Is it possible to develop iq. How to increase your intellectual level? Eat a healthy, balanced diet

A person whose mind is empty is unlikely to be able to come up with something grandiose. Therefore, you have to train your brains and increase your IQ for more productive brain activity. The head, as you know, is the best tool for making money, so we offer you 9 ways to raise your IQ((intelligence quotient - intelligence quotient).

1. Take a deep breath

You've probably seen more than once how, at an important meeting or before a project presentation, people took a deep breath, which gave them greater self-confidence, and they began to remember what they considered forgotten. When you take a deep breath, the brain is saturated with oxygen and begins to work faster, and a person acquires the ability to make spontaneous conclusions. With daily practice, your mind becomes more alert and sensitive to what is happening around you. When you feel sluggish or tense in the middle of your work, take a few minutes to do this simple trick and make it a default part of your daily routine.

2. Train your body

Lungs physical exercise early in the morning (for example, brisk walking for 30 minutes or a simple workout on the treadmill on the balcony of your apartment) will keep you fit - both physically and mentally. Dancing can also help you cope with stress. Light and simple physical activity increases blood flow to the brain, which keeps you energetic. If you have long negotiations or office meetings coming up, try just wandering around beforehand and you will feel the difference.

3. Meditate

Meditation improves your ability to concentrate. The reason is that you tend to focus your attention on one thing at a time, so by meditating you train your mind to be in a focused state.

4. Consume caffeine

It is a complete myth that smoking or chewing tobacco or drinking alcohol reduces mental stress. These habits lead you to despair - being addictive, they do not always have the desired effect. On the contrary, a game of chess, as well as a sip of coffee or tea, will be very helpful in increasing your energy, as caffeine-rich drinks make you feel refreshed.

5. Be creative

Whenever you have free time or feel bored, try to brighten up those moments by writing down your thoughts on paper. Or write a blog. This will keep your mind alert and clear. Buy art supplies, draw, play with colors and shades, create! Even just searching for information on the Internet can make you smarter and force your brain to work faster, because there is an incredible amount of material to process.

Where can I get money to start my own business? This is exactly the problem that 95% of new entrepreneurs face! In the article, we revealed the most relevant ways to obtain start-up capital for an entrepreneur. We also recommend that you carefully study the results of our experiment in exchange earnings:

6. Solve puzzles

Riddles spark your curiosity, make you think a lot, and keep your mind functioning in a healthy way. You won't get tired solving puzzles - they are simple and interesting. Such a pastime develops non-standard thinking and allows you to go beyond stereotyped perceptions. Undoubtedly, solving riddles improves your IQ significantly with constant practice.

7. Skimming VS Scanning

That's two different ways read a newspaper or book. Skimming- skimming - takes less time, since you read quickly, without clinging to details, while scanning- careful reading, which involves analyzing what you read, certainly takes a lot of time. Reading the morning newspaper every day is an excellent training for your mind, as you learn to quickly grasp the essence of the matter. This activity will allow you to make quick and logical decisions in your real life.

8. Follow a daily routine

Maintain a proper daily routine in your Everyday life. Wake up early in the morning, exercise, eat well and on schedule, and go to bed on time. This will help keep your mind stable and teach you self-discipline.

9. Gingko Biloba

If you are too lazy to follow the previous tips, the easiest solution for you would be medicinal plant Gingko Biloba. Its leaves increase blood flow to the brain and stimulate its function. Of course, Ginkgo leaves themselves are currently not available anywhere, but Gingko capsules are absolutely available at the pharmacy. It should be noted that they are very tasty. And although this herbal medicine has no side effects However, be sure to consult your doctor before use!

The brain controls all processes in our body, constantly maintaining a highly complex psychophysical system in working condition. It works without breaks or days off, no matter what you are doing: breathing, watching a movie, fantasizing or sleeping. It is logical to assume that the quality of our life directly depends on the development of the brain. Therefore, there was, is and will be a demand for its development at all times.

There are many methods and approaches to brain development, but, as I have seen from my own experience, few focus specifically on the brain. This is an omission. Therefore, we propose a fairly simple approach to develop the brain, which can be used in everyday life, without going into details and details; without specific knowledge, exercises and training.

The main role in brain development is not played by genes, natural abilities and potential, as many believe. Learning plays a major role in brain development. And this is the most natural way to develop the brain. The rest of the models and techniques are just a nice addition.

