1. Getting Smarter Every Day

There are a number of ways to measure an individual both mentally and physically, but one of the standard tests that is given to tested individuals intelligence is the IQ test. In fact, this test has been used for well over a century and it is used for a wide variety of purposes, including identifying how intelligent an individual is. As a result of the importance of the score that you receive on the IQ test, many people look for a way to improve their numbers. In this publication, we will provide you with several ways that you can rank highly on the IQ test and improve your numbers by at least one standard deviation (15 points).

The first thing that we are going to discuss is the benefit that you will receive if you improve your IQ scores. Although benefits may differ from one individual to another, there is no denying that having intelligence is going to benefit you now and for the rest of your life. Improving your highest score is more than simply improving a number; therefore, it is often a matter of improving your lifestyle. As you will see in the following chapter, the benefits include physical conditioning, your overall health and perhaps even your degree of happiness!

Although there are going to be many different factors that are considered in this publication to allow you to improve your IQ numbers, it is first necessary to identify what your IQ is and what it is not. Most people are familiar with the IQ test, but what do the numbers mean? When you have a deeper understanding of the numbers and the test behind the numbers, it is much more likely that you will be able to improve your score significantly.

The first factors that we will consider in this publication for improving your IQ are the effect that your health has on your intelligence. Most of us would recognize the fact that our health plays a large part in the quality of life that we experience. By improving our health, we are often able to improve our energy levels, and we certainly may be able to prolong our life by reducing the risks that are associated with ill health. What may come as a surprise to you, however, is that your IQ can often be improved by simply making some changes in the way that you live. Understanding the correlation between your health and your intelligence is a real eye-opener.

Although many people would consider their intelligence to be separate from any other part of their intellect, it is often intricately involved with those other factors. This is especially true when it comes to your memory, which is something that you need to work on now if you want to improve your IQ numbers. In Chapter 5 of this publication, we will look into your memory, how it works and what you can do to improve it quickly and effectively. Once you are able to remember things much more easily, it becomes easier for you to raise your IQ as well.

Is there a difference between your IQ test scores and your intelligence? Although the IQ test is one that has been used for over a century in order to determine how intelligent somebody is, being able to improve your intelligence and your IQ score may bring its relevance into question. After all, if you can improve your IQ, does that mean that you were born with additional intelligence or that you simply learned how to learn?

We will also include a discussion on other ways to improve your IQ through specific methods. For example, the N-back procedure is one that can certainly go a long way in helping to improve your IQ and to do so quickly. Another method that we will discuss is known as relational skills training, and it is something that you will want to apply in your own efforts to improve your IQ.

There are also factors in our life that can reduce our IQ levels, and not the least of those is the stress that we may be under. Many of us experience stress throughout our lifetime, and it can certainly be distracting, along with being damaging to our intellect and even to our physical health. If you learn how to control your stress through deep breathing exercises and detachment exercises, it will go a long way in positively impacting your intelligence.

Language is one of the more interesting parts of humanity, yet it is something that is not used to its fullest potential. Unfortunately, many individuals do not fully grasp the depth of their language and this can really have an impact on your intelligence. In addition, text messaging, social media and the Internet have changed the way that many of us communicate, and even when we do communicate, we tend to use the written word in a shortened, inappropriate form.

Finally, we are going to consider some brain games that can help to build your memory and can have a powerful impact on your IQ scores. Some of those games will include those that are available and have been used for many years, such as crossword puzzles, word finds and Sudoku. There are also many advanced games online that can help to improve your mental skills and your IQ levels along with it.

Improving your IQ is something that is well worth doing and as you will learn in this publication, it is possible to achieve with just a little effort on your part. When you improve your IQ, you will likely improve your life along with it. In addition, you will increase your opportunities because many things in your life will be directly tied into your IQ test scores. This publication is a guide that can help you to improve your intelligence, and when you do so, the sky is really the limit.

