How to become smarter and increase your intelligence level: tips and exercises for developing IQ

Hello everyone, dear readers! Lyudmila Redkina is with you, and in this article we will talk about human intellectual abilities. The words “intellectual”, “intellectual” are firmly established in our everyday life, and everyone would like to be known in the company as a competent and intelligent person. A good friend of mine once taught a good lesson, he said: “It doesn’t matter at all who you stand in front of in your life, it’s not about age or status, but about the ability to communicate and the level of intelligence!” In his phrase, he almost quoted Winston Churchill, but this phrase was said so timely that I am guided by it to this day. So, you can learn how to present yourself correctly in society by reading about emotional intelligence (EQ). And below we will look at how to become smarter and increase your intelligence level (IQ).

What it is?

IQ is a score that determines a person’s intellectual development. The term was introduced by the Austrian W. Stern in 1911. But for the first time, intelligence was measured a little earlier, in 1903. This was done by a psychologist from France A. Binet, who became the author of the idea.

Tests allow us to identify a person’s potential, flexibility of thinking, memory function, and ability to solve problems. But with their help it will not be possible to determine the level of knowledge and erudition.

What does IQ depend on?

Experts are sure that genetics has the main influence on the intellectual level. But that would be too easy. In fact, IQ depends on a combination of various factors.

1. A clear connection between heredity and level of intelligence has already been proven. However, this area has not yet been sufficiently studied. It is only known that the influence is exerted by a set of genes, and there are more than 17 thousand of them! It’s sad, but American scientists have made an unambiguous conclusion: the level of intelligence of adopted children depends to a greater extent on the IQ of their biological parents, rather than those who raised them. Although other factors also play a significant role.
2. The environment contributes to changes in intellectual level during childhood, but may gradually weaken its influence as one gets older. A child’s IQ depends on the family microclimate, methods of education, standard of living and financial situation, and the size of the home. However, this factor has an ambiguous effect on children with different heredities, therefore, in a family with adopted children, the level of their intellectual development may differ significantly. But even in the case of their own children, their coefficient may be different - due to individual characteristics of reaction to the same environmental factors.
3. Place of residence (meaning country) influences the average IQ by the level of democracy, religiosity, birth rate, and crime.

Healthcare development

The development of healthcare and the availability of quality food are of no small importance. Richard Lynn, a professor from Ireland, published interesting data in 2008:

• the undoubted leaders in terms of average IQ are the Japanese (who would argue!) - it is 111 points, and every tenth resident of the country can boast of an intelligence level above 130;
• in Europe, the Dutch and Germans were in first place with an average of 107;
• the Poles (106 points) and the Swedes (104) were slightly behind;
• Russia was only able to take 17th place, the average level of intelligence of its residents was 97 points.

1. You can argue, refute and prove as much as you like that IQ does not depend on gender. However, Lynn's research irrefutably states that this figure is five points higher for men. Although to be fair, it is worth noting that many famous women have an amazing IQ: Sharon Stone (140–160), Slovenian model Iris Muley (156), Marie Curie (about 200) and many others. Interestingly, women have more developed verbal abilities - the activation of this process begins already at the age of five. But men are stronger in spatial thinking.
2. Cultural specificity. Daphne Marchenko from the University of Cambridge draws attention to the frequent disregard by test creators of the cultural characteristics of individual countries. Priority is given to the environment in which the developers work. A fundamentally incorrect approach eliminates cultural diversity and distorts the reliability of the results.
3. Among other factors influencing the development of intellectual abilities, scientists name social status, race, age and profession, and brain size.

General recommendations

How to increase your IQ? It is necessary to solve logic problems, tests, crosswords, Sudoku. They are great for training your brain. If difficulties arise while solving a crossword puzzle or other logical problem, you can look at the answer, remember it, draw conclusions, and then similar problems will be easier to solve.

How to increase brain IQ in simple ways? Doctors advise you to eat right. It is advisable to eat food in small portions 4-5 times a day. This will help maintain constant blood flow to the brain. If you have 2 meals a day and eat food in small portions, the resulting energy is spent on digestion and will not be enough to nourish the brain.

