10 Tips to improve your IQ: Crack the IQ Test, Not Your Head! | BMI Certified IQ Test

BMI Blog / Quick Reads

10 Tips to improve your IQ: Crack the IQ Test, Not Your Head!

improve-your-iq

By definition, we all have played the genetic lottery. Some of us have won more in a certain area compared to others.  While IQ depends on our genetics, you can do certain things to improve your IQ Score and overall mental aptitude. In a lot of ways, it comes down to keeping your brain active, so it pays off to take IQ test training seriously. The following 10 practices can improve your mental acuity.

1. Get Some Exercise

We know that the mind and the body go hand in hand. On a basic level, an unhealthy body puts more demands on your control center. Perhaps more importantly, though, your body produces hormones at different levels during and after exercise. These hormones change the fundamental chemistry of the brain and scientists have found that they improve cognition, so get off the couch.

2. Integrate Omega-3 Fatty Acids into Your Diet

Most people worry about including too much fat in their diets. However, Omega-3 fatty acids are the exception. Omega-3 fatty acids seem to help memory loss and brain function. Overdoing it with supplements won’t do much for you, but eating the healthy foods that contain this substance will improve your overall health, including your brain health. Omega-3 fatty acids are found in:

  • Fish like salmon
  • Nuts
  • Flaxseed oil

3.  Play Brain Games

The Internet has discovered what crossword puzzle enthusiasts knew a long time ago: solving puzzles keeps you sharp. Many sites offer games and activities to exercise your mind for a certain period of time a day. More traditional games like puzzles, Sudoku and even video games can improve how you approach problems using critical thinking and help you improve your IQ score. If you like these games, you should take IQ test training and see how similar the thought processes are.

4. Dust off Your Old Board Games

Although these games have lost some of their popularity, we shouldn’t forget that some of our greatest minds devoted their entire lives to the pursuit of chess. In Asia, the game Go also attracts some of the smartest humans alive. A number of other board games like Scrabble force you to flex your brain muscles. Even card games require logical reasoning in a fun way.

5. Don’t Skimp on Sleep

In our hurried culture, too many people ignore sleep as an important aspect for health. Sleep allows your body to repair itself at the cellular level. This includes the brain. In terms of memory, though, sleep essentially serves as a chemical bath for the brain as you process what you experienced during the day. If your brain doesn’t have a chance to properly process things you have learned during the day, you will retain much less.

6. Seek New Experiences

An idle mind that gets stuck in a rut begins to atrophy. Your brain essentially signals to itself that it doesn’t need to use so much capacity. By seeking out new experiences, you are communicating to your brain that you still need new connections. You also help maintain the synaptic connections you have already formed.

7. Vary Your Activities

Similarly, if you vary what you do on a daily basis, your brain will benefit. If you engage in a lot of manual work or hobbies, try something more cerebral for a change. Conversely, if you constantly live in your mind, take up something involving hand-eye coordination.

8. Read More

Reading offers a great opportunity to learn about new things without leaving home. Choose topic you are interested in. This will help your vocabulary, of course, but it will also encourage you to make connections between different pieces of knowledge. This type of reasoning is what assessors measure when you take IQ test questions.

9.  Lower Your Stress Level

Practices like meditation and breathing exercises help people escape from the world and reduce stress. Even a nap in the middle of the day can relieve stress. Stress causes excess levels of cortisol, which impairs cognitive function. It also provokes negative physical effects. However you do it, find a way to decompress and recharge. It may not help you directly gain IQ points, however a well tuned cognitive function may have a huge impact on your problem solving capacity and help you improve your IQ score.

10. Practice Mindfulness

Most of us go through the day without giving much thought to what is happening around us. This is partly out of necessity, since we would get nothing done if we constantly noticed everything. But, you should occasionally take the opportunity to really pay attention to the small details of life. Watch how the sun changes position during the day. Take a close look at the flowers in the park or the emotional state of the people around you. Being aware of your surroundings will train your brain and make you more in tune with your world.

When you have done enough of the above and you feel ready for a real challenge, give a try to this IQ Test and share your score with your friends! Good luck!