. However, while these people memorized something, their brains lit up with above-average activity in certain brain regions.This is due to the fact that these individuals used different strategies of memorization – they visualized what they were memorizing and sometimes incorporated a story within their memorizations! For example if they were memorizing certain names, they would make up a mini-story behind each name that they memorized along with visualization. Many hollywood actors and actresses use a similar method: they attach their emotions to the words that they say. They also area able to link words with movement, which seems to help.

It is known, though, that we always remember emotionally intense moments better than the rest. Besides incorporating emotions, movement, and visuals into your memorization, simple techniques can help too. Things like: putting your car keys in the same place, writing things down to remember, and even making a conscious effort to pay attention can make a huge difference in how much you remember.

For more great memory-boosting tips, check out this article: Tips To Improve Your Memory!

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According to British research, the act of simply “chewing gum,” could make us smarter, enhance our memory, and improve the functioning of our brains. A joint study done by the University of Northumbria and the Cognitive Research Unit, Reading, found that “chewing gum” has beneficial effects on our “thinking, memory and other cognitive tasks.” The results of the study were extremely clear and showed that chewing-gum definitely helps to improve brain functioning!

Scientific research of gum-chewing”

The Experiment:

To research how gum-chewing affects the brain, scientists conducted some quality experiments. The experiments involved 75 who were split into several different groups: non-gum-chewers, real gum-chewers, and fake gum-chewers. Prior to undergoing a 25-minute test for cognitive abilities, the two chewing groups (real gum-chewers and fake gum-chewers) spent just 3 minutes working their real or imaginary gum around their mouths. Scientists stated that the cognition-tests included questions relating to: short-term memory (such as recalling words and pictures), and working memory (the ability to retain a person’s telephone number).

The Results:

The gum-chewers’ scores were 24 % higher than the controls’ on tests of immediate word recall, and 36 % higher on tests of delayed word recall. The gum-chewers were also more accurate on tests of spatial working memory. They also found that people who chewed throughout tests of both long-term and short-term memory produced significantly better scores than people who did not. Scientists said that, “the heart rate of the real gum-chewers after the tests was, three beats per minute faster than the non gum-chewers, and even 1.5 beats per minute faster than the fake gum-chewers.”

“The findings are intriguing, although it is clear that questions remain to be addressed,” says Kim Graham of the Medical Research Council’s Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit in Cambridge, UK.

Does the type of gum make a difference?

Peppermint gum, menthol, or spearmint–it makes no difference. This means that you could chew any type of gum that you choose. Even baseball players chewing the sugary Bublicious and Big League Chew type gum can improve their brains by “chewing gum.” Though it may be best to kill 2 birds with one stone by fighting bad-breath to improve the scent of your mouth and your brain, you will still benefit from chewing any type of gum!

So how exactly does chewing gum help boost brain power?

There are three main potential explanations, say scientists. In March 2000, Japanese researchers showed that brain activity in the hippocampus, an area important for memory, increases while people chew – but it remains unclear as to why activity increases.

Recent research has also found that insulin receptors in the hippocampus (the part of the brain that is important for learning and memory), play a role. “Insulin mops up glucose in the bloodstream and chewing causes the release of insulin, because the body is expecting food. If insulin receptors in the brain are involved in memory, we may have an insulin-mediated mechanism explaining our findings – but that is very, very speculative,” scientist Andrew Scholey says.

But there could be a simpler answer, though. “One interesting thing we saw in our study was that chewing increased heart rate. Anything that improves delivery of things like oxygen in the brain, such as an increased heart rate, is a potential cognitive enhancer to some degree,” Scholey said.

They further stated that, “the mild increase in heart rate may improve the delivery of oxygen and glucose to the brain, enough to improve cognitive function.” Many scientists also believe that chewing gum releases a surge of insulin due to the mouth watering in anticipation of a meal, thus resulting in a better brain. It is known that there are insulin receptors in areas of the brain which are important for learning and memory, so this could explain part of why gum-chewing actually boosts the brain!

Future research of gum-chewing

It is apparent that scientists need to do some more research in this field. There is too much information that scientists cannot seem to figure out about the brain boosting process. Though chewing gum definitely boosts brain power, science has not figured out how it does this. Scientists have explained, though, that the research of gum-chewing in relation to brain power is only in its early stages. Hopefully, they start making some more progress because everyone seems to agree that the brain boosting potential of “gum chewing” is amazing and that any future advancements / discoveries could be ground-breaking!

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Learning to juggle and the brain changes

Scientists have found that by learning to juggle you can produce significant, powerful changes within your brain. Scientists have studied the brains of many individuals who frequently practice juggling. The scientists compared the brains of habitual jugglers to individuals that don’t practice juggling. What the scientists discovered were significant changes in the size of the brains of the individuals that frequently juggled. All of the brains of individuals who practiced juggling were bigger than average.

Increased grey-matter

Compared to those who didn’t juggle, or weren’t able to juggle, individuals that juggled had significantly boosted the amount of grey matter in their brains’. The change in amount of grey matter was heavily noted in two key areas of the brain: the mid-temporal area and the left posterior intraparietal sulcus. Both of these brain areas are involved in the processing of visual and motor information.

How scientists determined the grey matter increase:

In order to study the brains of those who juggled, scientists used voxel-based morphometry: a technique that directly measures concentrations of brain tissue. This allowed them to determine to compare the grey matter of jugglers’ and non-jugglers’ brains.

Brain changes from juggling: healthy, but not permanent

Though juggling is an activity that promotes positive change and growth of the brain, it unfortunately is not known to have a permanent affect on boosting brain power. Scientists have discovered that stopping a juggling routine slowly reverts the boosted grey matter and brain functioning to the same size as it was previous to starting a juggling routine.

With that said, implementing juggling into your daily routine may prove to be a unique activity to experiment. Who knows, you may even consciously notice (or feel) brain changes as a result of juggling!  I may give juggling a 30 day trial to see how I react and post my analysis and evaluation on 4 mind 4 life. It seems as though the brain areas that grow and are activated by juggling, will at least [temporarily] give you a cognitive boost. Why the brain changes completely back to normal after a juggling routine is stopped, scientists do not exactly know. Some scientists propose that the brain changes were due to: increased cell production and communication between cells.

Some more food for thought

What is very interesting is the fact that Dr. Vanessa Sluming, has studied the brains of musicians and found that at some point, they are able to retain more brain cells than those who aren’t musically inclined. She thought that the research involved with brain power and juggling was very interesting because it showed brain boosting improvements in not only children, but elderly adults!

Though juggling only produces a temporary increase in brain power, it would be interesting to know the point at which our brains retain the extra grey matter. This would allow scientists to make potentially many more breakthroughs in the area of cognition. Does this mean that you will never fully retain permanent side-effects from creating a certain change in your life? Well, as far as juggling research is concerned, yes. However, I’d be willing to bet that many other brain boosting activities can create permanent neural changes if practiced for an extended period of time.

Dr. Vanessa Sluming further went on to say: “It shows that what we do in everyday life might have an impact not just on how our brains function but on the structure at a macroscopic level.” I found this interesting and absolutely believe that this is true. The actions you take today shape your consciousness and brain for the future. Whether you create permanent changes in brain functioning, I don’t know. However, I think that the best time to start changing your brain is as soon as possible! Especially for children, their brains seem to have an ability to adapt and mold to however they react to their reality.