How to increase IQ: developing the brain through training

From the moment of birth, the number of neurons in the human brain reaches 86 billion. This number is constantly decreasing, and alcohol, stress, infectious diseases and other products of our vital activity accelerate this process. According to the latest scientific data, dementia, limited mobility and other manifestations of degradation occur when a person’s brain has lost more than 90% of its neurons. From this we can conclude that main role Neural connections that make up the neural network in our heads play a role in brain development. Accordingly, the larger the network, the smarter the person and the more intellectually developed his brain is. By the way, neural connections are responsible not only for the “amount of knowledge” we possess, but also for how high-quality and creative our thinking is. New neural connections are formed whenever we see, learn or do something new. However, the largest number of them is formed when we are learning.

How to increase IQ: making learning effective for the brain

For good condition his brain must be constantly trained in various types new activity. This could be: dancing, martial art, foreign languages, a new sport, music, creativity, reading, travel or psychotechnics.
Any training must take place over a long period of time - from a month to a year, in otherwise the learning effect will be minimal.
Training should take place in the “right” conditions for your brain: proper nutrition, the right environment, the right sleep.

How to increase IQ: developing the brain with nutrition

The brain consumes up to 30% of the body's total energy. It needs to be constantly recharged.

Nutrition should be supplied evenly throughout the day. If you eat a lot and in one gulp, then the brain will work with significant interruptions, because... will not receive energy when needed. At the same time, instead of solving problems, you will walk around like a sleepy fly with inhibited thinking. Try to keep the food flowing evenly, constantly feeding your brain.
The food must contain proteins, complex carbohydrates, water, omega-three fats. Plus water: 2-3 liters daily.
While eating, concentrate on eating and don't do other things. If you want to become a better person, stop eating at the computer! To fully assimilate food, you need to perceive food with all your senses and concentrate, focusing your brain on this process. As the Chinese said: we are what we eat. Therefore, before every meal, think that food will make you stronger. Feel it.

Continuous learning and self-improvement will not only develop your brain, but will also set you apart from the masses, allowing you to become successful.

How to increase IQ: developing the brain with the help of the environment

Fresh air: the brain requires oxygen. Ventilate the room more often, walk more in the fresh air, sleep with open windows if possible, and periodically do breathing exercises.
Order: our brain has about seven channels of information perception, with which it can more or less work simultaneously. Often these channels of ours are clogged with all sorts of heresy. All this wastes your thinking potential and concentration, at a time when it could be used to solve really worthwhile issues. To free your channels from “operational matters” and develop your brain, keep your workplace and living space is fine. This will free your head from unnecessary thoughts and organize the incoming information. Every piece of paper is unfinished business! Remember: new knowledge that is not implemented within 48 hours has a 95% chance of being forgotten and never implemented! If you read the previous paragraph and thought that it’s time to put things in order on your computer desk, start immediately! Don't put it off until later - start right now!
Comfort: your environment should be comfortable for work and living. Without noise, vibrations, bright lights, uncomfortable chairs - everything that irritates you and your brain, interfering with concentration. Therefore, strive to create an environment that promotes your productivity and does not interfere with concentration.

How to increase IQ: developing the brain in sleep

Brain function requires 6-9 hours of sleep. This time is good for optimal development of your brain - because during sleep, the brain continues to work and, more importantly, learns what you did the day before.
Going to bed should be such that 15 minutes after you go to bed, you pass out. Your task is to identify the time when you go to bed during a decline in mental activity. This way you will fall asleep pretty quickly.
Calm environment: fresh air, silence, darkness.

What is "Intelligence"?

First of all, let me explain what I mean when I say the word intelligence. To be clear, I'm not just talking about increasing the amount of facts or bits of knowledge you can accumulate, or what is called crystallized intelligence - this is not fluency or memorization training - in fact, it's almost the opposite. I'm talking about improving your fluid intelligence, or your ability to remember new information, retain it, then use that new knowledge as the basis for solving the next problem or learning another new skill, and so on.

Now, while short-term memory is not synonymous with intelligence, it is very related to intelligence. To successfully make intellectual inferences, it is quite important to have a good short-term memory. So, to make the most of your intelligence, it's worth significantly improving your short-term memory - like using the best and most modern parts to help a machine perform at its highest level.

What can you learn from this? This study has great importance, because it was discovered:

Hypothetical intelligence can be trained.
Training and subsequent success are dependent on dosage; the more you train, the more benefits you gain.
Every person can develop their cognitive abilities, regardless of their starting level.
Progress can be achieved by practicing on tasks that do not resemble questions on a test.