2. The Benefits of Intelligence

Most of us are concerned over our level of intelligence, and there is certainly nothing wrong with trying to improve yourself in this regard. When you improve your intelligence and your IQ score along with it, it will also provide you with many benefits. Perhaps you are already looking forward to some of those benefits, but you may be unaware of just how many of them exist.

In this chapter, we are going to discuss some of the potential benefits of improving your IQ score. As you will see, it goes beyond the intelligence that you will experience and can have a very profound effect on your physical and mental well-being.

Live Longer - According to some studies, it has been shown that individuals who have a higher IQ score also have a lower risk of dying early. In part, this may be due to intelligent decisions that were made throughout an individual's lifetime, reducing the likelihood that they will experience ill health and the problems that go along with it.

Better Health - Along with living longer, it is likely that you will experience a higher quality of life when you have a higher IQ. This may also be due to intelligent decisions that are made about lifestyle choices, such as what you will eat or perhaps even where you will live. Regardless of why it occurs, the fact that you will likely enjoy better health is well worth considering.

Smart Children - There has been ongoing research into the possibility that your standard IQ is inherited. While it is possible for you to improve your IQ by improving your intelligence, is it also possible that you may be passing on some of that intelligence to your offspring? There is still much research that needs to be done into the heredity of IQ scores, but improving your IQ certainly won't hurt your children.

Income - When you are able to improve your intelligence and your IQ score along with it, you may also be able to improve your income as well. Some of the studies that look into those who have high IQs have shown that they do enjoy a higher income on average. In part, this may be due to the availability of higher learning for those that have higher IQ, but it may also be that intelligence is recognized by their superiors and rewarded.

Social Status - There is no doubt that we live in a world that is divided socially. Regardless of what side of the fence you happen to be standing on, studies have shown that individuals with a higher IQ are going to enjoy a higher level of social status as well.

Opportunity - Your IQ score is one that will follow you throughout your scholastic career and for the rest of your life. It is not one that is typically pulled up for random information, but it may be looked into when it comes to getting into college or perhaps even being hired for certain types of jobs.

Performance - One other factor that is worthy of your consideration is that a high IQ score is often directly related to your level of performance. School age children who have high IQ scores have been consistently shown to perform better scholastically. Individuals in the workplace who have a higher IQ also have been shown to outperform those with lower IQs.

The connection between performance and intelligence is not fully understood. In part, it may be the ability of an individual with greater intelligence to perform some tasks, but it may also be a matter of motivation as well. There are still ongoing studies on this subject.

These are only a few of the benefits that you may experience when you improve your intelligence and your IQ score. It should be noted that a high IQ is not a magic bullet that will simply improve your life in all aspects, but it is one that has been shown to make improvements when all is said and done. Even though there is no proof that you will experience these benefits personally when you improve your intelligence, it is highly unlikely that you will experience any problems as a result of your higher IQ either.

3. What Is Your IQ?

Most people recognize that their IQ score is a measurement of their intelligence, but they may not fully understand the testing or how it came about. Although it is not important for you to understand everything about the IQ test and your individual IQ, having a greater understanding can go a long way in helping you to score higher. In this chapter, we are going to provide an overview of the IQ test as well as information that can help you to see why it is important in your life.

An individual's IQ, or Intelligence Quotient is a number that is assigned to you because of a test that is given to determine your degree of intelligence. This is done by means of standardized testing, and it is also in direct relation to individuals who are in the same age bracket as you. That is why a young child who scores at a specific IQ level will likely continue to score at that level throughout the rest of their life. By improving your IQ, therefore, you are actually improving your intelligence.

If you were to look at the entire population, the vast majority of everyone (95%) is going to have an IQ that is between 70 and 130. A smaller percentage, 68%, is going to have a score that is closer to the average of 100, and they will score between 85 and 115. In any population or age group, the standard IQ for the average individual is always going to be set to 100. That is taken as an average of all IQ scores within the population.