Final thoughts on juggling

If you already enjoy the act of juggling, keeping it at a daily routine or doing it every-other day may prove to yield brain boosting benefits. Realize that juggling is a “use it or lose it,” type of activity. The more you use juggling, the more you activate growth in the brain. When you stop juggling for awhile, your brain activity will shift back to normal – the way it was before you began juggling. Juggling and it’s effects on our brain is definitely a very interesting concept for scientists to study. I will be looking forward to reading more about this topic!

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What are theta brain waves?

Theta brainwaves are considered extremely relaxing brainwave activity that is commonly associated with sleep and dreaming. Theta brainwaves are high in amplitude and cycle within the range of 4 – 8 Hz and are usually generated in the brains right hemisphere. Theta waves kick in when we feel emotional, relaxed, daydreamy, unfocused, or are asleep. Theta brainwaves are generally thought of as the brainwaves that are dominant in people with A.D.D., high levels of relaxation, high levels of creativity, and random thinking. The theta brainwave is considered the brainwave pattern that is dominant in deeply relaxed, dream sleep.

Benefits of increasing theta brain waves:

• Deep levels of relaxation – Theta brainwaves while a person is awake is extremely uncommon. However, advanced meditators and children are 2 groups of people that are able to enjoy the deeply relaxing benefits of the theta brainwave. Remember what you felt like when you were a kid? The theta brainwave is a carefree state of mind that makes you feel emotionally connected with others.

• Emotional connection – The theta brainwave range is associated with strong, powerful emotions. The cool thing about theta brainwaves is as they increase, so does the intensity of your emotions. Often times beta brainwaves can block out our emotions or not allow us to fully experience our natural emotions. As theta brainwaves return or are strengthened through relaxation techniques or brainwave entrainment, we can learn to feel and understand our emotions better.

• Advanced intuition - Ever have a powerful gut-instinct that helped you make a good decision? Or a gut-instinct that you should’ve followed? If we get ourselves too caught up in the upper brainwave patterns of beta, our intuitiveness becomes severely damaged. As you increase your theta brainwaves, your intuition will increase as well as your ability to recognize those feelings in your “gut.”

• Subconscious connection – Though the alpha brainwave is capable of bridging the gap between conscious thoughts and the subconscious, the theta brainwave allows us to deeply connect with our subconscious mind. The subconscious mind, or our brain’s right-hemisphere becomes activated when slower brainwaves like alpha and theta waves kick in. If you spend too much time in beta, it may feel incredible to finally relax and allow yourself to connect with your subconscious mind.

• Peak levels of creativity - The theta brainwave is often found in highly creative individuals. Many talented musicians, inventors, and artists are found to have extremely higher than average amounts of theta brainwaves. Musicians and artists are also able to utilize software like Neuro-Programmer 2 in order to help them increase their creativity when it runs dry. Utilizing the theta brainwave will definitely enhance your overall levels of creativity!

• Advanced problem solving skills - The problem associated with having too much of the beta brainwave pattern is the inabiltiy to problem solve and get past “mental blocks” by thinking creatively. Ever get writer’s block? Increasing your theta or alpha brainwaves will most likely help you keep “flowing” right through your paper or article without getting “stuck.” I’ve heard cases of alpha brainwaves used to help prevent writer’s block and I’ve also read that theta waves were very effective.

• Lower anxiety, stress, and neurosis - Lowered levels of stress and anxiety is yet another benefit that the theta brainwave can bring to your life. Not all people with large amounts of theta waves are relaxed, but the theta brainwave band has been linked to lower levels of anxiety, stress, and neurosis. Increasing the total amount of theta brainwaves will help slow rapid thoughts and will make you feel more comfortable in your own body.

• Learning a new language – There has been plenty of research done on language learning and development. The claim that children are able to pick up new languages so quickly is because of their increased amount of theta brainwaves. Adults and students of a new foreign language may greatly benefit from shifting their brainwaves to the theta range.

• Bridges the spiritual connection – Many consider the theta brainwave to be a bridge between the physical body and spiritual body. The theta brainwave has been associated with deeper spirituality and a deep spiritual connection. According to some, the theta brainwave range provides enhanced spiritual awareness and profound insight. Many spiritual experiences and phenomena are commonly experienced in the theta brainwave state.

• Ability to program subconscious mind - There is some evidence to believe that by targeting the lower brainwave patterns and using affirmations or positive self talk, you can change some of your deepest unconscious beliefs or emotional blockages. In the theta brainwave range, the brain is extremely open to suggestion and new ideas. It is the openness of the brain in the theta frequency range that constitutes the ability to re-program the brain.

• Paranormal Experiences – People are especially open to psychic experiences, OOBE’s (Out Of Body Experiences), visions, ESP, and other phenomenon in the theta brainwave range. Though most paranormal and psychic experiences can be argued to be real or fake, there is evidence that most people tend to have them when their brain is full of theta brainwaves. Psychics are supposedly able to tap the theta brainwave range in order to connect with higher spirits and the divine.

• 300% boost in learning ability – Though the alpha brainwave spectrum (8 – 12 Hz) has been associated with “super learning” abilities, the theta brainwave frequency range has been heavily linked to profound learning benefits. As your mind is able to enter the frequencies of the theta range, you will be able to retain over 300% more information than you can while in the beta brainwave state. The theta brainwave allows people to learn large amounts of information in a much quicker time than the beta brainwave state and may even be quicker than the alpha brainwave for some activities.

• Boosted immune system - Increasing your theta brainwaves can lead to a boosted immune system due to the fact that theta brainwaves are associated with vitality and usually zero stress. Stress and too much anxiety can do harm to the immune system by releasing harmful chemicals such as epinephrine (adrenaline) and too much of the hormone: cortisol, associated with the adrenaline release. The theta brainwave releases pleasant chemicals and neurotransmitters to help keep your immune system at it’s peak.

• Improved long-term memory – As theta brainwaves increase, the ability of the brain to recall and store long-term memories increases. The hippocampus, a part of the brain involved in memory processing and storing memories, has a normalized theta brainwave rhythm passing through this area. As we become more stressed out, the beta brainwaves throw the normalized theta brainwaves of the hippocampus out of sync. This is why stressful people usually have poorer ability to recall long-term memories. Often times therapists and hypnotherapists try to slowly open up traumatized clients to the theta range in order to recall repressed memories. The therapists help the client shift to this brainwave range in order to recall the repressed memory and help talk them through the event.

• Ability to hyperfocus – Many people with high amounts of theta brainwave activity are able to “get in the zone” and stay intensely focused and motivated with one idea. Many people with ADD or ADHD attribute their success in certain areas of life to their ability to hyperfocus. Hyperfocus is a unique phenomenon that can really only be experienced in the theta brainwave range. Some meditators have also claimed to have learned the hyperfocus ability.

