5 Daily Activities to Boost Your Brainpower

Scientists recognize several ways to boost your intelligence, including physical exercise, music, and relaxation. We can conclude that to enhance your cognitive abilities, you simply need to adopt the right habits, expand your range of hobbies, and indulge in life’s pleasures. The opportunity to increase your IQ has never been more attainable. Here are some everyday activities that can make your brain work like Albert Einstein’s.

Dancing

Dancing is an activity beneficial for the body, soul, and, as we’ve discovered, the intellect. The Russian poet Joseph Brodsky wrote: “Buy a gramophone with these coins, and somewhere in the world, dance!” Columbia University neurologist John Krakauer agrees with Brodsky, asserting that dancing activates the sensory and motor cortices of the brain—the parts responsible for planning and executing movements. These areas, along with the cerebellum, work together to control your movements. Dancing strengthens these neural connections, positively affecting the brain’s overall function.

Researchers from North Dakota have proven that Latin-style dances like Zumba improve mood and cognitive abilities, such as image recognition and decision-making.

Doodling

Doodling is an unconscious pattern, a form of art therapy where drawings are created spontaneously and without purpose. The Wall Street Journal highlighted recent studies in neuroscience, psychology, and design that show how drawing helps people concentrate, understand new information, and retain it in their memory. Brilliant minds like Bill Gates, Ronald Reagan, and Jim Carrey made sketches and doodles while contemplating ideas, allowing them to visualize their thoughts and generate new ideas.

Listening to Classical Music

Listening to music is a way to activate the brain known as “cognitive stimulation,” popularly known as the “Mozart Effect.” According to this effect, 10 minutes of listening to Mozart’s piano concertos can improve memory. Researchers at the University of California conducted an experiment and found that it indeed enhances students’ reasoning abilities. Participants took an IQ test in complete silence and with music—the difference in results was 9 points. Researchers do not attribute “magical properties” to Mozart but confirm that his compositions have short-term benefits for improving certain cognitive functions.

Playing Games

Games require mental effort—spending a few hours playing “Monopoly” or “Game of Thrones” can improve your cognitive abilities. Games like “Mafia,” “Scrabble,” and chess enhance brain potential and develop logical thinking.

The beauty of board games is that they become increasingly relevant as you age. Game developers have found that the older the player, the more benefit their brain receives during gameplay. The same studies showed that such leisure activities help older people maintain mental flexibility. For people over 75, games help prevent cognitive decline.

Sleeping

Sleep is the key to physical and psychological health. The director of the Systems Neuroscience Laboratory at the University of Toronto says the following:

Sleep serves to rejuvenate the body’s cells and cleanse the brain.

Research has shown that lack of sleep leads to inflexible thinking, reduced vocabulary, and memory impairments. Perhaps there is no better way to improve intelligence than to simply get a good night’s sleep.

For more information on improving cognitive abilities, you can refer to authoritative sources like Scientific American.