How can we put this research into practice and benefit from it?

There is a reason why the n-back task has been so successful in increasing cognitive abilities. This training involves dividing attention between competing stimuli, that is, multimodality (one visual stimulus, one auditory stimulus). This involves focusing on specific details while ignoring irrelevant information, and this helps improve short-term memory over time, gradually increasing the ability to process information effectively in multiple directions. In addition, the stimulus was constantly switched, in such a way that the phenomenon of “practicing test questions” never occurred - there was something new every time. If you've never taken the n-back test, let me tell you about it: it's very difficult. It is not surprising that such an activity has so many benefits for cognitive abilities.

But let's think from a practical point of view.
Eventually, the cards in the deck or the sounds in the piece will run out (the experiment lasted 2 weeks), so it is not practical to think that if you want to continuously increase your intellectual abilities throughout your life, then one n-back will be enough. Besides, you will get tired of it and stop doing it. I'm sure I would do that. Not to mention the time you'll spend learning this way - we're all very busy all the time! So we need to think about how to model the same types of super-effective multimodal brain stimulation techniques that can be used in normal life and still get the maximum benefit in cognitive growth.

So, taking all this into account, I have developed five basic elements that will help in the development of fluid intelligence, or cognitive ability. As I noted, it is impractical to consistently perform the n-back task or variations of it every day for the rest of your life to reap cognitive benefits. But the practical thing is to make lifestyle changes that will provide the same—and even greater—benefit to cognitive abilities. This can be done every day to reap the benefits of intense whole-brain training, and should also translate into benefits for overall cognitive functioning.

These five basic principles are:

Look for innovation
Challenge yourself
Think creatively
Don't take the easy way out
Stay online

Each of these points is a great thing in itself, but if you really want to function at the highest cognitive level possible, it is better to do all five points, and as often as possible. In fact, I live by these five principles. If you accept these as fundamental guiding principles, then I guarantee that you will make the most of your abilities, beyond even what you thought you were capable of - all without artificial enhancement. Great information: Science backs these principles up with data!

1. Look for innovation

It is not a coincidence that geniuses like Einstein were knowledgeable in many fields, or polymaths as we call them. Geniuses are constantly looking for new things to do, exploring new areas. This is their individuality.

There is only one "Big Five" trait from the Five Factor Model of Personality (Acronym: ODEPR, or Openness, Conscientiousness, Extroversion, Agreeableness, and Irritability) that is associated with IQ, and that is the trait Openness to Experience. People who have a high level of Openness are constantly looking for new information, new activities, new things to learn - new experiences, in general.

When you are looking for innovation, several things happen. First of all, you create new synaptic connections with every new activity in which you participate. These connections build on each other, increasing the activity of the nervous system, creating more connections so that new connections are created on their basis - thus learning occurs.

An area of interest in recent research is neural plasticity as a factor in individual differences in intelligence. Plasticity refers to the number of connections made between neurons, how this affects subsequent connections, and how long lasting those connections are. This basically means how much new information you are able to take in, and whether you are able to retain it, making permanent changes in the brain. Constantly exposing yourself directly to new things helps put the brain in a prime state for learning.

Novelty also triggers the release of dopamine (I've mentioned this before in other posts), which is not only highly motivating, but also stimulates neurogenesis - the creation of new neurons - and prepares the brain for learning. All you have to do is satisfy your hunger.

Excellent condition for learning = New activity -> dopamine production -> promotes a more motivated state -> which promotes neuronal recruitment and creation -> neurogenesis can occur + increased synaptic plasticity (increased number of new neural connections, or learning).

As a follow-up to Jaeggi's study, researchers in Sweden found that after 14 hours of short-term memory training for 5 weeks, there was an increase in the amount of binding dopamine D1 potential in the prefrontal and parietal regions of the brain. This particular dopamine receptor, type D1, is associated with nerve cell growth and development, among other things. This increase in plasticity, by promoting greater consolidation of this receptor, is very beneficial in order to maximize cognitive functioning.

Follow the point at home: Be “Einstein.” Always look for new mental activities - expand your cognitive horizons. Learn the tool. Take a painting course. Go to a museum. Read about new area Sciences. Be dependent on knowledge.