• Healing of body and mind – The theta brainwave rhythm is well-known to rejuvenate, replenish, and heal the body and mind. The theta brainwave is known to reset your brains sodium / potassium ion ratio. When you get yourself heavily involved in the upper frequencies of the beta range, your brain’s sodium / potassium ion ratio is severely thrown out of sync. Due to the deep levels of relaxation that the theta brainwave brings, the body and mind is easily able to restore itself after a tough mental or physical workout.

Who has high amounts of theta brainwaves?

• Extroverts - Compared to introverts, extroverts have more lower brainwave patterns in the alpha and theta ranges. Extroverts with low traits of neurosis and anxiety were found to have high levels of certain theta brainwave frequencies that introverts did not.

• Meditators – The goal of many meditation practices is to increase the amount of slower, alpha and theta brainwave patterns. After a lot of meditation experience, you can eventually learn how to shift your brain from the beta range, through the pleasant calmness of alpha, into the extraordinary theta range. Experienced meditators can recognize and control this state of awareness. Like any practice, the more you do it, the easier it will become to pass through alpha and into the theta brainwave range through meditation.

• Children – Children tend to have extremely high levels of theta brainwaves compared to adults. Though everyone has some degree of theta activity, most adults have an extremely tiny amount. Though the theta brainwave is very mysterious, it is a relatively safe brainwave. Virtually all children and people with A.D.D. have large amounts of theta brainwave activity. As we age, the beta brain wave pattern tends to increase and dominate the other patterns. That’s why many adults would definitely benefit from a theta or alpha brain wave boost more than young people.

• Individuals With ADD or ADHD – Individuals with ADD or ADHD tend to have brains that produce too much theta brainwave activity and not nearly enough beta activity. Having too much theta brainwave activity explains why ADD people aren’t able to concentrate well and have a tougher time staying on task. On a personal note, I have been able to cure my ADD by staying disciplined to a set of 5 daily steps.

• Extremely stressed individuals – The most advanced stages of stress (i.e. being extremely stressed out for more than a few months) will cause your brain to eventually enter the theta brainwave state due to a burnout of the central nervous system. As you produce too many high beta brainwaves for longer than a few months, your brain will eventually be extremely low in alpha brainwaves, extremely low in low-beta brainwaves, and full of desynchronized theta and high beta activity.

Just like any of the other brainwave patterns, too much of a dominant rhythm can cause problems. By no means would it be recommended to increase a brainwave that you already have high levels of. In fact, you may experience some negative affects from the theta brainwaves.

Problems associated with too many theta brainwaves:

• Inability to focus - Like I mentioned earlier, not everyone will benefit from a theta brainwave increase. The theta brainwave range has been specifically linked to lack of focus and ADD. In most cases, theta brainwaves are associated with mental fogginess, daydreaming activity, and random thinking. If you are already extremely unfocused, increasing your theta brainwaves is not a good idea!

• Too many daydreams – Like the alpha brainwaves, as you increase theta brainwaves, you may have too many daydreams without any control over it. Higher than average amounts of theta brainwaves is never beneficial and too many daydreams is a prime example of why you may not want to entrain theta.

• Depression – High amounts of theta brainwaves are found in individuals’ brains that have been diagnosed with clinical depression. Usually, individuals that have too many lower brainwaves tend to feel more depressed: increasing the amount of beta brainwaves will help them out! If you are depressed from being overstimulated, theta or alpha brainwaves can help your condition improve, but if you are too understimulated, I suggest staying away from alpha or theta brainwaves and sticking to beta.

• Sleepiness – The theta brainwave pattern has been linked to dream sleep. The theta brainwave is found in individuals that are sound asleep or extremely tired. Sleepiness and drowsiness occur when theta brainwaves are found in people that are fully awake. When increasing your theta brainwaves, it is extremely common to fall asleep and wake up feeling refreshed. It is very tough to stay aware in the theta state of consciousness unless you are training through meditation.

• Lack of excitement – Excitement is associated with beta brainwaves and the adrenaline that they produce. It is not uncommon to feel unexcited, or extreme feelings of boredom while in the theta range. If you are currently finding yourself bored with new activities, it is time to work to increase your beta brainwaves and stay away from increasing theta.

• Extreme impulsiveness – Since a lack of conscious thought is associated with theta brainwaves, it is not uncommon for extremely impulsive people to be high in theta brainwaves. One symptom of ADD is being overly impulsive. It isn’t at all a surprise that increasing the total amount of theta brainwaves correlates with higher levels of impulsive behavior.

• Hyperactivity – Because the brain is functioning at such a slow brainwave pattern, the central nervous system is using up less overall energy. All the energy that you accumulate from food you eat needs to be put to use somehow. Having too much theta brainwave activity allows your brain and CNS to get by with less energy. Since the brain and CNS use less overall energy, the excess energy is expressed in the individual through hyperactive behaviors.

• Overly receptive mind – In the theta brainwave state, your brain may be overly receptive to suggestions and new information. Being overly receptive isn’t always a good thing and can make your subconscious more open to accepting negative suggested beliefs. Many hypnotherapists target the theta brainwave range to help you implant new beliefs into your mind.

Healthy ways to increase theta brainwaves:

• Brainwave entrainment - As I mention a lot, brainwave entrainment is great for fine tuning your state of consciousness and awareness. If you want to easily and naturally experience theta brainwaves, I recommend trying any of the programs in my “recommended products” section. Brainwave entrainment is an easy process that involves simply listening to a tone (stimulus) and your brainwaves naturally shift in order to match the frequency associated with the acoustic tone.

• Playing Nintendo – Playing Nintendo literally shuts down all brainwave activity in the brain’s prefrontal cortex, an area which is responsible for producing beta brainwaves to help keep you focused. As an individual plays Nintendo games, his or her brain shifts from focused thinking to the unfocused, visual, theta brainwaves. Those who play Nintendo for longer periods of time on a consistent basis tend to have much more theta activity than those who don’t.

• Listening to music – Virtually all genres of music (besides classical) target the brain’s right hemisphere and increase theta brainwave levels. Ever wonder why music makes you feel more emotional or provokes an intense emotional reaction from within? Music brings emotions to the surface because when we listen, our brain naturally increases it’s theta brainwaves!

• Getting a good night’s sleep – Getting a good night’s sleep is important for staying healthy, keeping a healthy, powerful brain. Though theta brainwaves will not increase when you wake up the next day, they are highly prevalent in your brain while you are sleeping. Most dream-sleep is linked to an increase in theta brainwave activity, whereas dreamless sleep is mostly linked to delta brainwave activity.

• Meditation - The goal of most types of meditation is to lower the brainwaves into the alpha-theta brainwave range. A very safe, healthy way to increase your theta brainwaves is to make meditation a daily habit or start up a meditation routine. If you are already meditating, great — you’ll naturally increase flexibility with to travel through the alpha brainwave range to experience the depths of theta.

• Hypnosis / Self-hypnosis – The goal of all hypnosis and self-hypnosis programs is to target the lower brainwave ranges (i.e. alpha and theta) and implant new beliefs. Doing self-hypnosis on a consistent basis or seeing a hypnotherapist will definitely help you reduce stress by increasing your theta brainwaves.