If an individual scores below 70, it is considered that they have some type of mental retardation. Individuals with scores above 130 are considered to be gifted. 5% of the population scores above 130 with 1% of the population being at 136 or higher.

The highest IQ ever recorded was one that belonged to a 10-year-old girl, with a score of 228. If that test were extrapolated into her adult life, she would still have a score of 185. There are adults who have higher IQs, but they did not surpass that number as a child. For example, Bobby Fischer, who is a renowned chess master, had a test score of 187. There was also a Korean by the name of Kim Ung-Yong, who scored over 200 as an adult.

There are also differences from one population to another when it comes to IQ scores. For example, the Japanese score much higher than those in the United States, and their average test score would be 115 in comparison to US test scores. Since the test scores can only be within one particular population, however, their average test score is still set to 100 and the numbers are very similar to what is seen in other parts of the world.

There are also some other individuals with high IQs that are worthy of note as well. For example, Albert Einstein had an estimated IQ that may have been as much as 190, on par with the estimated IQ of Leonardo da Vinci. Stephen Hawking has an IQ of 160, despite having ALS. Those individuals are just a cross-section of those who may have achieved the highest IQ score throughout history. It is interesting to note that some of the scores for those individuals are only estimated, because there was no standard testing during the time that they were alive.

Although the standard IQ test is frequently used to determine intelligence, there are those who question its ability to truly measure that number. After all, intelligence is subjective and there are different types of intelligence, not all of which can be measured through a standard test. That being said, the IQ test is still something that is important to consider because it is the means by which our intelligence is measured today. By improving your IQ score, you improve your opportunities, and you very well may improve your life along with it.

4. The Impart of Health on the IQ

If there is one thing that all of us have heard throughout our lifetime, it's the importance of focusing on our health. Diet exercise has been the battle cry of individuals, especially in these days when sedentary lifestyles and obesity seem to be rampant. It should come as no surprise, therefore, that improving our health is one of the best ways for us to improve our IQ and our intelligence, in general. In this chapter, we will take a look at a few ways to improve your IQ by taking some measures to improve your health.

The Need for Eating a Proper Diet

One of the most important factors for leading a healthy life is to eat a proper diet. In fact, it is indisputable that our diet leads the list when it comes to health improvements. Unfortunately, far too many of us are limited to what has become known as the standard American diet, appropriately used by the acronym SAD. It is full of junk carbohydrates, unhealthy fat and far too many calories.

Before you get the idea that I'm going to promote eating the perfect diet in order to improve your IQ; that is far from the truth. The fact of the matter is that eating a better diet is going to go a long way in helping to improve your overall health and your intelligence, even if you don't do the full 9 yards. What are some of the small things that you can do in order to improve your diet?

First of all, most people make the mistake of trying to remove every bad thing from their diet in order to improve it. This is often something that backfires. But it may be possible for you to work in reverse successfully. Rather than taking things out of your diet, try adding something healthy into it. For example, eat three bananas before you eat anything else for breakfast, or include a large salad before every lunch and dinner. It will make a difference.

It is also important to focus on some key health issues that can be a determination as to whether you are living a healthy life or not. These are often considered to be serious health problems, and they can certainly lead to issues that are as serious as heart attack, stroke and loss of limb. When you use them as an indicator of your overall health, however, it allows you to focus more on what needs to be done.

High Blood Pressure - All of us have pressure within our blood vessels, and it is what allows the blood to pump successfully through our body. At times, however, our blood pressure may become elevated over the average reading of 120/80. When that occurs, you are putting yourself at risk for serious problems, including heart disease, stroke, blindness and kidney failure.

When you have high blood pressure, it is also an indication that there is something wrong inside of your body and more than likely, your intelligence is suffering along with it. In order to reduce your blood pressure, you need to clean up your diet as much as possible, focusing on a high starch, moderate protein diet. It should include foods such as potatoes, rice, corn, fruits and vegetables, legumes and a small amount of meat, including chicken, turkey and fish.

