8 Ways to Make Your Brain Smarter
Billions of neurons in your brain can reshape themselves in response to what you do and learn. Help them along with these eight strategies to be sharper, make wiser decisions and stay focused.
By Jena Pincott
Mutter the Right Way
You might look and sound crazy (especially sans earbuds), but who cares?
Talking to oneself (aloud or not) is now a scientifically proven brain-booster, finds a review of 32 self-talk intervention studies from the University of Thessaly in Greece. It helps you to pay attention, steadies you emotionally and cues you to act.
Try this: Self-talk is most effective when learning something new or enhancing performance. Little instructions (Do
this. OK. Now, do
that) are more helpful than "atta-girl" self-cheering, the researchers found. In one study, athletes ran faster when they spoke cue words to themselves (
push,
heel) through a race.
Published 05/29/2013