2. Challenge yourself

There is a huge amount of terrible work written and distributed about how to “train your brain” and “become smarter”. When I talk about "brain training games", I mean memory and speed games, the purpose of which is to increase the speed of information processing, etc.; This includes games such as Sudoku, which are recommended to be played in “free time” (complete the oxymoron, taking into account the development of cognitive abilities). I'm going to debunk some of the stuff you've previously heard about brain training games. I'll tell you what: They don't work. Personalized learning games don't make you smarter - they make you more proficient at learning brain games.

So, they do have a goal, but the results won't last long. To gain anything from these types of cognitive activities, one must appeal to the first principle of seeking innovation. Once you master one of these cognitive activities in the brain training game, you must move on to the next stimulating activity. Do you understand how to play Sudoku? Great! Now move on to the next type of stimulating games. There has been research that supports this logic.

Several years ago, scientist Richard Haier wanted to know whether cognitive ability could be significantly increased by using intensive training on new types of mental activity in a few weeks. They used the video game Tetris as a novel activity, and used people who had never played the game before as research subjects (I know, I know - can you believe people like that exist?!). They found that after training for several weeks on the Tetris game, study subjects experienced an increase in cortical thickness, as well as an increase in cortical activity, as evidenced by an increase in the amount of glucose used in that area of the brain. Basically, the brain used more energy during that training period, and became thicker—meaning more nerve connections, or new experiences learned—after such intense training. And they became experts in Tetris. Cool, yeah?

Here's the thing: After an initial dramatic cognitive boost, they noticed a decrease in both cortical thickness and the amount of glucose used during the task. However, they were still good at Tetris; their skill did not deteriorate. Brain scans showed less brain activity during the game, instead of an increase as in previous days. Why the decline? Their brains became more efficient. Once their brain figured out how to play Tetris and really started to get the hang of it, it became too lazy to do anything. He didn't have to work as hard to play the game well, so the cognitive energy and glucose went in a different direction.

Efficiency is not your friend when it comes to cognitive growth. In order for the brain to continue making new connections and keeping them active, you must continue to move on to other stimulating activities once you reach the peak of mastery in a particular activity. You want to be in a constant state of slight difficulty, struggling to achieve something, no matter what it is, as Einstein noted in his saying. This keeps the brain in limbo, so to speak. We will return to this issue later.

3. Think creatively

When I say that thinking creatively will help you improve nervous system, I don’t mean painting a picture, or doing something fancy, like in the first point, “Look for innovation.” When I talk about creative thinking, I mean direct creative cognition, and what it means while the process continues in the brain.

Contrary to popular belief, creative thinking is not “right-brain thinking.” Both sides of the brain are involved here, not just the right. Creative cognition includes divergent thinking (a wide range of topics/subjects), the ability to make distant associations with ideas, switch between traditional and non-traditional perspectives (cognitive flexibility), and generating original, fresh ideas that are also relevant to the activity in which you are engaged. To do everything correctly, you need the right and left hemispheres to work simultaneously and together.

Several years ago, Dr. Robert Sternberg, former Dean of Tufts University, opened the PACE (Psychology of Ability, Competence and Excellence) Center in Boston. Sternberg tried not only to define the basic concept of intelligence, but also to find ways in which any person can maximize his intelligence through training, and especially through education in schools.

Here Sternberg describes the goals of the PACE Center, which was founded at Yale University:
“The core concept of the center is that abilities are not fixed, they are flexible, they can be changed, each person can transform his abilities into his competence, and his competence into mastery,” explains Sternberg. " Special attention our focus is on how we can help people change their abilities so that they can more easily solve problems and cope with situations they will encounter in life.”

Through his research, Project Rainbow, he developed not only innovative creative teaching methods in the classroom, but produced assessments that tested students in ways that required them to approach problems creatively and practically, as well as analytically, rather than simply memorizing facts .

Sternberg explains:
“In Project Rainbow we assessed creative, practical, as well as analytical abilities. A creative test could be, for example, like this: ‘Here is a cartoon. Give it a title.’ A practical assignment could be a film about a student who comes to a party, looks around, doesn’t know anyone, and obviously feels awkward. What should a student do?"

He wanted to see if teaching students to think creatively about assignments could make them learn more about a topic, enjoy learning more, and transfer what they learn to other areas. scientific activity. He wanted to see if, by changing teaching and assessment methods, he could prevent “teaching to pass” and get students to learn more in general. He collected information on this topic and still got good results.