It is important to eliminate bad habits. You should quit smoking, as tobacco smoke blocks the flow of oxygen to the brain and impairs its functioning. You also need to get rid of other bad habits, otherwise it will be difficult to increase your intelligence.

Expanding your horizons

This is one of the answers to the question of how to increase IQ. Everyone knows that sedentary work negatively affects the functioning of internal organs and the spine. Likewise, keeping the brain at the same level affects intelligence.

We must not allow stagnation; we must constantly develop. You need to set yourself a goal based on constantly striving for more. If you have a dream, then you should make a plan and begin to realize it.

How to increase a teenager's IQ? Every day you need to learn something new. It is useful to visit literary and art exhibitions, museums, and theaters. You should start studying history or painting.

Teenagers are enrolled in drawing and music school. Cutting and sewing courses are also being developed. Fashionistas can choose hairdressing, nail or eyelash extensions. Men are offered classes on automotive topics or electronics.

The level of IQ depends on the amount of knowledge acquired. An excellent method of self-development is learning a foreign language. The brain learns new letters and sounds, sends impulses for quick perception. As a result, there is an improvement in logical thinking, memory, and perception of reality.

Non-fiction of the XX International Book Fair

It is difficult to compile a list of the best books for the development of erudition, because this is a purely individual question. But experts from the largest Book Fair in Russia are quite capable of giving advice.

Gregory Burns. What does it mean to be a dog? And other discoveries in the field of animal neurobiology

Per. from English I. Evstigneeva. M.: Alpina Non-Fiction, 2021. 333 pp.

489 - 547 rub.

Gregory Burns. What does it mean to be a dog? And other discoveries in the field of animal neurobiology

Scientists study animals to try to discover cognitive abilities. Stories about scientific experiments on dogs, dolphins, and fur seals are presented by one of these scientists. Does the dog understand what color is called blue? What is “here” and “there” is clear to us, but to the Navy SEALs? Scientific research is always a complex but interesting process. Having taught dogs not to be afraid of a tomograph, the scientist told what was going on in the dog’s head. Navy SEALs understand musical ri using ultrasound. Everyone has feelings similar to humans.

Advantages:

• the author strives to show that the animal world plays an important role in the life of the planet. They only lack speech skills, otherwise they see, feel, and rejoice like people.

Flaws:

• Laboratory experiments on animals cannot be popularized; this is animal abuse.

Lyalya Kandaurova. Half an hour of music. How to understand and love the classics

M.: Alpina Publisher, 2021. 438 pp.

499 - 504 rub.

Lyalya Kandaurova. Half an hour of music. How to understand and love the classics

The author-musicologist explains the essence of classical music to generations who grew up after Perestroika. Easy-to-read four-part formatting. Read for yourself what the original names mean, it’s not written in an abstruse way, it’s easy and interesting to read. The author twists the plot like a detective film, intricate, mysterious, fascinating. Any play that is described can be downloaded on the Internet using a code and listened to. Knowing the history of creation, the principles of collecting notes into bars, listening becomes much more interesting.

Advantages:

• thanks to the author: I discovered the polyphony of Okegem;
• QR codes - you listen to the work that is written about, this is a good plus.

Flaws:

• I graduated from music school, but it was difficult to navigate among the variety of terms.

Dilshat Harman, Mikhail Mayzuls, Sergey Zotov. The Suffering Middle Ages

M.: AST, 2021. 416 pp.

457 - 696 rub.

Dilshat Harman, Mikhail Mayzuls, Sergey Zotov. The Suffering Middle Ages

A rare example when an Internet public (a community of history lovers - half a million subscribers) became a bestseller. Here you will find explanations for the marginalia in the margins of manuscripts and frescoes of the Middle Ages, strange, sometimes completely obscene. Monkeys in the margins of ancient manuscripts, obscene figures on church walls - where does such sacrilege come from? 600 illustrations, well-written text, seasoned with humor - this is how it turned out to be a historical piece. Its educational character and innovative ideas made it controversial for scientists, but one of the most widely read historical publications.

Advantages:

• it turned out to be a good encyclopedia of medieval icon painting for those just entering the topic, not for professionals;
• five thousand illustrations - that’s cool: European, Christian painting (Catholics, Protestants, Lutherans); The main goal - to unravel the symbolism of medieval paintings - was successfully completed.

