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Increasing mental performance: How to train your brain

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Increasing mental performance: How to train your brain

Who doesn't know it? After a long day at work, many people literally run out of steam by the afternoon at the latest. You find it harder and harder to concentrate, or maybe you just can't think of the right words. The good news is that it is possible to increase your mental performance.

Why is mental performance so important?

Your mental performance - also known as cognition in technical terms - is required in almost every area of life. The better you train it, the easier you will master your tasks at work and in everyday life. If you want to increase your mental performance and manage to do so, you will notice the following positive effects afterwards:

  • Problem-solving ability increases.
  • Your word finding improves.
  • You can concentrate more persistently and purposefully.
  • Your resistance to distraction increases.
  • Your reasoning ability improves.
  • Your memory capacity increases: You can remember facts and circumstances better.

Memory training: how it can increase mental performance

Increasing mental performance follows the same principle as strength training in the gym. Your brain is also a muscle that you can train effectively by exercising it regularly. At this point the Memory training into play.

At this point, however, you need to know that there is no "one concept", but many different methods. Moreover, they do not have to be scientifically sophisticated tests. Crossword puzzles, Sodoku or memory games such as Memory also have a positive effect on your memory performance.

In order to increase your mental performance, however, it is important to make your memory training as varied as possible. In addition, you should adapt the tasks to your personal performance limit and gradually increase.

Increase performance

8 effective tips to boost your mental performance

You want to increase your mental performance? Below we have compiled eight tips and inspirations for effective memory training:

1. link names

You just can't remember names? This can sometimes be very uncomfortable in social situations. However, there is a simple trick you can use to improve your mental performance in this regard. The keyword is: repetition! Repeat the name immediately when someone introduces themselves to you and, if possible, mention it two or three times during the conversation.

Another method is to associate people's names with individual characteristics. Your Memory can store an overall picture much better than the individual fact of the name: This is Sabine, who works as a secretary and likes to play squash in her spare time. This is Peter, who owns his own butcher shop and has twin sons.

2. body list

The classic shopping list was yesterday. You can combine your weekly shopping with a training session for your memory. You link each product you need with a body part, e.g. arm for apples.

3. sleep games

You just can't fall asleep at night and counting sheep is too boring for you? Then we have an alternative for you, with which you can increase your mental performance at the same time. Choose a category and go through the alphabet, e.g. 5 cities, first names, countries or rivers with A, B, C... etc.

4. memory

Did you like to play Memory as a child? Then it's time to rediscover the classic game. Remembering which cards are in which place is sometimes not so easy. By the way, there is also memory for adults with an increased level of difficulty.

5. visualize numbers

You have to remember numbers on many occasions. Sometimes it can help to imagine an imaginary keypad on which you enter the desired combination of numbers.

6. use the digital phone book less often

Nowadays, you can easily store all numbers in the phone book of your cell phone or telephone. However, remembering phone numbers is excellent memory training. Therefore, you should dial again yourself more often instead of just tapping on the contact.

7. attentive reading

You've read a section from a book and a short time later you don't remember what was there? This is a particular hindrance to learning. The solution is to read "with a pen". Underline the most important statements in each section in color. In this way, the content is much better remembered.

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The role of nutrition in enhancing mental performance.

For the brain to work optimally, it needs oxygen and glucose. The latter is found primarily in foods rich in carbohydrates, whereby a distinction must be made between simple and complex carbohydrates.

Simple carbohydrates (e.g., in soda pop or sweets) provide a rapid rise, but also an equally rapid drop in glucose levels in the brain. This means the energy boost only works for a short time. Complex carbohydrates (e.g., in whole grain products and potatoes), on the other hand, provide your brain with energy over a long period of time.

In addition to glucose, your brain also needs plenty of protein, vitamins and minerals, and healthy fats for optimal performance. The following foods are recommended if you want to increase your mental performance:

  • Fruit and vegetables
  • Whole grain products (bread, pasta, rice)
  • Nuts
  • Legumes
  • Meat and fish
  • Potatoes
  • Dairy products
Brain jogging

How regular physical exercise improves mental performance

Regular exercise is not only good for your physical health, but can even improve your mental performance. Sport promotes blood flow to your brain, which improves its supply with oxygen and nutrients. The positive effects are obvious: an optimally supplied brain is more efficient.

Due to the optimized blood flow, an increased production of various nerve growth factors can also be observed. The latter is the prerequisite for the formation of new connections. Put simply: the better the blood flow to the brain, the more effectively mental performance can be increased. You can find a detailed article on this topic at here.

Can getting enough sleep boost your mental performance?

Boost mental performance while you sleep? What sounds almost too good to be true is a scientifically proven fact. While you sleep, your brain processes all the experiences, impressions and information of the day and transfers them from short-term to long-term memory. There they are linked to existing experiences and stored.

The ideal length of sleep can vary a little from person to person. Seven to eight hours is often cited as an average value. However, the quality of sleep is much more important than the duration. Therefore, make sure you have a quiet sleeping environment without disturbances.

Mental challenges and learning activities: How they affect your performance

A rolling stone gathers no moss: What applies to physical fitness also applies to your mental performance. If you don't stimulate your brain, it's self-explanatory that no new connections can develop, just as you wouldn't build up muscles without exercise.

Dare to take on intellectual challenges, such as learning a foreign language or taking courses or training. Surely there are some topics that interest you and about which you can learn something. You are never too old for this.

Stress management and relaxation techniques: Support for your mental performance

Surely you know it: If too many external stimuli affect you, your ability to concentrate is quickly over. It is therefore important to minimize stress and avoid overstimulation. Relaxation techniques such as Meditationyoga or progressive muscle relaxation according to Jacobsen.

The importance of social interaction in enhancing mental performance.

If you want to increase your mental performance, you should be around people as often as possible. The connection between loneliness and dementia is even scientifically proven.

By interacting with other people, you gain new experiences, listen, share, and get the chance to take on other people's perspectives. All this keeps your memory on its toes.

Conclusion: Increase your mental performance with memory training and healthy habits

Forgetfulness is neither a character trait nor an inevitable fate. Often it is simply due to a lack of training. This means that you have it in your own hands to increase your mental performance. With a healthy lifestyle and regular memory training, you'll soon start to see the first signs of mental positive changes in your everyday life.

In our free masterclass you will get a comprehensive overview and many practical techniques to increase your mental performance.

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Reviewed by Dr. med. Stefan Frädrich

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