• Creative Visualization - Every time that you close your eyes and do creative visualization, the amount of natural theta brainwave increases. Though it is tough to maintain awareness in a brainwave state predominantly comprised of theta waves, it can be done. Creative visualization will give your theta brainwaves a nice, healthy boost while you are engaged in this eyes-closed, extremely-relaxed process. If you are the type of person that often shuts your eyes to visualize, you probably have higher than normal amounts of theta brainwave activity. Visualization can go hand-in-hand with a meditation practice, but if you’d rather only visualize, you’ll still be boosting your theta brainwaves.

• Yoga – Like meditation, yoga is yet another activity that promotes relaxation and wellbeing by shifting your brainwaves to the calming patterns of alpha and theta. There are many different types of yoga, and if practiced right, they’ll definitely slow your brainwaves and allow you to experience a much greater sense of awareness and insight within the theta range.

Unhealthy ways to increase theta brainwaves:

• Skipping sleep – Depriving yourself of a good night’s sleep or completely skipping sleep will increase the amount of cortisol (a hormone associated with stress and aging) and will flood your brain with a combination of unfocused brainwaves: mostly theta, some delta and in some cases high-beta. If you have ever pulled an “all nighter,” you’ll know that skipping sleep makes you feel extremely unfocused, dizzy, and confused. This is due to to a combination of unbalanced chemicals, hormones, and brainwaves.

• Taking Valium (diazepam) – Valium is a sedative that is commonly used to treat anxiety, stress, and panic. Taking the drug Valium will increase your brain’s lower frequency brainwaves: mostly theta. The theta brainwaves are what makes a person feel tired and deeply relaxed. If you have ever taken Valium, you know what a kick of the theta brainwaves feel like.

• Drinking Alcohol – Though drinking alcohol primarily increases the total amount of a person’s alpha brainwaves, it definitely has an effect on the theta range too. In extreme cases of alcoholism and drunkenness, the theta brainwave pattern can dominate the brain and leave the individual extremely confused and impair all memory functions.

• Hallucinogenics (i.e. Magic Mushrooms / LSD / Acid) – Hallucinogenic drugs like Magic Mushrooms, LSD, and Acid are definitely not wise to take. They are things that kill your brain cells and can cause a user to have extremely negative reactions that result in huge emotional upheavals and possible psychotic episodes. In my opinion, Magic Mushrooms are the safest of the three mentioned, but they all should be avoided. With that said, if you have ever taken them, you have entered the theta brainwave range with a drugged perspective.

Final evaluation of theta brainwaves:

I personally think that theta brainwaves can feel awesome and are great to experience. The emotional intensity that is associated with high amounts of theta feels great. With that said, theta can be an intense brainwave to experience. If you find yourself overemotional and depressed, the theta band is not recommended. You should be the judge as to whether or not increasing theta is best for you. If you are already experiencing many of the listed “benefits,” you probably don’t need much of an theta brainwave booster.

Are you already an overemotional person? If so, chances are good that your brain naturally produces large amounts of theta brainwave activity and you may not need a boost. If you are experiencing too many of the listed negative effects, you may want to consider speeding up your brainwaves into the beta range.

I personally don’t recommend entraining the alpha brainwave or the theta brainwave if you currently know that your brain already produces large amounts of theta. If you are going to do theta brainwave entrainment with Neuro-Programmer 2 Professional, I recommend trying the 7.83 Hz frequency. If you purchase Neuro-Programmer 2 or any of my recommended brainwave products, you can create a customized 7.83 Hz theta brainwave session or look for one that is already built into the library. If you are confused about your brainwave pattern, consider giving Neuro-Programmer 2 Professional some experimentation and seeing how your brain reacts and your reality changes.

If you’d like to experience Theta brainwaves:

If you have ever given theta brainwaves a shot, I’d really like to hear your experience in the comments section. If you are interested in experiencing some theta brainwaves or have any questions for me, feel free to send me a message through my contact form. I appreciate when you purchase products through me. It helps me pay for blog hosting services and the promotion of this blog. Increasing your theta brainwave pattern is definitely an experience that has potential to boost your brain power and help you connect with your emotions.

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What are alpha brain waves?

Alpha brain waves are considered relaxed brainwave activity. Alpha brainwaves are brainwaves that cycle within the range of 8 – 12 Hz and are usually generated in the brains right hemisphere or in a synchronized pattern between both right and left hemispheres. Alpha waves kick in when our mind and body are completely relaxed and free of stress.

Alpha is generally thought of as the normal brainwave that is dominant in people who are relaxed, creative, and have a clear mind. Alpha is considered the “normal” brainwave pattern and is dominant when people close their eyes. Children tend to have much higher levels of alpha brainwaves than adults. Alpha brainwaves are considered the healthiest brainwave range and 10 Hz has widely been accepted as the “safest” brainwave frequency to train.

Most children and younger teenagers have a dominant alpha rhythm. There isn’t a single brain wave pattern is better than the others – so don’t think alpha brainwaves are a “cure all.” If your brain is deficient in the alpha brainwave pattern, increasing them can feel awesome! I can personally testify based on my experience.

Benefits of increasing alpha brain waves:

• Relaxed body and mind - The alpha brainwave is associated with a completely relaxed body and mind. The brain’s thought process is slowed and the mind is clear. The body is completely relaxed and free of all tension and nervousness. Boosting the alpha brain wave is a great way to enjoy the feeling of relaxation and a great way to let go of all worries and tension.

• Higher levels of creativity - The alpha brainwave rhythm is generally associated with above average levels of creativity. Alpha brainwave levels are found to be much higher in artists, musicians, and creative thinkers. Creative problem solvers are what many employers currently need to think of new, creative, innovative ideas for their companies. If you’d like to boost your creativity, consider giving alpha brainwaves a boost. Scientists have shown that highly-creative individuals tent to have different brainwaves than normal and less creative people. In order to be creative, your brain must be able to produce bursts of alpha brainwaves: mostly in the left-hemisphere. Why? Producing them on the left hemisphere shuts down the left-brain and allows the more creative, right-hemisphere to expose new ideas!

• Improved ability to problem-solve - The problem associated with having too much of the beta brainwave pattern is the inabiltiy to problem solve and get past “mental blocks” by thinking creatively. Ever get writer’s block? Increasing your alpha brainwaves will most likely help you keep “flowing” right through your paper or article without getting “stuck.”

• Balanced mood (emotional stability) - The alpha brainwave, especially the 10 Hz frequency, is associated with a balanced mood and stable emotions. Many overanxious and hyperactive, unstable people could greatly improve their brains by increasing their alpha brainwaves. Feeling emotionally stable means not overreacting to stressful situations and being able to maintain a calm state of mind. The alpha brainwave state is associated with a very stable state of mind.

• Peak-performance – The 10 Hz alpha brainwave frequency is commonly referred to as a “peak performance” state of mind or being “in the zone.” There has been conclusive evidence from studies with professional basketball players and golfers that show alpha brainwaves increasing in their “left hemispheres” just before making a free-throw or shooting a great golf shot. In players that did not make the shot, beta brainwaves flooded their left-hemisphere. It seems that “over thinking” (beta brainwaves) or “under thinking” (theta brainwaves) are detrimental to gameplay. The study was also proved by comparing elite marksmen to novice marksmen. The elite marksmen showed a big burst of alpha in their left-brain hemisphere before their perfect shots. Professional athletes are much more likely to show the alpha rhythm, while novices and intermediate players show virtually none! It seems that the 10 Hz alpha brainwave is the best brainwave for athletes and marskmen looking to improve their performance and overall game.

