How much of an important part do our brains play in our everyday lives, exactly?
For starters, they help us move around, ensure that we’re getting enough blood pumped to our different organs, tell us when something’s wrong with our bodies, experience sensation, etc. In other words, they’re quite important. This is why it’s also important to take care of them.
Perhaps reading books, watching science documentaries, or solving your favorite crossword puzzle or playing sudoku wasn’t enough to strengthen that muscle of muscles of yours. If it isn’t your routine to get extra brainpower, it might very well be time for you to turn to nootropics.
Nootropics describe a chemical substance that may improve one’s brainpower without directly damaging the brain itself. It’s popular mostly amongst students, busybodied workers, or those wanting to stave off neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s or dementia. While they have recently been lauded as a type of supplement that can make you smarter, do note that nootropics are not a miracle drug that somehow increases your IQ or sharpens your intellect. Instead, they can help improve other cognitive functions such as memory or concentration. On top of that, you might even get a boost to your stress management.
Because there are so many kinds of nootropics out there, you might want to look for a set that will suit you most. For example, this blog post about Brain Pill reviews at WholisticResearch can give you an idea on which kind of nootropic you’d likely want to use to give yourself that edge. And just like this, Nootrogen is another nootropic supplement designed to provide cognitive support, enhance memory, improve focus, and help manage stress—choose according to your needs.
Now, let’s tackle how these might actually be able to help you. They may:
1, Improve Concentration
While “concentration” and “focus” could mean the same thing, we assure you that they’re quite different. In this case, to focus means to keep your mind about something whereas to concentrate means your capacity to focus. Ergo, concentration does not mean to focus but your ability to keep distractions at bay while you keep your mind set on a specific objective. For example, in preparing yourself a hot cup of coffee in the morning, your mind is set in making that cup whereas you plan out the rest of your day, how you’ll get out of the house, what the traffic’s like, or if you’ve still got enough gas in your car. Your focus is the end goal: the cup of coffee, but your concentration is so shot, that you’ll quickly realize this through the sting of a scorched tongue. You were distracted.
With so many distractions about in your life you can no longer take a break without having to check your phone instead of enjoying some alone time by yourself. When you return home after a long day’s work, you’re bound to be greeted by the sound of the TV or advertisements blaring when you just want some peace and quiet. To some, this might be the sound of home, but many might consider these distractions.
By taking nootropics, you can help support your catecholamine neurotransmitter activity. When these transmitters in your brain are inactive, you are not concentrating on something. Nootropics allow for the supply of catecholamine precursors that stimulate catecholamine, a chemical in your brain that facilitates concentration. They may also improve the sensitivity of the receptors that receive this chemical. This may, in turn, improve your concentration.
2. Help with Stress Management
Stress can sometimes devolve into a vicious cycle. Let’s pretend that you’ve got some aching bones. They're tolerable, but they still hurt plenty. While your bones are aching, you’ve got some important forms to fill out but with every letter you write down, you can’t help but notice how your handwriting might not be legible enough. You become frustrated and you blame your aching bones. You’re now stressed out.
Being affected by increasingly greater measurements of stress can worsen your mental performance. In fact, chronic stress may cause direct damage to one’s hippocampus (a part of your brain that affects memory and learning). Should the hippocampus shrink in size, this greatly hinders any form of learning you might experience or even cause your memory to fade.
While memory was briefly mentioned here, some nootropics can help provide you that boost of relaxation through the modulation of stress hormones. They may also help in the promotion of Alpha brain waves. These signals help keep your body in a wakeful, more alert state, but without the feeling of anxiety or stress. Think of it as the feeling you have when you’ve been recently roused from your sleep in the morning.
Now, let’s go back to memory.
3. Assist in Memory Strength
The human brain has three main types of memory: sensory memory, short-term memory, and long-term memory. Sensory memory pertains to a sensory experience be it something the person has heard, tasted, smelled, touched, or seen. This type of memory can be kept for a duration of only three seconds. Short-term memory pertains to what can be remembered in the span of thirty-seconds to a few days depending on the term of the person using it. If used enough, it can evolve into long-term memory which is memory that can come all the way from one’s childhood. Skills, anything they’ve grown up doing, talents, all of these are considered long-term memory.
With age, dehydration, or a Vitamin B-12 deficiency, the hippocampus is adversely affected and this often leads to the failure to encode any memory or even memory loss. Chemical count in the brain also severely diminishes. Certain nootropics may enhance said chemical count so you can take better care of your memory.
Pick Your Pills
In the end, it’s entirely up to you on which nootropics you’ll need for your brain. A quick Google search on nootropics might spare you the frustrations of forgetfulness, the stings of stress, or even the challenges of concentration.
Author: Jean Friedman
Jean Friedman has been working as a professional blogger, publishing content about health and wellness for years. Jean also collaborates with other influencers by submitting guest posts in order to reach more audience and build an authority in the blogging industry.
Disclaimer: The products and/or devices mentioned in this article have not been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). This content is provided for informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. The efficacy and safety of these supplements and/or devices have not been confirmed by FDA-approved research. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease or health condition. Always consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new supplement, dietary regimen, or health device, especially if you have pre-existing health conditions or are taking medication.