How to Boost Your IQ in Seven Days
Think you can’t get smarter? Think again. It’ll just take a week to increase your IQ score. Here’s how:
Sunday
Activity: Play games and solve puzzles
Why: A major part of IQ testing is measuring fluid intelligence, which is your ability to adapt and solve problems.
How long: 25 minutes per day
IQ points added: 4
Monday
Activity: Take creatine supplements (but not too much)
Why: Creatine, long used to improve athletic performance, has also been found to boost memory and intelligence; it also helps maintain energy levels in the brain.
How much: No more than 5 grams per day (unless you’re also trying to bulk up)
IQ points added: 2
Tuesday
Activity: Put down the steak
Why: Lifestyle and nutritional choices of vegetarians are associated with high intellectual functioning and slower cognitive decline; researchers have found that changing your diet could bring back 10 years of your IQ age.
How long: 10 minutes to prepare a healthy dish
IQ points added: 1
Wednesday
Activity: Play a social game like Words With Friends
Why: We already that games help boost your fluid intelligence, but the social interaction of a game like Words With Friends naturally stimulates intelligence by requiring your brain to collect, organize and recall information.
How long: A complete game takes about 50 minutes
IQ points added: 1
Thursday
Activity: Try yourself
Why: As with most activities, practice can make perfect, and taking a practice IQ test can quickly prime the pump and improve your IQ.
How long: 30 minutes
IQ points added: 2 points
Friday
Activity: Exercise
Why: Cardiovascular exercise can raise verbal intelligence by as much as 50%.
How long: 20-30 minutes per day
IQ points added: 5
Saturday
Activity: Pick up the controller
Why: First-person video games have been determined to enhance visual awareness in the real world.
How long: 60 minutes a day
IQ points added: 2 points
Total points added in 1 week: 17
Did you know? The average IQ is 90-110.
IQ levels by percentage of U.S. population
Under 70 : 2.2%
70-80: 6.7%
80-90: 16.1%
90-110: 50%
110-120: 16.1%
120-130: 6.7%
Over 130: 2.2%
Did you know? The highest average national IQ is South Korea, with an average IQ of 106.
Did you know? The highest average state IQ score is Massachusetts, with an average IQ of 104.3.
Did you know? The average American’s IQ has risen more than 30 points in the past 100 years.
Sources:
http://www.menshealth.co.uk/healthy/brain-training/seven-ways-to-improve-your-iq
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/buffmother1.htm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/3145223.stm
http://webspace.ship.edu/cgboer/intelligence.html
http://brandongaille.com/list-average-iq-by-country-and-american-states/
http://www.apa.org/monitor/2013/03/smarter.aspx