• Lowered levels of stress & anxiety - Lowered levels of stress and anxiety is a huge benefit that the alpha brainwave can bring to your life. Know anyone suffering from chronic stress or rapid, anxious thoughts? Suggest brainwave entrainment to them and have them read over this article to see whether or not they’d like to try to increase their alpha brainwaves.

• Flow state of consciousness – A state of “flow,” refers to a mental state that all events and things seem to pass without problems. You are able to deal with life’s problems easily and aren’t overanxious or too relaxed. You are somewhere in between overstimulation and understimulation. In essence, you’re mind is “balanced” and in an optimal state of functioning.

• “Super learning” ability – The alpha brainwave spectrum has been associated with “super learning” and being able to remember and retain information with less overall effort. The alpha brainwave state mostly improves one’s natural ability to passively absorb large amounts of information. Basically, you don’t need to make as much of an effort to learn a new ability, language, or skill.

• Boosted immune system - Enhancing your alpha brainwaves can lead to self-healing and prevention of illness. This is due to the fact that alpha waves are usually associated with “lack of stress” and “relaxation.” Stress and too much anxiety can do harm to the immune system by releasing harmful chemicals such as epinephrine (adrenaline) and too much of the hormone: cortisol, associated with the adrenaline release.

• Positive thinking – There has been some research that has found the alpha brainwave rhythm, especially the 10 Hz frequency, to be associated with a positive state of mind (i.e. positive thoughts), a positive mood, and an overall feeling of wellness. In my experience with alpha brainwaves, the positive thoughts and mood definitely were due to my enhanced level of relaxation.

• Increased levels of “serotonin” – Alpha brainwaves are associated with the neurotransmitter serotonin being released. Low levels of serotonin have been one factor that some researchers have linked to depression.

• Deep self-introspection – Alpha brainwaves are associated with an increased awareness of your self: body and mind. Where as beta brainwaves cause the mind to focus more on external events, the alpha brainwaves enhance the overall awareness of one’s self.

Who has high amounts of alpha brainwaves?

• Extroverts - Compared to introverts, extroverts have much more alpha brainwave activity. Researchers in the Faculty of Science at the University of Technology Sydney have discovered that the type of brainwaves in the prefronal cortex has correlated to introversion and extroversion. According to the results from their study: “If you have high amounts of alpha brainwaves, you are at least three times as likely to be an extrovert.”

• Meditators – The goal of many meditation practices is to increase the amount of slower, alpha and theta brainwave patterns. Naturally your brain will enter a state of alpha awareness and calmness. Experienced meditators can recognize and control this state of awareness. Like any practice, the more you do it, the easier it becomes to enter alpha through meditation.

• Children – Children tend to have much higher amounts of alpha and theta brainwaves than the average population. As we age, our beta brainwave pattern tends to increase and dominate the other patterns. That is why many adults would definitely benefit from an alpha brainwave increase more than a younger person.

Just like any of the other brainwave patterns, too much of a dominant rhythm can cause problems. By no means would it be recommended to increase a brainwave that you already have high levels of. In fact, you may experience some negative affects from the alpha brainwaves.

Problems associated with too many alpha brainwaves:

• Lack of focus - Like I mentioned earlier, not everyone will benefit from an alpha brainwave increase. Though the alpha brainwave isn’t usually linked to lack of focus and ADD, in some cases it can created a foggy state of mind. If you are already very unfocused, increasing the alpha brainwave pattern is usually not recommended.

• Too many daydreams – As you increase your alpha brainwaves, you may have too many daydreams without much control. Some daydreams are fine, but higher than average amounts of alpha brainwaves wouldn’t be of much benefit if you are already daydreamy.

• Depression – High amounts of alpha brainwaves in conjunction with relatively little beta brainwave activity has been linked to depression. Though peak-performers are able to generate a big burst of alpha in their left hemisphere right before their best shots, too much alpha activity in the left-hemisphere of the brain has been linked to depression. If you are depressed from being overstimulated, alpha will probably help you out, if you are too understimulated, I suggest staying away from alpha and sticking to beta waves.

• Tiredness – The alpha brainwave pattern has been linked to tiredness and drowsiness in some individuals. If you are working to increase your alpha and you notice yourself becoming tired or drowsy, it may be temporary and your brain is most likely readjusting to fit the new pattern. With that said, alpha brainwaves are the brainwaves that are naturally produced right after you close your eyes to fall asleep.

• Lack of excitement – Though it is usually rare, some people may run into the problem of not feeling excitement for awhile. After my personal experience with alpha brainwaves, I felt super relaxed and unexcited for a couple weeks. It definitely helped calm my mind, but I did miss the feeling of excitement.

• Lack of visual acuity – Alpha brainwaves are associated with a lack of visual acuity and visual awareness. Beta brainwaves are associated with heightened visual awareness and acuity. When slowing your brainwaves down to the alpha range, the visual area of the brain is also much less clear.

• Overly receptive – In the alpha brainwave state, your brain may be overly receptive to suggestions and new information. Being overly receptive isn’t always a good thing and can make your subconscious more open to accepting negative suggested beliefs.

Healthy ways to increase alpha brainwaves:

• Brainwave entrainment - As I mention a lot, brainwave entrainment is great for fine tuning your state of consciousness and awareness. If you want to increase your alpha brainwaves, I recommend trying any of the programs in my “recommended products” section. Brainwave entrainment is an easy process that involves simply listening to a tone (stimulus) and your brainwaves naturally match the frequency associated with the tone.

• Meditation - The goal of most types of meditation is to lower the brainwaves into the alpha-theta brainwave range. A very safe, healthy way to increase your alpha brainwaves is to make meditation a daily habit or start up a meditation routine. If you are already meditating, great! You’ll naturally increase flexibility with your alpha brainwaves as you continue the process.

• Self-hypnosis – The goal of self-hypnosis is to target the lower brainwave ranges (i.e. alpha and theta). Doing self-hypnosis on a consistent basis will definitely help you reduce stress by increasing the natural amount of your alpha brainwaves.

• Visualization - Every time that you close your eyes and visualize, alpha activity significantly increases. If you are the type of person that often enjoys shutting your eyes to imaging or picture things, you’ll have a naturally higher amount of alpha brainwave activity than others. Visualization can go hand-in-hand with a meditation practice, but if you’d rather only visualize, you’ll still be boosting your alpha brainwaves!

• Yoga – Like meditation, yoga is yet another activity that promotes relaxation and wellbeing by shifting your brainwaves to the calming patterns of alpha and theta. There are many different types of yoga, and if practiced right, they’ll definitely allow you to tap into your alpha awareness.

• Deep-breathing – Deep breathing is not only great for improving overall oxygen levels in the brain and body, it is great for achieving a state of relaxation. When you make deep-breathing a habit, you will begin to feel more relaxed and your brainwaves will shift from the somewhat stressful beta brainwaves to the alpha rhythm.