Flaws:

• Often the image is not on the page where it is mentioned, this is annoying;
• frivolous pictures, the authors help to understand their meaning, but there is nothing about drawing technique, color symbolism.

Observation

How to increase your IQ? An intelligent person not only understands what is happening, but is also able to observe. Thanks to such manipulations, logic develops. With the help of observation, you can learn to put together or, conversely, consider accidents and intentional events separately.

This method allows us to solve complex problems that may arise in the future. Developing mindfulness increases your intelligence level. It is necessary to emphasize art, music, autonomy, architecture, business, law and other “smart” sciences.

Sources of knowledge

So, you have decided to develop your erudition. Where to begin?

Let me make you happy right away: you have already started, without even knowing it. Sources of knowledge are:

• educational institutions
• books
• movies

The development of erudition begins at school. Because if a copywriter studied well and knew a school chemistry course, then he undoubtedly understands how corrosive acids act on many substances, even metals. What can we say about teeth?

Striving for more

How to increase IQ at home? You must strive to become better. This advice concerns the spiritual and material spheres. For example, people who want to get rich are constantly looking for additional income.

Students and workers in low-wage jobs must change this. You need to believe in yourself and take advanced training courses. Students should not limit themselves to just a scholarship; they can start working part-time.

It is necessary to involve yourself in various areas. If the work schedule is 2 by 2, then there are about 15 days off per month. In this case, part-time vacancies are suitable. It is advisable to choose positions different in type of activity.

It is believed that mental work is much more tiring than physical work. If you have to work in an office for days, you should go to the gym after work. This will increase brain efficiency by 25%.

You need to set big goals, they are easier to achieve. Many people believe that dreamers cannot reach heights. But that's not true. Dreamers don't set limits; they always strive for more. Therefore, they constantly take risks.

Exercises to develop intelligence

How about giving your mind a workout right now? I have prepared several exercises and games to develop intelligence.

Logic problems

Logic problems will make your brain work hard. Open a database with questions about the game “What? Where? When?”, choose a package of questions and plunge headlong into the process. I warn you - the questions are quite difficult, especially for beginners.

Therefore, to begin with, choose a package designed for schoolchildren. To give you an idea of ​​what the questions are, here's an example.

The writer Boris Stern once said that the first book he read was a science fiction novel with three failed murder attempts and one successful one. What is this book?

This is a simple question, try to answer it yourself. You will find the answer at the end of the article. Just don't peek!

Mathematical examples

Buy or download a math problem book and solve examples from there from time to time. Try to calculate simple problems in your head, and solve more difficult ones in writing for a while.

Of course, some may find this boring and tedious. Mathematical problems with tricks were invented especially for such people. At first glance, they seem simple and uncomplicated. But the answer that seemed obvious most often turns out to be wrong. I’ll give an example from my favorite book “Puzzles of Professor Puzzles” by Mikhail Gershenzon.

One day a snail started traveling along a high wall. The wall was 10 meters high. During the day, the snail crawled up 3 meters, and during the night moved back 2 meters. How many days did it take the snail to get to the top of the wall?

What do most people do when they try to solve this problem? Calculate how many meters the snail crawls per day (3 - 2 = 1), and divide the height of the wall by this number (10 / 1 = 10). And they get the wrong answer. The correct answer is 8 days. And why, you yourself try to explain in the comments to the article. Let's check how your intellect works now.

Essays

We've done some math, now let's imagine that we're in a Russian language lesson. Write an essay on one of the given topics.

1. What superpower would you like to have and why.
2. What will you do if you find out that the world is going to end in a month?
3. Which cartoon character would you like to be like?
4. Imagine winning a million dollars in the lottery. What will you spend the money on?
5. Which great person of the past would you like to meet? Describe the meeting.

In fact, you can write on absolutely any topic. The very process of putting thoughts into material form has a beneficial effect on the intellect. You learn to think consistently, highlight the main thing and cut off the unimportant. Try not just to write randomly, but to create text that would be interesting to read. Look, you’ll master the profession of a copywriter.

