The 15 Steps to Becoming a Super Brain

The best way to get a good night's sleep, study more effectively and use less energy is all about improving your brain. The 15 step process will show you what steps to take in order of importance and how you can use them in your daily life.

1. Sleep Properly

Many of us need more sleep to function properly at work, school or in our personal life. Good sleep means a good functioning brain. It's very common for students to not get enough sleep and thereby become tired, irritable and sometimes even depressed or anxious.

It is important that you get at least seven to eight hours of sleep every day because it will help you be less stressed and more relaxed during the day. As with any other aspect in life, consistency is the key for good results. Improve your sleeping habits one step at a time as soon as you feel a difference; then continue with the next step and so on until you get better results.

2. Exercise Regularly

Exercise is the key to good brain functioning. It makes you feel good, physically and mentally. When you exercise your body releases endorphins which are hormones that make you feel relaxed and happy.

Exercise can help to improve your memory because it stimulates brain cells to make new connections, which retards shrinkage of the brain's hippocampus region, an area crucial for memory.

Exercising also helps to reduce stress, relieve anxiety and make you a happier person. You don't have to be a gym junkie; simple exercises like going for a walk or playing sports will do just fine.

3. Eat a Healthy Diet

We all know that we should eat a healthy diet, but students, no matter their age, often lack the motivation or time to prepare a healthy meal at home. That's why eating out can be very convenient. But be careful because many restaurants and fast food places serve meals high in saturated fats and sugar which can hurt your brain in the long run.

It's important that you eat fresh fruits and vegetables every day to boost memory performance. If you don't have time to cook at home, try going to a salad bar where you can get lots of fresh produce for little cost. Also, drink lots of water to keep your brain cells healthy as well as for maintenance of good health.

4. Drink Water

As mentioned above, water is important for good brain functioning. Drink a glass of water every hour to prevent dehydration and low blood pressure.

Drinking water will also help to keep you alert, energized and excited about life. We often forget to drink water at work, especially if we are sitting down all day.

Instead try to take 10 - 15 minute breaks every hour which means take the time that you would normally spend drinking your morning coffee or tea and instead drink a glass of water if it's not too warm out.

Everyone knows that physical exercise makes you sweat, so why not add a workout to your day? You don't have to go to the gym but walking around could be just as effective.

5. Meditate

What's meditation? Simply put, meditation is a form of relaxation where you clear your mind of all thoughts and negative stimuli so that your brain can have time to regenerate. It is a very simple practice that anyone can do anytime - even when you are stressed out at work or school.

For example, maybe today you are going over math problems for your final exam and you feel worried about it! Instead of focusing on the problems in front of you, try to stop thinking about them for a few minutes as if you were watching a movie in stasis. Meditation will help your brain to rest and relax and allow it to be prepared for the challenges ahead.

6. Exercise Your Brain

There are many games and other pursuits which you can use to exercise your brain. Use your imagination to come up with a game that will engage you and make you use your mental prowess.

For example, have a competition of memory skills with one friend or family member or go hiking and describe the scenery using only your words instead of just labels on the map! Also, you might want to play word or scrabble games where there is no limit on how long you can play.

7. Make Time for Fun

We all know how important it is to have fun, but sometimes we forget how to be truly happy. It's okay to take some time and do whatever feels good as long as it doesn't hurt anyone. Go out with your friends, have a picnic and play some games.

If you don't have any friends then make time for yourself. Try dancing in your room or even listening to music which you enjoy. You don't have to feel like a social outcast if you choose not to go out - just give yourself something nice instead like a chocolate bar or even a bubble bath. What else could be better?

8. Listen to Music

Listening to music is good for the brain because it triggers the pleasure centers in our brains which can make you feel vice, making it very easy for you to channel your brain so that it can work at maximum capacity.

It's also a very effective way to relax and help you focus on being able to make good choices rather than just reacting from instinct.

The key is finding music which you like and listening at least twice a day - even if only five minutes. Keep it up until your brain feels better. Remember, the more time you spend listening to music the better.

9. Find Something Positive

It's easy to fall into a depression when you think that everything is going wrong and nothing will ever get better. If this happens don't give up on yourself; find something positive to focus on and keep it in your mind.

It might only be a small thing, but keep telling yourself that everything will be all right until you start to feel more positive about everything.

You wouldn't believe how much happier you'll feel when you look at things from a happy perspective! It's worth experimenting with because it really works.

10. Take Care of Yourself Physically

There are many ways to take care of yourself physically so that your brain feels at its best. For example, maintain good dental health (try to floss and brush your teeth twice a day) because teeth can be used as clues to help with memory.

Also maintain proper hygiene by taking a shower every day, getting enough sleep and eating a nutritious diet. Just because you're living in an apartment and can't afford a gym membership, doesn't mean that you can't be healthy. A few minutes of doing a few simple exercises can have a beneficial effect.

11. Be Affectionate to Others

It's hard to be happy alone sometimes and socializing with friends or family is important. You should try to build relationships with others so that your brain feels more at ease when you feel stressed out. Feelings of loneliness can put a lot of stress on your brain and cause you to feel hopeless and depressed.

If you feel like this, you should try not to isolate yourself from others, especially when they are trying to help! Let them in but be sure to pick the right people who will truly help you out and won't hurt you.

12. Have Faith

As mentioned above, faith is very important for people! It's good to believe in something, but don't take it too seriously. We all know that things happen for a reason and we shouldn't get too hard on ourselves when things don't go exactly as planned.

Life can sometimes be very hard, but you can always try your best to make it better. Do what you can do even if others are at a loss as to what to do.

Also, don't give up on yourself just because things don't go perfectly. Other people are trying as hard as you are and most of them feel the same way that you do.

13. Find a Mentor

Find someone who has been where you are now in your life and see what they have learned. Pick up some of those tips and tricks so that your brain can improve over time. Successful people today have positive role models which they can relate with, but not everyone has this. Sometimes it's a good idea to look up to someone who has established themselves as a positive role model. If you can't think of any, try looking at older people who have made it in their lives.

14. Enjoy Yourself

For those of you who have tried the above methods and still feel blue, there's no reason to give up on yourself. You can't change the past, but you can make the most out of the present by doing something that makes you happy and forget about what went wrong earlier.

Don't let anyone tell you that life will never get better; try to take care of yourself both mentally and physically so that your brain can improve over time. It's never too late to start and if you keep trying over and over again, it'll work eventually.

15. Breathe

Sometimes a simple thing like breathing can help your mind overcome the stress of everyday life. Many people find that they don't breathe properly which affects their brain performance, but it doesn't take much to be able to take a deep breath when you're feeling stressed. You can do this anywhere so it doesn't matter if you're outside or inside. Just try to focus on taking that deep breath for a few seconds every day so that you feel better about yourself! When your brain feels good about everything in life, you'll be able to make better decisions for yourself wherever you are.

Conclusion

Now that you've read this guide, you should know how to make your brain feel better no matter where you are in life. Start with steps one through nine and everything will be fine. You can use this as a guide when you need to improve your life in the future. Good luck.