• Saunas / Hot Tubs – Not only do saunas and hot tubs cause your entire body to feel completely relaxed, they cause your mind to quiet and drowsiness to kick in. The brainwave associated with those feelings of relaxation like you’ve been sitting in a hot tub or in a steamy sauna are the alpha waves. Same would apply for laying in the sun tanning on a nice warm beach — feeling the hot sun soak into your body is deeply relaxing. That feeling of deep relaxation is due to an increased amount of alpha brainwaves.

• Watching T.V. – After just 30 seconds of watching T.V., your brain’s alpha brainwaves kick in. Even if you happen to be reading captions or text on the T.V. screen, the alpha waves still kick in! Normally, beta brainwaves kick in while reading, but not while reading on T.V. All radiant light from cathode-ray technology in T.V.’s and other appliances automatically cause the brain to idle and shift to the alpha rhythm. I personally don’t consider watching T.V. to be the best way to increase your alpha brainwaves, but I’m not going to put it in the unhealthy category.

Unhealthy ways to increase alpha brainwaves:

• Drinking alcohol – In moderation, alcohol probably won’t kill your precious brain cells, but it isn’t a healthy activity for your body or your brain. Alcohol is a huge alpha brainwave booster. Are you a person that is constantly getting drunk to relax? Alpha brainwaves are the reason that tense and stressed people turn to alcohol. When you are drunk, your brain produces lots of alpha brainwaves and lowers your inhibitions.

• Smoking marijuana - Though there is controversy as to whether or not smoking marijuana is good or bad, I personally don’t consider marijuana or any other illegal substance to be healthy. Smoking marijuana does increase alpha brainwaves, which is why smoking marijuana makes people feel relaxed. Marijuana will not give you the aware, synchronized, peak-performance alpha brainwave that most people are striving for.

Final evaluation of alpha brainwaves:

I personally think that alpha brainwaves feel awesome to increase and the 10 Hz brainwave is the safest brainwave to entrain. However, you should be the judge as to whether or not increasing them is best for you. If you are already experiencing many of the listed “benefits,” you probably don’t need much of an alpha booster.

Are you already a relaxed, laid back person that feels emotionally stable? If so, chances are good that your brain naturally produces large amounts of alpha brainwave activity and you may be perfect in the alpha range. If you are experiencing too many of the listed negative effects, you may want to consider speeding up your brainwaves into the beta range.

If you are over anxious, tend to worry a lot, and aren’t emotionally balanced, chances are good that you’d benefit from the alpha increase. If you are going to do alpha brainwave entrainment with Neuro-Programmer 2 Professional, I highly recommend trying the 10 Hz frequency. If you purchase Neuro-Programmer 2 or any of my recommended brainwave products, you can create a customized 10 Hz alpha brainwave session – it isn’t built into the session library. If you are confused about your brainwave pattern, consider giving Neuro-Programmer 2 Professional some experimentation and seeing how your brain reacts and reality changes.

If you’d like to experience Alpha brainwaves:

If you have ever given alpha brainwaves a shot, I’d really like to hear your experience in the comments section. If you are interested in experiencing some alpha brainwaves or have any questions for me, feel free to send me a message through my contact form. I appreciate when you buy products through my referral ads to help me pay for blog hosting services and the promotion of this blog! Increasing your alpha brainwave pattern is definitely an experience that has potential to boost your brain power.

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1) Albert Einstein - Albert Einstein is a name that comes to mind first when thinking of geniuses. Einstein’s brain was found to be deficient in certain parts, but extraordinarily powerful in others. Another trait of Albert’s brain was the fact that he had a much larger corpus callosum than the average man. The corpus callosum connects the right and left hemispheres and allows them to successfully transfer information back and forth (communicate with one another). Einstein has received the Nobel Prize in physics, was named “Person Of The Century” by Time Magazine, and has contributed phenomenal theories to the world of science (i.e. theory of relativity, unique field theory, etc).

2) Leonardo Da Vinci - Leonardo Da Vinci is considered one of the best painters of all time and possibly the most multi-talented man to have ever lived! Two of his works include: The Last Super & The Mona Lisa. Da Vinci was truly ahead of his time with ideas such as: a helicopter, a tank, solar power, a calculator, and a theory of plate tectonics. Leonardo was a unique individual who exercised the curiosity of his powerful brain.

3) Nikola Tesla- Tesla was a renowned physicist, inventor, and engineer. He has made phenomenal contributions to science and has been classified as the “world’s greatest electrical engineer.” Nikola engaged in studying many works, memorizing complete books, and supposedly had a photographic memory. Tesla had above average brain power and was an advanced thinker when compared to others of his time.

4) Sir Isaac Newton - Sir Isaac Newton was an astronomer astronomer, physicist, inventor, mathematician, and philosopher. In a 2005 poll, Newton was named more influential than Einstein in science. He has developed laws of motion, principles of momentum, and invented the reflecting telescope. Newton has had tons of great scientific achievements. His diverse list of scientific and mathematic accomplishments demonstrate the incredible ability of his brain.

5) Stephen Hawking - Hawking is known best for his theories of black holes, cosmology, and quantum gravity. He has also written several bestselling books such as: “A Brief History Of Time” and “The Universe In A Nutshell.” Though Stephen is currently bound to a wheelchair due to paralysis from Lou Gehrig’s disease (ALS). Hawking has been recognized as a revolutionary thinker and one who displays above average intelligence.

6) Michelangelo - Michelangelo was a phenomenal painter, sculptor, architect, and poet. His diverse interest in art and the world really showed. He sculpted the Pieta and the David before he was 30 years old! He painted the Sistine Chapel and worked on the dome of St. Peter’s Basilica. Michelangelo was a genius that was able to bring an entirely new artistic perspective from his mind to reality.

7) Archimedes - Archimedes was a Greek philosopher, engineer, inventor and astronomer. He is also considered one of the greatest mathematicians of all time. Though there isn’t a ton of documented information regarding his personal life, we do know that he has had a large impact on science and physics. Archimedes’ thoughts were clearly ahead of his time: not many would disagree that he was a genius.

8) Warren Buffet – Though Warren Buffet isn’t a big contributor to science like many other names listed, he does have a ton of knowledge about making money through investing. He is a known philanthropist (someone who donates their time & money for charitable causes) and Time Magazine has regarded Buffet as one of the Top 100 Most Influential People in the world. He was also ranked by Forbes in 2008 as the richest person in the world. His company [Berkshire Hathaway] has an estimated net worth of $62 billion dollars. Warren is a very intelligent man and a financial genius.

9) Swami Vivekananda - In the Eastern world, Swami Vivekananda is regarded as a genius by many. He was one of the most influential and spiritual leaders ever and was a highly-renowned thinker. Because of his insight and unique philosophy that he had contributed to eastern religions, his knowledge and intellect will continue to be admired.

10) Samuel Johnson - Samuel Johnson is regarded as one of the biggest literary influences of all time. He was a biographer, critic, and essayist. Johnson is the highest quoted author since William Shakespeare and was one of the most influential people in the 18th century. The man invented and compiled terms for what many consider the first official dictionary.

