IQ, short for intelligence quotient, is a measure of a person’s mental ability and how it compares to that of their peers. This measurement was popularized in the 1900s by a French psychologist named Alfred Binet.
A person’s IQ level is measured using standardized testing administered by licensed psychologists and, in some cases, those with graduate-level mental health training. When many people take the test, it is possible to compare each person’s score to the rest of the scores.
Common standardized IQ tests include:
- Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC-V)
- Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Adults (WAIS-IV)
- Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scales, Fifth Edition (SB5)
Researchers say that you can improve your IQ if you frequently get the chance to apply your problem-solving skills. People who have jobs that require thinking and creativity will eventually perform better in many different situations.
IQ rises due to practice are usually very small, but it’s still worth trying.
5 Things to Boost Your IQ and Increase Intelligence
Polish your current intelligence and make your mind work better!
Exercise
Engage in regular exercise: Physical activity has been shown to improve brain function and increase blood flow to the brain, which can improve cognitive abilities.
A Swedish study proved that cardiovascular fitness can actually raise your verbal intelligence by 50%. Said Maria Aberg, who led the study, “Increased cardiovascular fitness was associated with better cognitive scores. In contrast, muscular strength was only weakly associated with intelligence.”
Exercise is believed to modulate metabolic mechanisms that support brain functioning. Exercise is also said to change our DNA for the better via epigenetics mechanisms.
The increased oxygen intake, better nutrition, hormones release, neurotransmitter changes, and other things happening during exercise influence our brain on the molecular level and this apparently makes you smarter.
Reading, Learn New Things
Read and learn new things: Reading books, taking courses, or learning a new language or instrument can help challenge your brain and stimulate cognitive function.
Learning to do new things will keep your mind active and stimulate areas of your mental functioning that may have been neglected.
An article published in the Frontiers in Psychology explains that reading and playing music is a complex activity comprising a motor and sensory multitasking.
Sleep
Get enough sleep: Adequate sleep is important for overall health, including brain function. Aim for at least seven to eight hours of sleep per night.
According to science out of Loughborough University’s Sleep Research Centre, every hour less than the recommended eight hours of sleep a night can knock off a full point from your IQ.
In fact, their report concluded that regularly losing two hours of sleep a night can cause someone with an average IQ to become “borderline retarded.”
Play Games
Engage in challenging mental activities: Activities like playing chess, solving puzzles, or doing math problems can help stimulate cognitive function and improve problem-solving abilities.
Playing games can increase executive functions, working memory, and processing speed but not a person’s IQ. What this means is that so-called brain games only exercise some areas of mental functioning but not others.
In other words, if you play a game that enhances your memory, that won’t necessarily make you better at say, painting or playing the piano.
Healthy Diet
Maintain a healthy diet: Eating a balanced diet that includes plenty of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains can help provide essential nutrients that are important for brain health.
Certain foods like fatty fish, nuts, and seeds may help support cognitive function.
Eat Yogurt and other “bacteria”, because certain bacteria have been scientifically linked to brainpower and can promote the growth of neurons.
There are many other things you can try to boost your IQ and intelligence, like what’s found in this article.
Take “intelligence” related content with a grain of salt because we just don’t know everything, we can about how the brain works. These tips, while very effective to make your brain sharper and improve your overall general brain health, are not guarantees.
By using these 5 easy suggestions, you will find that you have the basic building blocks to increase your brain power, too.
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