8 Useful Tactics by Which You Can Improve Your Grey Matter and IQ
Are you aware of the fact that you can increase your grey matter? And this automatically means a higher IQ. The hippocampus contains grey matter, involve in sensory perception like sight and hearing, memory, emotions, speech, decision-making, and self-control.
Amid this lockdown, many people have been experiencing memory fog or short time memory loss. Now, this is an alarming fact. If you are one of them, then you will find the tactics shared below to be helpful.
Video Games Stimulate Our Minds
Playing video games, believe it or not, can increase the amount of grey matter in your brain. Researchers from Macquarie University in Sydney and China’s University of Electronic Science and Technology. Recently used functional MRI to scan the brains of expert gamers.
They discovered that their brains had increased thickness, surface area, and volume of grey matter. They also found an improved connection between key subregions of the insular cortex. If you enjoy video games, this is fantastic news since, contrary to popular belief, they do not make you dumb. In reality, playing video games can help you learn faster, be more creative, and improve your problem-solving skills.
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Meditation Enhances Grey Matter
By the case study help meditation has been shown to help people relax and feel calmer, and its benefits are numerous. According to a Harvard University study, long-term meditators have boosted the quantity of grey matter in their brains. They found it within the insula and sensory regions and the auditory and sensory cortex.
Meditation is a useful tool that is not only free. Furthermore, it helps in altering your brainwave patterns. You will be able to sleep better and feel more physically and psychologically rested by restoring energy and helping you relax.Try meditating for 20 minutes twice a week. Find a peaceful, serene location and observe how your breathing settles, and you feel a sense of relaxation and peace.
Omega-3 Fatty Acids are Crucial
This was found out as per the study conducted by the University of Pittsburgh.And it involved omega-3 fatty acids contained in fatty fish like salmon. These acids are connected to increased grey matter volume in areas of the brain linked to mood and behavior.
Include foods high in Omega-3 fatty acids, such as wild caught salmon, in your diet. Incorporate an Omega-3 fatty acid supplement into your regimen as well. Since not all Omega-3 supplements are created equal, make sure you’re getting a natural, high-quality supplement. You can try BioSchwartz’s Icelandic Omega-3 Fish Oil, which is non-GMO, pharmaceutical-grade, and the best Omega-3 supplement available.
Physical Activity Leads to Increase in Grey Matter
Working out has been scientifically established to increase the quantity of grey matter in the brain, in addition to the health benefits linked with it. ‘Aerobic exercise training’ improves ‘brain volume’ in ageing people, according to a study published in the Journal of Gerontology.In fact, cardiovascular fitness has been linked to improved central nervous system function.
Exercise can help in enhancing the cognitive functioning of the human body, especially in older adults. So, start exercising today. Hit the gym if you want, or perform callisthenics exercises outside. If you wish, you can also hire an instructor for yoga exercises. This is because it helps you keep your body fit and regulates hormone secretion.
Master a New Skill
As we become older, we tend to become complacent and stop challenging ourselves mentally. Learning a new skill is an excellent method to improve brain connections. As per German researchers in their study published in Nature, they conducted research on 24 non-jugglers. They divided into two groups and assigned one group to practice juggling for three months.
The scientists used magnetic resonance imaging, or MRI, to scan the volunteers’ brains before and after they learned to juggle. Over the course of three months, volunteers who did not practice juggling exhibited no difference in their brain scans.The grey matter in two areas of the brain involved in visual and motor activity increased in participants who mastered the skill. These included the mid-temporal area and the posterior intraparietal sulcus.
Intermittent Fasting Improves Grey Matter
Intermittent fasting is when you fast for 16 hours a day and only eat during an 8-hour period. The goal is to conduct a “little fast” every day. Studies have shown that doing so on a regular basis can help thicken some regions of your brain while also improving cognitive function.
Fasting not only improves brain matter, but it also boosts the synthesis of brain neurotrophic growth factor. This is a protein that stimulates neuron growth and protection, making us more resistant to neurological stress and preventing neurodegenerative disorders.This aids in the prevention of diseases connected to Alzheimer’s disease and cognitive impairment.
Have Adequate Sleep
It’s no secret that sleep is vital for our health. In reality, sleep deprivation, often known as loss of sleep, is a well-known cause of cognitive impairment. Sleep deprivation produces disturbances in the brain’s neural networks, making it more difficult to think and recall.
You should aim for eight hours of high-quality sleep each night to maximize the quantity of grey matter in your brain. Also, wear blue-light-blocking sunglasses or turn off all screens an hour before bedtime. Building a good night routine into your day, like any habit, takes time. But, the payoff is that you’ll feel more calm and recharged the next day.
Get Rid of Bad Habits
Any positive improvements you try to make to your brain can be cancelled out by bad habits. Smoking cigarettes or consuming too much alcohol might have a negative impact on your grey matter. Forcing oneself to break a habit will assist the brain in breaking down strong negative neural connections, allowing for the formation of healthy new connections. It’s just as crucial to breaking up bad brain connections as it is to make new ones.
In addition to this, you must try to use your imagination. This might send off the neuron firing squad and make the grey matter grow. Our brains begin to shrink about the age of 30 – and, if you think about it, so does our imagination. Painting, writing, reading fiction, or any other creative hobby can help to encourage the maintenance and growth of grey brain matter.
If you want to improve neuroplasticity, these tips will come in handy. And if you are writing a paper on the same topic, you can use the pointers mentioned in this blog.