11) Immanuel Kant - Immanuel Kant was an 18th-century philosopher from Russia. He has been considered one of the most influential thinkers of all time in Europe. Kant brought forth a unique theory of perception and thought deeply about life. Many regard Kant as a genius of his time.

12) Aristotle - Aristotle was a Greek philosopher, student of Plato and one who taught Alexander the Great. Aristotle became a great writer and is regarded as one of the most important and influential figures towards shaping Western philosophy. His works were the first to ever study “logic” and he had a profound influence on others during his time.

13) Pablo Picasso - Though Picasso may not have been an amazing scientist, his revolutionary mind forever changed the way people looked at art. He was a master drawer, painter, and sculptor. He founded “cubism” – an art style which became a huge movement in the 20th century. Pablo Picasso’s unique perception, which he expressed through his art, caused many people to view reality from a different perspective.

14) Niles Bohr - Niels Bohr was a phenomenal physicist and a highly advanced thinker. He invented the Bohr Model which is regarded as a huge contribution to atomic physics. Bohr was heavily involved with post World War II scientific issues and carried a great head on his shoulders.

15) Thomas Jefferson - Thomas Jefferson was a very brilliant individual. He was the 3rd president of the United States, wrote The Declaration Of Independence, and was the most influential Founding Father for the U.S. He influenced the republican party and was a horticulturist, statesman, architect, author and inventor. Jefferson was the founder of the University of Virginia and understood that slavery was unethical in a time when most everyone else thought it was proper. Thomas Jefferson was definitely had an exceptional brain.

16) Plato - Plato was a Greek philosopher that was taught by Socrates, but taught Aristotle. Along with Socrates and Aristotle, Plato helped lay the groundwork for Western philosophy. He was known to be a mathematician, great writer, and founded “the Academy” or “institute of higher education and learning,” in Athens. His works in philosophy, logic, and mathematics, were studied and used by many teachers after his time. Not only was Plato a revolutionary thinker, he was a genius of his time.

17) Winston Churchill – Winston Churchill was a rightfully famous British politician during World War II. He is well-known for his abilities as a great leader, speaker, officer in the British Army, a historical writer, and an artist. Churchill became a hero of his time and is considered one of the most intelligent men of his time.

18) Benjamin Franklin - Benjamin Franklin was one of the Founding Fathers of the U.S., an author, and a printer. He was also a great politician, inventor, and scientist. Benjamin Franklin’s scientific contributions have shaped physics and the field of electricity. He invented the lightning rod, bifocals, the Franklin stove, the odometer, and the glass harmonica. Franklin created the first public lending library in the United States and first fire department in the city of Pennsylvania. Ben Franklin was a true genius of his time.

19) Thomas Edison – Thomas Edison was a great inventor and businessman who created many appliances that have had profound influence on life around the world. A couple of his inventions are: the phonograph and a long lasting light bulb. Jefferson was also one of the first inventors to apply the idea of “mass production” to the invention process. Many give Jefferson credit with creating the first ever industrial research lab. He is considered one of the most gifted inventors ever and holds over 1,000 United States patents. Edison truly added his touch of genius to the scientific community.

20) Daniel Tammet - Daniel Tammet is a high-functioning autistic savant. He has been gifted with a knack for mathematics, language learning, and above average memorization skills. He was featured on a discovery channel special that tested his abilities and showed his ability to learn arguably the toughest language, Icelandic, in less than 7 days to appear in an interview. Daniel has an incredible brain and was gifted with an above-average intellect.

21) William Shakespeare - William Shakespeare was a poet, playwright, and has been hailed “the greatest writer” in the English language and the worlds best dramatist. He has been deemed the national poet of England and his works include: nearly 40 plays, around 150 sonnets, and 2 long poems. Shakespeare’s plays have been translated into every language, and are performed more often than any other playwright. Shakespeare shed his genius-like thoughts through his complex storytelling.

22) Kim Peek - Though Kim Peek is a savant, he has some exceptional brain abilities. He is lacking a functional corpus callosum (which makes it impossible for his right and left brain hemispheres to exchange information) and has a damaged cerebellum. Without a corpus callosum, some develop above average memory abilities. In Kim Peek’s case, he can read a new book in about 1 hour and manages to retain over 98% of the information within the book! Impressive.

23) Ludwig van Beethoven - Beethoven was a German pianist and legendary musician. He was very influential in Western classical music and is thought of as the best composer of all time. Though Beethoven’s hearing began to cease in his early twenties, he was still able to create classical masterpieces. He was able to conduct, compose, and perform music even after he was completely deaf! Beethoven blessed the world with his musical genius and brilliant mind.

24) Srinivasa Ramanujan - Srinivasa was an Indian mathematician who was able to make huge contributions in the area of mathematical analysis and number theory. Srinivasa demonstrated an uncanny, natural ability to master mathematics. He had a complete math book mastered by 13, and even discovered theorems of his own. He won many awards by showing others his superior mathematical ability at his school. By age 17, this mathematical prodigy was doing his own research with mathematics and numbers. He compiled nearly 4,000 equations and identities in his short lifetime.

25) Johann Sebastian Bach - Bach was an exceptional composer and organist. He specialized in choir, orchestra, and solo instruments. He was able to enrich the German composing style with a full harmonic scale and was able to adapt rhythms from Italy and France. Though his music began early in the 19th century, he is now noted as one of the greatest composers in the Western tradition. Bach was yet another musical genius.

26) Wolfgang Amedeus Mozart - Mozart was a very influential composer during the classical era. He was able to create over 600 compositions that were widely accepted and acknowledged. His music specialties included symphony, chamber music, piano, opera, and choral music. Mozart is among the most popular of classical composers, and many of his works are still included in concerts today. Mozart clearly demonstrated his musical proficiency and level of genius.

27) Sir Francis Drake - Drake was a famous traveler, navigator, and politician from England. He managed to circumnavigate the world in 1577 and has been proclaimed a legend in England. Drake was an exceptionally smart individual and had an estimated I.Q. of 130. Sir Francis was a powerful man that happened to have an incredibly powerful brain.

28) George Berkeley - George Berkeley was an Irish philosopher and developed a famous theory of “immaterialism.” Berkeley also published a book called “The Analyst” that would critique calculus and influence common day mathematics. University Of California, Berkeley was named after George due to his intelligence and philosophical insight.

29) Ludwig Wittgenstein - Ludwig was an Austrian philosopher that developed theories involving logic. He contributed to the philosophy of mathematics, philosophy of language, and philosophy of the mind. He has had a huge influence on philosophy and is widely accepted as one of the twentieth century’s best philosophers. Wittengenstein published 2 books and both were highly influential in philosophy.

30) Socrates - Socrates is regarded as one of the best ancient greek philosophers of all time. As teacher of Plato, he has been associated with highly advanced thinking during his time. His work continues to form much of the foundation for the study of philosophy today. Socrates has made important contributions to the study of logic and writings, and has provided a lot of groundwork that much of the Western civilization has followed.