Meditation exercises

Meditation will help you bring order to your head and get rid of obstacles that hinder the development of your intellect. You can find many meditation techniques on the Internet, I advise you to try several and choose the one that suits you best.

And I will describe to you my favorite exercise, which combines meditation and autogenic training.

Imagine that you were able to look into your skull and see your brain. Look at it from all sides, look at every curve. Now imagine that you begin to massage it with imaginary fingers. First the outer layer, then deeper and deeper.

Massaging movements relax your brain and fill it with pleasant warmth. If extraneous thoughts arise, do not pay attention to them. They come and go like waves on the surface of the ocean. When you reach the peak of relaxation, stay in this state. Let your brain rest from the endless bustle and stress.

Changing your perspective on familiar things

Images and habits are firmly fixed in the brain, so a person does not want to react to new ways. But some changes may be useful.

How to increase your IQ? The new is the well-forgotten old. It is not necessary to travel to work or school along the usual road. You should shorten the route by half or bypass the traffic jam in another way. Thanks to such manipulations, the brain will think and draw logical conclusions. And if you take the usual route, the brain does not work, since all actions are carried out on a subconscious level.

If you take notes in a notepad, you can transfer them to electronic media. It is better to take notes in a text editor or Notepad. Although these are simple things, they are effective. This not only increases intelligence, but also eliminates routine.

Education

The development of mental abilities is most effectively achieved through training. With regular training in this way, a person can become smarter and more erudite, thanks to which he will be a more attractive interlocutor to others. There are several options for achieving a goal through training.

Foreign languages

Learning foreign languages ​​provides good stimulation to the brain and also helps improve memory. It is enough to learn one additional language to feel positive changes. It is recommended to give preference to common and useful languages:

• English;
• German;
• Spanish;
• Italian.

It is advisable to conduct training using all modern methods, which will increase the effectiveness of learning.

Exact sciences

Studying the exact sciences can seriously develop the mind. Even humanists need to study them. The main thing is to start at the right level, gradually increasing the complexity of the topics being studied. You can study exact sciences at home on your own, but there are special courses where people are united in groups according to their level of knowledge. After several weeks of training, intelligence will increase, thinking speed will develop, logic will improve, and memory will strengthen.

Curiosity

Showing interest in the world around you is one of the best ways to develop your brain. In children and adolescents, this happens on a subconscious level, and adults will have to use willpower for curiosity to bear fruit. The easiest way to achieve benefits is by interacting with all surrounding objects, regularly learning new skills, reading useful articles, encyclopedias, listening to good music or watching movies.

When studying serious materials, you should give preference to trusted sources. Therefore, it is recommended to use textbooks or scientific papers.

Sports activities

How to increase your IQ? Scientists have repeatedly identified the relationship between physical activity and mental activity. Thanks to sports, blood flow increases, which accelerates metabolic processes.

If you do simple exercises every day, then within a month you will notice improvements in memory and perception. Logical thinking and IQ will also be increased. You don't have to go to the gym; aerobic exercise is suitable for this. A 20-minute jog in the park or treadmill work (about 40 minutes) are helpful. You can jump rope, pump up your abs, squat, perform lunges, and spin a hoop.

How to increase IQ through sports? You should choose any of the popular directions. Yoga, swimming, Pilates, stretching, and water aerobics are effective. Playing basketball, football, skiing and skating are useful.

New languages

Would you be surprised to know that more than half of the world's trusted population is bilingual? It's no surprise that learning multiple languages ​​is good for the human brain—the sooner the better.

A recent Trusted Source study examined the relationship between early language learning and IQ. The results showed that learning language through conversation and interaction between 18 and 24 months was most beneficial for cognitive outcomes later in life.

Reading

How to increase IQ in another way? Reading is a common method for increasing intelligence. But it should be borne in mind that you need suitable literature. There are proven books that increase a person’s IQ.

It is advisable to choose scientific literature. If she is not interested, then you can choose fiction books. Moreover, it is not necessary to go to the library, since many works are available on the Internet, so they can be downloaded to a tablet or smartphone.

Reading improves IQ and visual memory. It also increases vocabulary, improves literacy, and develops logic. It is best to read books of various genres to become a well-rounded person.

