As children we are given the impression that our intelligence is a fixed characteristic that will not change throughout our lives. I don’t know about you all, but as a child I worked extremely hard at school as I thought that if I failed at school, it meant I was dumb and that I would fail at everything else in my life. What I was not told as a child, was that there are simple steps and activities you can take that will improve your intelligence, or IQ.  That is why I have done some research and compiled a list of steps you can take to improve your IQ and intelligence more generally.  So next time you take a dreaded IQ test and don’t get a very promising score, don’t throw away your dreams. Because just like anything else you want to succeed in; it’s about practise and training.

IQ stands for intelligence quotient, and is a standardised test that measures intelligence. You can’t study for an IQ test, as it is designed to measure our mental abilities and ability to think problems through. The number given at the end of an IQ test is a score that compares your performance on the test to the performance of people at a similar age to yourself.  An IQ score of 100 is average, meaning that your performance on the test was in par with other people your age. But what if it’s not? What if you do the test and your IQ is below 100?  Here are some simple lifestyle changes that can be made to improve your IQ, and general intellegence in the long run.

10 Step to Improve Your IQ:

1. Develop a Hobby

Rather than sitting in front of the TV during your spare time. Try taking up a hobby that will occupy your time and keep your brain stimulated at the same time.  For example, try hobbies like solving crosswords, logic problems or jgsaw puzzles. Try other puzzles like lateral thinking puzzles, shape puzzles and riddles.  All these activities will encourage your brain to work without input from a text book or trivial knowledge, which is a skill that is required to do well on an intelligence test.

2. Have a Balanced Diet (Consumption of alcohol)

A balanced diet helps stabilize your brain chemistry, which in turn makes you think more efficiently. Certain foods stand out as having the most powerful brain-boosting effects:

  • Fsh, which increases the speed of your brain waves
  • Caffeine, which speeds up your synapses and can improve your short-term memory. Everything from test scores on college exams to chess games have been shown to improve after a cup of coffee or other drink containing caffeine. It is a temporary effect, however, and caffeine may have adverse long-term effects for regular users.
  • Ginkgo biloba leaves have been shown to increase blood flow to the brain which helps with memory and concentration.

Foods to avoid:

  • Limit your consumption of alcohol and other intoxicants. The buzz you feel from drinking alcohol is actually the result of dying brain cells, which never grow back.
  • Sugar. Actually any simple carbohydrates taken in large quantities can give you that sluggish feeling that makes it difficult to think. This is due to the insulin that is dumped into your veins after the sugar is.
  • Don’t eat white flour, sugar, potatoes, and other carbs before an important meeting.

3. Get Good Quality Sleep

The evidence shows us that the quality of sleep is very important, not just the quantity.

Studies have shown that your brain remains very active while you sleep, processing short-term memories and filing them away into long-term storage, as well as performing other routine maintenance. Aim for seven to eight hours of sleep every night to give your brain the time it needs to stay organized.

4. Listen to Classical Music

A study conducted at the University of California found that children who studied piano and sang daily, were much better at solving puzzles, and scored 80% higher in spatial intelligence than the non-musical group.

In another study, 36 students were tested on three spatial reasoning tests.  Immediately prior to completing the first test, the participants listened to Mozart’s Sonata for Two Pianos in D Major for ten minutes. Before the second test, they listened to a relaxation tape and before third, they didn’t listen to any music at all.  The average results for each test were then compared, and it was found that the test taken after the Mozart music produced the highest scores.

Numerous studies have shown that the brain’s spatial IQ improves for 10 to 15 minutes after listening to classical music, which generally resembles brain waves in rhythm and timing. However, this so-called Mozart Effect is highly controversial and has its share of skeptics. The bottom line is, listening to classical music probably won’t make you any less intelligent, but it also may not have long-term effects on your IQ.

5. Write more

Start writing a blog, diary, idea-journals, taking notes and writing stories.

Writing is good for your mind in a  number of ways. It is a way to tell your memory what is important, so you’ll recall things more easily in the future.  It is a way to clarify your thinking. It is a way to exercise your creativity and analytical ability.

6. Talk and Explain more

Try explaining or discusing something something you don’t fully understand to a friend, and try to put it into your own words.  You’ll find that the process of explaining will help you clarify your understanding.

7. Read More

Reading is one of the most important steps you can take in improving your intelligence. While you may have favourite books that you read once every 2 years, it’s important to read new books from a range of different genres. This will expand your knowledge in all areas and get you thinking about things you have never thought about before. On top of this, you may even start to see and think about things in different ways. But don’t limit yourself to just books. Pick up a magzine, read the newspaper or spend some time reading blogs on the net.

I often find that the more I read, the more I begin to form my own opinion on various issues. Since I started uni and began reading a whole lot of different articles and blogs, I have learnt to become critical of what I read and not believe everything I am told. So basically, you will develop analytical thinking that you can apply in many different situations.

Another step you can take is to learn how to speed read, as it improves your comprehension of material. You get to learn a lot more in less time and it keeps your brain active. But how do you do that? In a nutshell, when scanning, read the first and last parts parts of paragraphs as this is where the important studd is. Try it next time you read the newspaper or a magazine.

8. Do Some Exercise

Physical activity “wakes up” your brain as it increases the blood flow to it.  This results in better and more efficient brain functioning, meaning that you will think better and remember things a lot easier. Walking seems to work best, but any aerobic activity can help increase your IQ. Recent research shows that cognitive functioning is improved immediately after merely 10 minutes of aerobic exercise.

9. Breathe Deep

This is one of the easiest and most effective ways to improve the functioning of your brain immediately. By breathing deeply we relax and put more oxygen in the blood (therefore in the brain), both of which help. Relaxation has been proven to improve brain function. Low oxygen levels in the blood have been shown to decrease it. Since most of us are in the habit of breathing too shallowly, this is a quick way to increase IQ. By the way, if you breath through your nose, you are more likely to breath deeply.

Meditating also helps, primarily because of the deep breating aspect. The state of mind achieved through a simple breath-watching meditation allows true relaxation, and is conducive to creative problem solving. Just close your eyes and breath through your nose, deeply at first, then in whatever way is comfortable. As thoughts arise, dismiss them and return your attention to your breath. Do this for at least a few minutes.

10. Keep Learning

Contrary to what you may believe, we have the ability to continue learning right through our entire lives. While it may take more time to learn when you are older, there is no reason to stop learning.

Make it your priority to learn at least one new thing everyday, as this increases the synaptic connections within your brain, which improves intelligence. Enroll in continuing education courses, start learning a new language, learn to play an instrument or learn how to cook. Whatever it is, learning something new keeps your brain stimulated, which is very important for your intelligence in the long run.

Also, take an active approach when learning something new. Take notes, leave each learning session with a question or two in mind, to create anticipation and curiosity. Take short breaks to refresh your brain and so that there will be more beginnings and endings to your studies (things learned at the beginning or ending of a class or session are remembered better).

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