High Sugar Levels - If you want a health problem that is going to ruin your intelligence, high blood sugar levels is the one that is going to lead the list. In fact, having problems with high blood sugar levels can lead to a number of health issues, including strokes, heart attacks, loss of limbs and blindness.

Again, you can use high blood sugar levels, even pre-diabetes, as an indicator that you are not eating properly. In order to bring your blood sugar levels back under control, you should eat a diet that is based on the glycemic index. The glycemic index is a list of food that is ordered according to how quickly the glucose from the food is released into your bloodstream. By eating foods that are on the lower end of the glycemic index, it will have a lower impact on your blood sugar and allow you to improve your health and your intelligence.

You Must Pay Attention to Your Gut

Would it surprise you to learn that your mental abilities are closely related to your digestive abilities? The fact of the matter is that we have living organisms within us in the way of flora and fauna, bacteria and even yeast that can either work in our favor or can work against us. Improving your digestive health is one of the best things that you can do to improve your mental skills.

Unfortunately, we also live in a world that is going in the opposite direction from your gut health. In part, this is due to the antibiotics that are being fed to livestock and ending up on our dinner table. An antibiotic kills bacteria and, although it is sometimes given to disrupt an infection, it is also going to kill the good bacteria in your body.

In order to protect your digestive health, you need to eat a healthy diet that includes plenty of fiber. There is no nutritional value to fiber; it is simply the catalyst that is used by food to carry the nutrients. Improving the amount of fiber in your diet, however, will help your digestive process to work much more smoothly.

It is also important to use a probiotic on a daily basis. Although the natural flora and fauna in our digestive system should be balanced and work well for us, it is often an uphill struggle because of the lifestyle that we lead. The simple action of taking a small probiotic tablet every day can go a long way in helping to improve your health and your mind.

Digestive enzymes may also be necessary, and if you are going to take digestive enzymes, you need to choose a high-quality option. Many times, cooking kills the natural digestive enzymes in food and so our bodies are not able to assimilate the food properly. Taking a digestive enzyme with every meal will help your body to digest and to get more out of the food that you are eating.

Hydrate your Brain Every Day

One key factor that should never be overlooked when it comes to improving the intelligence is improving hydration. The human body is made up of a very high percentage of water, and it uses water on an ongoing basis throughout the day. If you allow yourself to become dehydrated, you are hurting your ability to learn and you are also hurting your health.

Another thing to consider with dehydration is the fact that your body is going to find the water that it needs for key systems. For example, your brain, the seat of your intelligence, is a part of the body that is high on the list of priorities. If you are dehydrated, your body will find the water that it needs for the brain, although it is still going to be lacking. One of the places that it may find it, however, is by compressing the undigested fecal matter in your colon. That is a rather unsavory thought, but by providing your body with the water it needs, you can avoid that problem.

How much water do you need every day? That really depends upon a number of factors, including how much you sweat and your activity level. It is also based on your weight in many cases. On average, however, drinking 3 quarts of water daily will provide the hydration that you need to maintain a healthy lifestyle and a healthy mind. You can increase your water intake even further, but it is not always necessary to do so.

Don't Forget to Exercise

Finally, it is important to consider our level of exercise in order to improve our overall health and our ability to learn. Having a balanced view of exercise is important in this regard, and it is estimated that you should be getting at least 30 minutes of exercise most days of the week. A combination of aerobic exercise and anaerobic exercise is usually the healthiest option.

If you're working specifically on your intelligence, however, there are studies that have shown that aerobic exercise should be your primary focus. This would include activities such as running, walking, bicycling and swimming. It helps to get the blood flowing throughout the body, including to the brain, and it causes the release of chemicals that make you feel good and improve your memory.