Before choosing literature, you should check that it matches your personal level of intelligence. Very light works have a negative effect. You should draw information from all the pages you read.

IQ, health and success – is there a connection?

It is generally accepted that a high IQ is a ticket to a successful and happy life. It is easier for its owners to find a prestigious job, achieve significant success in any area of ​​life, and adequately provide for themselves and their family. Unfortunately, this is not entirely true. Test tasks are not able to assess the personal qualities necessary to achieve your goals. A creative person with a high IQ may experience communication problems, and an excellent memory can be combined with a lack of responsibility for their actions. A group of American scientists led by Nobel Prize winner D. Heckman presented the results of their long-term research on the relationship between IQ and financial achievements. It turned out that personal characteristics such as perseverance, self-discipline, composure, the ability to make the right decisions and be responsible for one’s actions are much more important for success in life. You cannot do without certain skills, the presence of which the test cannot determine.

Self-expression

Multifaceted personalities have a high level of intelligence compared to those who have a passive life. People belonging to the second type must change the situation. How to increase IQ?

It is important to express yourself in any way. You can take acting classes or learn to play the piano. It is useful to speak in public and make toasts in a company. You need to interact with a large number of people, but you don’t have to classify everyone as friends.

The human brain takes information not only from books, reference books and electronic media. During communication, there is an active exchange of information. It allows people to express themselves. With the right selection of audience, you can achieve success. This expands your horizons and increases your intelligence.

Chess

This game is a leader among exercises for increasing IQ. In chess there are many possible moves and combinations. The game requires an analytical mind, it forces the brain to think through various options. Every situation and move is a new challenge.

It is believed that the outcome of the game does not depend on the level of education. Thanks to regular exercise at the chessboard, you will not only maintain your brain abilities, but also increase your IQ. Chess develops logical thinking and trains the brain to look at things from different angles.

Solve math problems

Even if you don't have a child asking for help with math homework, look for problems yourself. It is also useful to solve them not only at school age, but also as an adult. Many long-lived scientists said that the secret of their youth was the constant work of the brain, in particular, solving mathematical riddles. It is not necessary to go into the jungle of higher mathematics - it is enough to practice simple counting and multiplication. It is advisable to sometimes put down the calculator and count in your head or “column”, as they once taught at school. Of course, the answer can be verified. Such exercises perfectly develop analytical thinking.

Dream

Scientists have long proven that lack of sleep leads to decreased concentration, short- and long-term memory, and problem-solving speed. Visual and hearing acuity also decreases, and reaction slows down.

Without enough sleep, it is difficult for a person to increase his intelligence. The brain needs rest. Adults need to sleep 7-8 hours a day. But each person is different, so some may need a little more or less rest. Children need more sleep. In addition to night rest, daytime rest is also useful.

Meditation

Thanks to rest, the brain relaxes perfectly and prepares for work, training, and new challenges. This has a positive effect on brain activity, improving intelligence, strengthening memory.

You only need to meditate for 20 minutes a day to achieve success in developing your mind. You will also notice a streamlining of thoughts, a clearer mind, and an increase in creative skills. A few days are enough for the first results to be noticeable.

Hobbies

The right hobbies are the key to success. But can they increase intelligence? If you choose useful hobbies, your brain will gradually develop, making you smarter. Therefore, it is worth throwing out useless hobbies from your life, replacing them with more suitable ones.

Reading books

You can increase your own intelligence at home with the help of literature. People who regularly read books have good erudition, a large vocabulary and a developed brain. This is the best way to avoid developing Alzheimer's disease in old age. It is enough to read 30 minutes a day to achieve results. To increase efficiency, it is recommended to make reading as varied as possible, and the list must include classic novels, as well as books on self-development.

You can read not only books, but also:

• Magazines (preferably popular science);
• Newspapers.

When reading becomes a habit and becomes a daily activity, it is worth trying various techniques aimed at developing the skill. To do this, you can try to increase the speed of scanning the text with your eyes, highlight important information, and answer questions independently after reading.