Briefly? On average, students in the test group (those taught using creative methods) received higher final college course scores than the control group (those taught using traditional methods and assessment systems). But to make things fair, he gave the test group the same analytical type exam as the regular students (multiple choice test) and they also scored higher on that test. This means they were able to transfer the knowledge they learned using creative, multimodal learning methods and score higher on a completely different cognitive test on the same material. Does this remind you of anything?

4. Don't take the easy way out

I mentioned earlier that efficiency is not your friend if you are trying to improve your IQ. Unfortunately, many things in life are designed to increase efficiency. Thus, we do more with less time, physical and mental effort. However, this does not have a beneficial effect on your brain.

Consider one modern convenience, GPS. GPS is an amazing invention. I am one of those people for whom GPS was invented. I'm terribly bad at navigating the terrain. I get lost all the time. Therefore, I thanked fate for the advent of GPS. But you know what? After using the GPS for a short time, I found that my sense of orientation became even worse. When I didn't have it at hand, I felt even more lost than before. So when I moved to Boston - the city where horror movies about lost people originate - I stopped using GPS.

I won’t lie – my suffering knew no bounds. My new job meant traveling all over the outskirts of Boston, and I got lost every day for at least 4 weeks. I was so often lost and wandering for who knows how long that I thought I would lose my job due to chronic tardiness (I was even complained about in writing). But over time, I began to find the right path thanks to the vast navigational experience that I acquired with only my brain and a map. I really began to sense where and what was in Boston thanks solely to logic and memory, and not GPS. I still remember how proud I was that I found the hotel in the city center where my friend was staying, based only on the name and description of the area - even without an address! I felt like I had graduated from a school of navigational education.

Technology makes our lives easier, faster, more efficient in many ways, but sometimes our cognitive abilities can suffer as a result of these kinds of simplifications and harm us in the future. Before everyone starts screaming and emailing my transhumanist friends about how I'm sinning against technology, I should warn you that that's not what I'm doing.

Look at it this way: when you go to work by car, it takes less physical effort, time, and is a more convenient and enjoyable way than walking. Everything seems to be fine. But if you only drive or spend your whole life on a Segway, even not for short distances, then you will not waste energy. Over time, your muscles will atrophy, your fitness will weaken, and you will likely gain weight. excess weight. As a result, your general condition will worsen.

Your brain needs exercise too. If you stop using your problem solving skills, your logical, cognitive abilities, then how will your brain always be in in better shape, not to mention improving your mental abilities? Consider that if you constantly rely only on useful modern conveniences, your skills in a particular area may suffer. For example, translator programs: wonderful, but my knowledge of languages noticeably deteriorated as soon as I started using them. Now I force myself to think about a translation before I know the right one. The same applies to spell checking and automatic correction. In truth, automatic correction is the worst thing ever invented to improve your thinking process. You know that the computer will find and correct your mistakes, so you continue typing without even thinking about it. How to spell this or that word correctly. As a result, after a few years of stable autocorrect and automatic spell checking, are we the world's most illiterate nation? (I wish someone would do some research on this.)

There are times when the use of technology is justified and necessary. But there are times when it's better to say no to shortcuts and use your brain while you have the luxury of time and energy. To keep yourself in good physical shape, it is recommended to walk to work as often as possible or take the stairs instead of the elevator several times a week. Don't you want to keep your brain fit too? Put your GPS aside every now and then and do your navigation and problem-solving skills a favor. Keep it handy, but try to find everything yourself first. Your brain will thank you for this.

5. Be online

And now we come to the last element on the path to increasing your cognitive potential: a computer network. What's great about this last setup is that if you're doing the previous four things, you're probably already doing this one. If not, then start. Immediately.

Communicating with other people, or through social media such as Facebook or Twitter, or face to face, you expose yourself to situations that will allow you to achieve goals 1-4 much more easily. By encountering new people, ideas, and new environments, you open yourself up to new opportunities for mental growth. Being around people who may not be in your field can help you see problems from a new perspective or discover new solutions you've never thought of before. Connecting with other people online is a great way to learn how to open yourself up to new things and absorb unique and meaningful information. I won't even get into the social benefits and emotional well-being that a computer network brings, but it's just an added benefit.

Stephen Johnson, who wrote the book How People Are Born good ideas”, discusses the importance of groups and networks in promoting ideas. If you are looking for new situations, ideas, environments and perspectives, then the network is the answer for you. It would be quite difficult to implement the smarter concept without making the network a core component. The great thing about computer networks: It benefits everyone involved. Collective intelligence for victory!