This has been just a basic overview of how to improve your health and to improve your memory along with it. There are many other things that could also be discussed, including supplementing your diet with the right types of vitamins and minerals, or adding healthy fat into your diet. Just keep in mind that it is the small changes that are going to make a difference, and these changes are sustainable for the long term.

5. How to Improve Your Memory

In order for you to improve your intelligence and to give your IQ score a boost, it is often necessary for you to focus on your memory. By improving your memory, you are increasing your ability to remember facts and figures and also to use your mental powers in a way that will improve your overall intelligence as well. In this chapter, we are going to provide you with a series of suggestions that you can incorporate in your life to improve your memory quickly and effectively. You would be surprised with how much of a difference it will make.

Diet and Exercise - By now, you no doubt recognize how important it is to eat a proper diet and to get the right type of exercise to improve your IQ score. It is worth mentioning again, however, because it is one of the best things that you can do to improve your memory as well. A review of the previous chapter can assist you in making the most out of what diet and exercise has to offer.

Socialize - Many of us that find ourselves in the situation where we are trying to study tend to isolate ourselves. Although it may be necessary, from time to time, to isolate ourselves in order to cram for a test, we will not be cramming for an IQ test. If you want to improve your memory, it may be necessary for you to focus on your relationships and to keep them as healthy as possible. Reminiscing with friends and making new memories can be a real boost in your ability to remember.

Sleep - If there is one thing in life that gets overlooked by busy people, it is sleep. For some reason, we continue to think that sleep is expendable and that it is something that can simply be pushed to the side in favor of other activities. The fact of the matter is, however, unless you are getting the proper amount of sleep, you are hurting your ability to remember.

How much sleep do you need? That really depends upon you, but most people need an average of anywhere from 7 to 9 hours every day. It is also important to try to get to sleep at the same time every night and to wake up at the same time in the morning. If you are skipping sleep, you are hurting your ability to remember, and it is counterproductive. In addition, any sleep that is missed is considered sleep debt and there is no way to pay it other than to catch up.

Fortunately, sleep is also something that can be worked on so that your sleep is of a higher quality, making your memory of a higher quality as well. Leading a healthy life can certainly help you to sleep better, and limiting your stress, something that we will discuss in greater detail in this publication, can help you to get restful sleep. Addressing any sleep problems that you may be experiencing, such as sleep apnea, can also help you to get better sleep and may even reduce the amount of sleep that you need.

Mnemonics - Improving your memory can be done through the use of mnemonics, a way of visualizing so that you can remember much more easily. It may take some time for you to become accustomed to using mnemonics, but once you can easily incorporate them in your life, you will be surprised with what you're able to do with it.

Some of the more common types of mnemonic devices include making up a sentence with the first letter of each word being something that needs to be remembered (order of the planets is one example). You can also use an acronym, which is something that we did earlier when talking about the standard American diet (SAD).

Chunking is another type of mnemonic device and it can really make a difference in your ability to remember a long list. For example, remembering a 10-digit number can be difficult when it books like this…

3745762753

It is much easier, however, when you envisioned it as a phone number…

374-576-2753

You can also use visualization to remember certain items, including names, facts and figures. If you associate an image with each of those items, it is much easier for you to remember it. In fact, it is often suggested that you use some type of outrageous image so that it sticks in your mind much more easily.

Kill Multitasking - One other suggestion for improving your memory is to stop multitasking. We live in the world that claims to be able to multitask successfully. Some people try to do several things at the same time. Studies have shown, however, that very few, if any, people are actually able to multitask, and it can slow things down significantly. Rather than trying to do two things at one time, do each of them separately and you will find that you are done much more quickly as a result. When you stop multitasking, it frees the mind to work in the way that it was designed to work.

6. The Relationship between Intelligence and Your IQ

Up until this point in the publication, we have really discussed how improving your intelligence can improve your IQ scores. We will continue with that from this point on but, it is important to consider that there may not be as much of a connection between intelligence and IQ as some people may think. In fact, there are many different types of intelligence and not all of them can be tested by using the standardized test. In this chapter, we are going to discuss the relationship between intelligence and IQ.