Playing a musical instrument

Music is very beneficial for the human brain and psyche. If the significance of its influence on the mind when listening is highly questionable and has not yet been proven, then playing musical instruments independently brings guaranteed benefits. This was proven by Schellenberg in 2004, when he conducted appropriate tests that proved an increase in intelligence in those who study music. It is recommended to give preference to classical instruments: violin, piano.

Writing

Regularly writing new short stories is a good way to develop your brain. When the skill level is raised to a high level, you can try to write a full-fledged book. For training, specific short ideas are perfect for developing a story. The main thing is to avoid platitudes.

All hobbies will allow you to gain special attention from others, as well as make new useful acquaintances.

Nutrition

With proper nutrition, a person will have good health, good mood and a clear mind. It also contributes to the development of intelligence. You need to eat only healthy foods. This is necessary for brain development.

A well-designed diet is important for people who strive for brain development. A person needs to eat:

1. Walnuts. Lecithin has a beneficial effect, increasing the speed of intellectual activity and strengthening memory.
2. Fish. It contains iodine and omega-3, which are responsible for the speed of energy flow to the brain. Other components regulate cholesterol levels and normalize the functioning of blood vessels.
3. Pumpkin seeds. They act on the speed of information perceived by the brain and memorization.
4. Spinach. Lutein present in the product slows down the aging process. This increases learning ability.

You just need to include any of the listed products in your diet to notice positive changes very quickly. At the same time, the menu should not contain junk food that could negatively affect the body.

Reading magazines

Don’t forget about magazines: long gone are the days when subscriptions to “Science and Life” were given only to the lucky ones, and it was impossible to get a binder for previous years even in the district library. Now magazines are available to everyone, varied, on expensive paper, with colorful pictures.

Every supermarket has a shelf with magazines on different topics. And the kiosks with periodicals are simply bursting with them. Special series for collectors: dolls from different eras, military aircraft, weapons, jewelry, cuisine of the peoples of the world - the eyes just run wild.

Medical supplements

Thanks to special drugs presented in the form of nutritional supplements, it will be possible to improve the quality of brain activity. The following means are effective for increasing intelligence:

1. "Piracetam." With its help, memory is strengthened and the quality of brain activity increases.
2. Omega-3 acids. They prevent brain aging and increase concentration.
3. Creatine. Taking the drug improves memory and stress resistance.
4. L-tyrosine. The brain is saturated with oxygen. It also improves mood and alertness.

The most popular products: Brain Booster, Amino, Gotu Kola, Active Lecithin. But they should only be taken in combination with exercise and a healthy lifestyle. Only then will they have a positive impact.

Folk remedies

Folk remedies are also used to increase IQ levels. It is necessary to take beneficial herbs. To increase brain activity you need to use:

• ginseng root;
• brahmi;
• ginkgo biloba;
• sage

Herbs are used in the form of decoctions and tinctures. Their effect is based on strengthening memory and enhancing brain activity. Before using medicines and traditional recipes, it is advisable to consult a doctor to avoid possible risks. After all, drugs, decoctions and tinctures have their own side effects and contraindications.

Principle of IQ testing

Over the past 100 years, interest in determining “IQ” has not diminished, as evidenced by the huge number of methods and their demand. Most of them are based on the original design in various variations. Tests are used for children and adults, taking into account age. The principle of operation is approximately the same: a set of tasks of varying complexity determines the ability to perceive and remember information, logical and spatial thinking. Initially, the authors of the scale proposed using the ratio of chronological and mental age, multiplying it by 100. For example, a 10-year-old child has a mental indicator of 8. His IQ will be equal to: 8: 10 x 100 = 80. Later, this method was considered incorrect, and now the average is used value among a specific group of subjects. Acquired knowledge is also assessed among the main criteria.

Indicator control

Taking an IQ test will help determine whether indicators are changing for the better or not. This should be done more often. It is best to carry out manipulations once every 7-10 days.

In this case, it is necessary to write down the indicators in a notepad and then analyze the results. The norm is weekly changes of 5-10 points.

When choosing a test, you need to check whether the site has a license. When using pirated versions, you will be asked for confirmation via email. It is important to beware of scammers.

The article presents all the ways to increase a person’s IQ. Although it is difficult, it is still possible. You should use a set of measures, and then the results will appear very quickly.