There's one more thing I need to mention...
Remember at the beginning of this article I told a story about my clients with autism spectrum disorders? Let's think for a moment about how to increase the level of flexibility in your intelligence in light of everything we've already talked about. What can these kids achieve at such a high level? This is not a coincidence or a miracle - it is because we took into account all these training principles in their therapy program. While most other therapy providers are stuck with the Errorless Learning paradigm and slightly modified Lovaas Methods of Applied Behavior Analysis, we have embraced and fully embraced a multimodal approach to training. We pushed the kids to try their best to learn, we used the most creative methods we could think of, and we dared to set the bar seemingly well above their abilities. But you know what? They transcended time frames and made me truly believe that amazing things are possible if you have enough will, courage and persistence to set yourself on that path and stick with it. If these children with disabilities can live while continually improving their cognitive abilities, so can you.

My parting question is this: If we have all this supporting data showing that these teaching methods and approaches to learning can have such profound positive effects on cognitive growth, why don't therapy programs or school systems take advantage of some of these methods? I would like to see them as the standard in training rather than the exception. Let's try something new and shake up the education system a little? We would raise our collective IQ significantly.

Intelligence is not just how many levels of math you have completed, how quickly you can solve an algorithm, or how many new words with more than 6 characters you know. It's about getting closer to new problem, recognize its important components, and solve it. Then take what you have learned and apply it to solve the next, more complex problem. It's about innovation and imagination and being able to use it to make the world a better place. It is this type of intelligence that is valuable, and it is this type of intelligence that we should strive for and encourage.

About the author: Andrea Kuszewski is a behavioral therapist for children with autism based in Florida; specialist in Asperger's syndrome, or high-functioning autism. She teaches the basics of behavior in society, communication, as well as the impact of behavior on the home and society, training children and parents in therapy methods. Andrea's work as a researcher with , the US branch of the Social Science Research Group METODO Transdisciplinary, Bogota, Colombia, explores the influence of neuro-cognitive factors in human behavior - this includes aspects such as creativity, intelligence, illegal behavior, and diffuse confusion disorders such as schizophrenia and autism. Also, as a creativity researcher, she is a painter herself and has studied different kinds visual communication, ranging from traditional drawing to digital painting, graphic design, and 3D modeling, animation in the fields of health sciences and behavioral science. She blogs at The Rogue Neuron and on Twitter

— Types of intelligence and their properties
— What is IQ?
— Brain exercises to increase IQ
— 7 universal tips for improving mental abilities from Steve Denton
— How to increase your intelligence: 5 simple ways
-Conclusion

Intelligence abilities are as follows:

1) Analytical.
The ability to conduct a comprehensive analysis of information, divide it into semantic and logical blocks, determine relationships, compare and contrast various pieces of information with each other

2) Logical.
The logical core of reason includes the ability to reason, think and analyze without violating the principles of formal logic, the ability to make correct, logical and consistent conclusions

3) Deductive.
Qualities that help to extract a general idea from a large amount of information and correctly formulate it, the ability to deduce and generalize, the ability to group particulars into something common, to find patterns

4) Critical.
Ability to think critical assessment information, the ability to weed out incorrect conclusions, reject false ideas, a quality that allows you to resist influence and suggestion

5) Prognostic.
The ability to plan ahead, form a mental model of future events and at the same time keep in mind options for solving various alternatives

Abstract thinking abilities: allow you to penetrate with your mind complex abstract ideas (both mathematical, logical and philosophical) and retain complex concepts and systems in your thinking

Abilities for imaginative thinking: contribute to the ability to compare things with different meanings in the mind, bringing them under a common denominator, the ability to formulate comparisons, metaphors, which helps to simplify the understanding of complex ideas, transferring them to a more accessible level of understanding, good perception of artistic images

The ability to concentrate, to maintain attention: probably relates more to the manifestation of the will than to the work of the mind, but I consider it necessary to mention here, since this largely determines the effective work of the intellect.

Our mind also has some properties:

1) Logic of architecture: the degree of orderliness of thinking and coordinated work of different abilities of the intellect (someone, for example, has order in his head, about him we can say that he thinks soberly and reasonably, but someone else’s thinking, on the contrary, is chaotic, spontaneous and incoherent)

2) Depth and breadth of mind: what perhaps, in the general understanding, determines how smart a person is. Sets the possibilities for comprehensive coverage of the object of thinking and the depth of immersion in mental tasks

3) Speed of operations: well, everything is clear here, how quickly we think and how quickly we solve problems

4) Autonomy: the degree of independence of the mind from the work of feelings, external influence, the ability to make sober decisions, both in a calm state and in conditions of stress, anxiety, fear and psychological pressure. Determined by the measure of awareness.

