Your Intelligence Quotient (IQ) measures different elements of your intelligence. On average, the score is 100, and it depends on many factors, such as education, heredity, your environment, and your lifestyle.
IQ below 70 may mean that you might have problems with your child’s development. On the other hand, an IQ higher than 130 might show a potential for high intelligence.
Factors That IQ Measures
In general, there are two kinds of IQ:
Fluid and Crystallized.
Fluid IQ tests your ability to reason and to solve problems in new situations.
Crystallized IQ deals with your ability to use the knowledge and skills you have.
This is important to consider if you are interested in how to increase your IQ. This way, you can measure how you can get new knowledge and how you can use the one you already have.
Of course, the factors I mentioned at the beginning of this article affect IQ. Studies have shown that genetics has its influence, but the environment influences it as well. Children who have good conditions for development have higher IQ than children without them. This means that intelligence is malleable and can be influenced by nature and nurture.
It is important to note that an IQ test does not measure all types of intelligence. For example, emotional and social intelligence is not being measured there. The same is true about creative intelligence. In general, when it comes to how to increase your IQ, you should be interested in all the forms of intelligence and not only in IQ scores.
Can You Really Increase Your IQ?
In recent decades, scientists have discovered that the brain is malleable. Your brain is continuously changing its connections and making new ones in a process called neuroplasticity. This means that, just like your muscles can be trained, your brain can also be trained. And it has been proven by the research. Different kinds of exercises to make the brain stronger and more effective have shown the results. It has been shown that tasks that require working memory, reasoning, and problem-solving help increase the IQ.
In short, the human brain is a dynamic system, and if you use the power of neuroplasticity, you can increase your IQ.
How To Increase Your IQ
1. Cognitive Training Techniques
The best way to increase your IQ is to train your brain. There are certain exercises, which are called brain-training exercises, that will help you increase your memory, focus, and problem-solving skills.
Memory Training: Memory training has been used to increase memory, and there are many types of it—from games, such as card-matching, to mobile applications that aim at improving your memory.
Puzzles: All kinds of puzzles are useful when it comes to your brain training: crossword, Sudoku, logic puzzles, and so on.
Strategic Games: Playing certain games, such as chess and checkers, are also useful to make your brain work. These games make you plan your steps, consider other people’s actions, and try to be one step ahead.
If you want to train your brain, you can also find brain-training programs on the Internet. They provide exercises that will train your brain, and as you will become better, they will offer harder ones. And when you include one of these games into your daily routine, you will significantly increase your IQ.
2. Use Brain-Healthy Nutrition
Your brain is directly influenced by your diet, so what you eat is extremely important when it comes to how to increase your IQ. Certain nutrients in your food can make a big difference in the brain function.
Omega-3 Fatty Acids: It is essential for your brain to work well as it builds brain cells. Omega-3 fatty acids are found in salmon, walnuts, and flaxseeds.
Antioxidants: They protect your brain cells from oxidative stress, so you should eat blueberries, dark chocolate, and spinach.
B Vitamins (B6, B12, Folate): These are responsible for the production of neurotransmitters and good communication between brain cells. You can find them in leafy greens, legumes, and whole grains.
In general, you should aim at eating a diet that is rich in various fruits and vegetables of different colors, as well as whole grains and healthy fats.
Eat a nutritious diet as often as possible, and you will feed your brain and help it increase its performance.
3. Engage In Physical Exercises
Physical exercises are very important for your brain, as they increase the blood flow to your brain. In fact, the more exercises you do, the more oxygen and nutrients your brain receives.
Aerobic exercises, such as running, cycling, or swimming, also promote neurogenesis (the growth of new brain cells), particularly in the areas of the brain associated with learning and memory. Resistance training also has benefits for executive function and reasoning.
Team sports or group workouts are also good to increase your IQ as they provide physical exercise and the social interaction, which stimulates communication and cooperation, and also improves your cognitive flexibility. Exercising is one of the easiest and most efficient ways of how to increase your IQ.
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4. Practice Meditation and Mindfulness
It has been proven that mindfulness and meditation help you to be more focused, increase your working memory, and reduce stress. It has also been shown that mindfulness improves your cognitive function.
Mindfulness meditation is usually associated with focusing on your breath and body sensations, whereas transcendental meditation usually includes the use of mantras to achieve a deep state of relaxation.
As a result of meditation, your ability to focus and your creativity will be improved, which will also increase your IQ.
You only need to spend a few minutes a day meditating to notice some improvements in your brain function.
5. Prioritize Your Sleep
Sleep is the time, when your brain reboots itself. During sleep, your brain processes the information it has received, consolidates your memory, and repairs the damaged neural connections.
There are two stages of sleep, which are both equally important:
REM sleep: It is important for your creativity and your ability to solve problems.
Non-REM sleep: It is important for your learning and memory.
To improve the quality of your sleep, you should do the following:
Stick to the same bedtime schedule.
Do not use your mobile phone at least an hour before you go to sleep.
Keep your bedroom dark and calm.
Good sleep is one of the best methods of how to increase your IQ.
6. Do Not Stop Learning
One of the best ways to keep your brain healthy, flexible, and engaged is never to stop learning. You can do that by taking courses, going to seminars or conferences, or even by picking up new skills and hobbies on the Internet.
Learning new things, you challenge your brain, which, as a result, forms new neural connections and, thus, increases your IQ.
It has also been proven that curiosity also plays an important role in the creativity. Therefore, you should also read more books, listen to interesting podcasts, and try new things in your spare time.
In general, continuous learning is one of the best ways not only of how to increase your IQ but also of how to become a more adaptable and confident person, with high emotional intelligence.
Related: 9 Reasons Why Self-Motivation Is Important
7. Engage In Social Interaction
The last, but not the least, tip of how to increase your IQ is to spend more time with other people. Strong social bonds and relationships will not only help you have a new perspective on the same issues but will also help you get better at analyzing the information you get and using your memory.
Communicating with others, you will often need to work on your reasoning skills. For example, you can discuss different issues or problems with someone, debate with people who have an opposite point of view from you, or work in a group on a specific problem. Communicating and socializing more often with people will help you increase your IQ.
Conclusion
Increasing your IQ is not about having a high number, which proves you are smart. It is about challenging your brain to its full potential.
In addition to the training of your brain with the use of different exercises, it is important to provide your brain with proper nutrition and enough sleep. So, if you want to increase your IQ, you should be active in every aspect.
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