31) Linus Pauling – Linus Pauling was a peace activist, scientist, author, and teacher. Pauling is regarded as one of the most influential chemists in history and was one of the most important scientists of all time. He was one of the pioneers to work in the study of molecular biology and quantum chemistry. He has been awarded more than 1 Nobel Prize and is one of only 2 individuals to receive them for different fields.

32) Christopher Michael Langan - Christopher Langan is an American with an IQ was reported by “20/20″ and other media sources to have been measured at nearly 200. Though he used to work as a bouncer in Long Island, he rose to fame as “the smartest man in America” in 1999. Langan has developed “a theory of the relationship between mind and reality” which he calls the “Cognitive-Theoretic Model of the Universe and is still alive today. This man has one of the highest I.Q.’s ever on Earth.

33) Michael Faraday - Michael Faraday was a phenomenal chemist and physicist who contributed to the fields of electrochemistry and electromagnetics. His inventions of electromagnetic devices formed the foundation of electric motor technology, and it was largely due to his efforts that electricity became available for use in technology. Faraday was also the very first Professor of Chemistry at the Royal Institution of Great Britain.

34) Blaise Pascal – Blaise Pascal was a French physicist, religious philosopher, and great mathematician. Pascal was a child prodigy and was taught a lot by his father. Pascal’s contributions included: mechanical calculators, concepts of pressure, concepts of vacuum, and the study of fluids. In literature, Pascal is regarded as one of the most important authors of the French classical period. His name (Pascal) has been given to the SI unit of pressure, some programming language, and Pascal’s law.

35) Galileo Galilei - Galileo Galilei was a legendery astronomer, physicist, mathematician, and philosopher. He played a major role in the scientific revolution. His achievements include the first studies of uniformly accelerated motion, improvements to the telescope, and astronomical observations. Galileo has been called the “father of modern observational astronomy”, the “father of modern physics”, the “father of science”, and “the Father of Modern Science.” With his discoveries and studies, Galileo was able to display his brilliance.

36) Martin Luther - Martin Luther was a German professor, a monk, theologian, and church reformer. Luther’s theology challenged the authority of the church by stating that the Bible is the only infallible source of religious authority and that all baptized Christians are a priesthood of believers. According to Luther, salvation was attainable only by true repentance and faith in “Jesus as the Messiah.” His revolutionary ideas inspired the Protestant Reformation and changed the philosophy of Western civilization.

37) Robert Boyle - Was a natural philosopher, chemist, physicist, inventor, and early gentleman scientist. Boyle was largely known for his works in physics and chemistry. He is best known for the creation of “Boyle’s law.” Boyle is recognized today as one of the first modern chemists and one of the founding fathers of chemistry. One of his works, “The Sceptical Chymist” is viewed as a legendary book in the field of chemistry.

38) John Locke - John Locke was a phenomenal English philosopher. Locke’s ideas had a huge influence on the development of political philosophy and he is considered one of the most influential thinkers during the Enlightenment and one of the biggest contibutors to liberal theory. Locke’s influence is reflected in the American Declaration of Independence. Locke was the first philosopher to define the self through a continuity of “consciousness.” John Locke was an independent thinker and among the greatest philosophers.

39) Charles Darwin - Charles Darwin was a naturalist and geologist who proposed that all species of life have evolved over time. The fact that evolution occurs became accepted by the scientific community and the general public. Darwin’s scientific discovery remains the foundation of biology. Darwin is yet another great thinker of his time and his theories are still studied and discussed today.

40) Johannes Kepler - Kepler was a German mathematician, astronomer, and astrologer. He was a huge influence towards the astronomical revolution of the 17th century. Kepler is best known for his laws of planetary motion. His laws also provided one of the foundations for Isaac Newton’s theory of universal gravitation. Kepler is regarded as a man with revolutionary thoughts towards astronomy.

41) Napoleon Bonaparte - Napoleon Bonaparte was a political and French military leader who had a huge influence on European history. Napoleon was a general during the French Revolution, Emperor of France, King of Italy, and Mediator of the Swiss. Napoleon was a very intelligent military leader who used innovative tactics and strategy to help him win many battles.

42) Garry Kasparov – Garry Kasparov was a former World Chess Champion, writer, and political activist. Kasparov was a candidate for the Russian presidential race of 2008. Kasparov holds the all-time highest chess rating of 2851 and records for consecutive tournament victories.

43) John Stuart Mill – John Stuart Mill largely influenced British thought and politics in the 19th century. His large number of works include: texts in logic, economics, social and political philosophy, ethics, metaphysics, and religion. John Stuart Mill is recognized as one of the most intelligent men of his time and is regarded as one of the smartest men of all time.

44) Rene Descartes - Rene Descartes was an influential philosopher, mathematician, scientist, and writer. Descartes has been given the title “Father of Modern Philosophy,” and has contributed a lot to Western philosophy. His writings are still being studied today and he has had a huge influence in mathematics. Rene was a key figure in the scientific revolution and was able to share his incredible insights with others.

45) George Washington - George Washington was the first President of the United States, and lead the U.S. continental Army to defeat the British in the Revolutionary war. Washington is viewed as a symbol of the United States and republican party. He has been consistently ranked by citizens as one of the greatest presidents of the United States.

46) Miguel de Cervantes – Miguel de Cervantes was a Spanish novelist, poet, painter and playwright. He is one of the most influential and important people in literature and the leader of culture in 16th century Spain. Cervantes’ novel “Don Quixote” is considered a classic of Western literature and has been ranked among the best novels ever written. Miguel de Cervantes’ work is considered among the most important in all of literature!

47) Francois Marie-Arouet – Commonly known by the pen-name Voltaire, Francois Marie-Arouet was a French Enlightenment writer, essayist, and philosopher. He was known for his wit, defense of civil liberties, and philosophy. He was an outspoken supporter of social reform and was one of several Enlightenment figures whose works and ideas influenced important thinkers of both the American and French Revolutions.

48) Baruch de Spinoza - Baruch de Spinoza was a Dutch philosopher that was very proficient in science. Most of Spinoza’s work was not recognized until after his death. Today, Spinoza is regarded as one of the greatest 17th century philosophers. His work in philosophy laid the foundation for the 18th century Enlightenment.

49) Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz - Leibniz was a German polymath who is regarded as one of the greatest philosophers. Liebniz invented calculus, and his version is widely used. He also discovered the binary system, the structure of modern computer architectures. He was, along with Rene Descartes and Baruch Spinoza, one of the 3 greatest 17th century philosophers. He also made major contributions to physics, technology, and made anticipations that surfaced much later in biology, medicine, geology, probability theory, psychology, and linguistics. Liebniz also wrote about politics, law, ethics, theology, and history.

50) Johann Wolfgang von Goethe - Johann Wolfgang von Goethe was a German writer whose works span the fields of poetry, drama, literature, theology, humanism, and science. Goethe was a key figure in German literature and the movement of Weimar Classicism in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Goethe is the inventor of the concept of “world literature,” having taken great interest in the literatures of England, France, Italy, classical Greece, Persia, and Arabic literature. His influence on German philosophy is unparalleled and his influence has spread across Europe. Many of his works were a primary source of inspiration in music, drama, and poetry. Goethe is considered one of the most important thinkers in the Western culture and generally recognized as the most important writer in the German language.

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