Our memory supports us in all this. I won’t dwell on it, I think it’s clear what function it has, but I think it’s necessary to highlight one of the types of memory that is important for the functioning of the mind

Working memory: the ability to hold several intermediate operations in the mind at the same time and find their solution. (try multiplying several two-digit numbers in a column in your head: you will have to keep the intermediate result of the multiplication in your memory (what teachers at school called “in your head”) in order to get the final result).

— What is IQ?

IQ is determined and quantified through tests and is a measure of a person's ability to think. Half of people show an average iq from 90 to 110, a quarter - over 110, and a score below 70 points indicates mental retardation.

The term came from England and implies the work of thought, mental alertness, and intellectual art. Tests have been developed to determine a person's iq. Age and gender are taken into account. The test does not show intellectual abilities. The purpose of the test is to determine the ability to solve problems related to a number of areas.

If we delve deeper into the process of researching the issue, since the 30s of the last century, scientists have been trying to find patterns in the development of mental abilities, correlating the weight and volume of the brain. We studied the reaction associated with nervous processes, determined the level of intelligence, connecting it with the level of social status, age or gender.

Today, scientists have found that the level of iq is influenced by heredity and can be increased through exercises and tests. The level of intelligence is not influenced by ability, but by persistence, patience, perseverance and motivation. These qualities are needed by doctors, archaeologists, and DJs. It has been proven that in critical and difficult life situations it is easier for a person with a high iq to cope with difficulties, but individual qualities remain decisive:

1) ambition;
2) determination;
3) temperament.

Gradually the tests became more complicated. If initially they consisted of lexical exercises, today there are tests for solving logical problems using geometric shapes, memorization exercises or manipulation of letters in the proposed words.

— 7 universal tips for improving mental abilities from Steve Denton

Steve Denton holds a degree in theoretical physics.

1) The brain needs intellectual challenges
By solving complex problems, such as learning a new language, a field of mathematics, or mastering an unfamiliar musical instrument, the brain becomes more plastic and flexible.

According to Denton, one of the win-win options is to study various areas of mathematics - this science opens up wide opportunities for brain development. Mathematics allows you to train logical, numerical and visual abstract thinking, while improving concentration skills and “mental endurance”.

2) You should communicate with well-educated people.
Meeting and talking with highly intelligent people can improve the functioning of your own brain. During such conversations, you can learn a lot of new things, in addition, understanding the way smart people think is very useful.

3) Computer games can be used to train intelligence
Denton recommends choosing games that involve solving complex problems and making multiple decisions. The physicist himself is a fan of the game EVE - in his opinion, it is the most complex and versatile of all computer games.

4) You need to read at least one serious book a week.
Denton advises not only to regularly read serious books, but also to choose authors from different genres. Reading allows you to expand your vocabulary and has a positive effect on verbal intelligence, and also contributes to the development of erudition.

5) Brain training using special software.
Denton advises using special software for brain development, with the only caveat - you must use only services that have proven their effectiveness. The Dual N-Back project was able to prove its effectiveness. Another positive point is that the game can be downloaded completely free of charge.

6) Important healthy image life.
Exercising has a positive effect on brain function, and healthy and not too short sleep also increases productivity. It is important to approach your alcohol consumption wisely. In addition, the brain needs proper nutrition to function most effectively. The body can obtain the required amount of nutrients only when balanced diet- a person should eat fruits, vegetables, fish and meat.

7) It is necessary to get rid of limiting ideas about your own intellectual level.

Many people are actually smarter than they think they are. Often such a modest attitude towards their mental abilities does not allow them to achieve more in life. This phenomenon is called the “Dunning-Kruger effect” - according to it, people with below average intelligence often overestimate their intelligence, while those with above average intelligence often underestimate their abilities.

Denton cites his friend as an example - the girl always very modestly assessed her intellectual level and worked as an ordinary secretary, but one day she passed the IQ test of the Mensa organization, which unites people with extremely high level intelligence. She later received a degree as a professor of astrophysics and lived a much happier life.

— How to increase your intelligence: 5 simple ways

1) Minimize your time watching TV
The problem is that when we watch the box, we do not use the brain's resources and do not give it a rest. It's as if muscle energy is wasted, but there are no health benefits.

2) Exercise.
After physical activity Brain productivity increases significantly. The head becomes clear, a wave of energy arises. You feel inspired and it’s easier for you to concentrate.

3) Read stimulating books.
If you want to improve your ability to think or write, you need to read books that force you to focus. Reading classical literature can change your view of the world, you will learn to express your thoughts beautifully literary language. Don't be embarrassed if you have to look up a word in the dictionary, don't be afraid of long paragraphs. If necessary, re-read the paragraph and you will soon become familiar with the author's style.

4) Whoever goes to bed early and gets up early will gain health, wealth and intelligence.
To avoid feeling tired, you need to go to bed early and sleep at least 8 hours. If you get up late and then stay up late, you will be distracted all day and will not be able to concentrate. Most people are very productive in the morning. The earlier you wake up, the more productive hours you will have. If you have the opportunity, take a nap for 10-20 minutes when you suddenly feel tired. Sleep longer and you will be lethargic, but a short nap will refresh you.

5) Take time to think.
Often our lives become so hectic that we don’t even have time to realize it. To prevent this, take time to sit alone and think, organize your thoughts and prioritize. You can do anything as long as you are left alone for a while. You can just take a walk for a while. Experiment and you will understand for yourself what is best for you.

-Conclusion

Everyone will agree that it is much more interesting to communicate with an intellectually savvy person than with someone who cannot put two words together. In addition, a person with high intelligence has more opportunities in terms of his further development. And it is much easier for such people to succeed. There would be desire and confidence in one's abilities.

There are many ways to increase your intelligence; this article outlines a few of them. If you are not satisfied with one of them, you can always find plenty of others on the Internet. The main thing is to start taking action, and not sit still and do nothing.

The material was prepared by Dilyara specifically for the site

It is impossible to become smarter overnight. Being smart is a way of life, a constant search and overcoming oneself. This is a rather difficult, but at the same time pleasant path. And you can choose how to start it.

1. Exercise regularly

This improves blood flow and oxygenates the brain, and good physical condition contributes to good mental health. Choose a program that is comfortable for your age and physical abilities. The main thing here is regularity.

2. Make sure you get enough sleep

Numerous studies have shown that lack of sleep reduces concentration, short-term and long-term memory, problem-solving speed, visual and hearing acuity, and slows down reactions. Especially for maintaining good mental health, the right combination of deep and REM sleep is important. Here again, physical exercises from Lifehacker will help you.

3. Eat a healthy, balanced diet

Your brain needs a certain amount of nutrients to function optimally. Diversify your usual menu to get enough vitamins, amino acids and carbohydrates. You don't have to buy it for this. nutritional supplements! We wrote earlier.

4. If you smoke, stop!

5. Reduce your alcohol intake

Drinking alcohol in small quantities, especially when combined with socializing, may be beneficial for some brain functions. But excessive consumption can lead to acute and chronic impairment of its activity and cause irreversible cognitive impairment.

6. Learn new things regularly

Learn something new, e.g. foreign languages, playing musical instruments. Learn something you've been wanting to try for a long time! This promotes brain plasticity and flexibility. Studying math is an excellent exercise in logic and abstract thinking, and also improves concentration, mental endurance and is guaranteed to raise your IQ by several points. Use to learn something new.

7. Maintain friendships with smart and educated people

Make regular meetings with them and discuss a wide range of issues - complex intellectual discussions will give you new ideas and perspectives. You will understand how they think and express themselves smart people and what you might need to change about yourself.

If you are the most clever man in the room, then you are not in the room where you should be.
Alexander Zhurba, businessman and venture investor

8. Read at least one serious book a week and diversify your reading

This will improve your vocabulary and verbal intelligence, as well as enhance your knowledge and speaking repertoire. There must be reading!

9. Play challenging computer games

Shooters and racing games, at best, develop reaction speed, but do not provide you with mental stimulation. Choose a game that involves complex rules, strategy, and requires certain mental skills. Such are, for example, the puzzle games Braid and Portal.

In multiplayer online games, perhaps Eve-online has the highest barrier to entry.

10. Let go of limiting beliefs about your own intelligence.

Many truly qualified people tend to underestimate their abilities and suffer from a lack of self-confidence. Often the opinions of parents, overly critical (or even incompetent) teachers matter more than the stubborn facts of your success. Believe in yourself and start living a full life!