The definition of intelligence is the ability to acquire information and to apply the knowledge and skills that are associated with it. Although that may be the textbook definition, there is actually much more that goes into it. It also involves our imagination, and in some cases, we may have a type of intelligence that surpasses that of a textbook intelligence. Perhaps this was best summed up by Socrates who said that he knew he was intelligent because he knew that he knew nothing.

In order to fully understand the depth of human intelligence, you need to recognize that there are always going to be extenuating factors when it comes to measuring it. For example, the use of computer games has really changed the way that some people think, and if you play those games regularly, you may be fairly intelligent when it comes to figuring out short-term strategies and problem-solving. Other types of intelligence, however, may be impacted negatively as a result of playing games.

The same is also true according to your habits. As an example, the use of any type of illegal drug and in some cases, even the use of prescription medications can impact your ability to learn. That is especially true when it comes to medications used for depression and anxiety because they directly affect the brain chemicals and may limit their ability to connect to the receptors of your neurons. Even smokers may be negatively affected on an IQ test because smoking can affect their vocabulary and even their memory.

Additionally, the IQ test is one that is taken by everyone on the scholastic level but not everybody tests out the same. An individual who may have all of the answers is not necessarily going to remember them when they are under pressure. The standard IQ test, however, does not take any anxiety that is associated with taking the test into account. Quite simply, if you don't test well and you are overly nervous because you are taking the IQ test, your score will probably be lower.

The human memory can be separated into two basic types, short-term and long-term. Your short-term memory is stored in an area of the brain that is known as the prefrontal cortex and it is only there on a temporary basis, perhaps for approximately 20 minutes. This is information that you are using for your immediate needs, information such as numbers that are used in mathematical equations. When you no longer use those numbers or need them, they are erased.

Some short-term memories, however, are going to be stored for a longer amount of time. When that is the case, they are stored in an area of the brain that is known as the hippocampus. In order to get the memory into that part of your brain, your brain will fire multiple times in order to ingrain the pathway that eventually becomes the memory. It is also thought that memories are recompiled each time you remember them, coming from our five individual senses and the parts of the brain that they occupy.

Intelligence, therefore, is rather subjective in the fact that it may involve different parts of the brain and the way that we use it. While an individual may be extremely intelligent when it comes to solving mathematical problems or troubleshooting, they may not have much common sense when it comes to dealing with day-to-day life. This is frequently seen, yet it is not a part of the IQ test.

At best, the IQ test is an imperfect way to test human intelligence. It is, however, the only option that we have available at this time, although there are considerations for looking into a different type of testing that will be more accurate. At this point the standardized IQ test is used in order to determine where we are going to college and what our best pathway is for life. It is something that will follow us throughout our lifetime, even impacting our employment in some cases.

Although there is somewhat of a relationship between intelligence and your IQ number, it is also not something that is without its imperfections. Until something else comes along that is a better way of testing your intelligence, however, it's the best option that we have available, so improving your IQ score is a good decision.

7. Improve Your IQ with the N-back Procedure

Up until this point in the publication, we have given a lot of consideration into the standardized IQ test and the fact that it may be possible to adjust your score, if you adjust your lifestyle. In the following chapters, we are going to discuss some specific ways that you can improve your IQ score by using methods that have been shown to improve memory and intelligence. The first of those is known as the N-back task, and it is something that can have a significant impact on your score, if you use it properly.

The N-back task is relatively easy to understand, but it is quite complex when it comes to what it is able to do for your intelligence. More than likely, you have played concentration at some time in the past, the game where you try to remember where a particular piece is located on a playing board. You were shown those pieces and you looked at them one at a time. Then you were to try to find a match, which should be easy, as it was previously located on the board as well.

The N-back technique is very similar to concentration, but rather than having multiple items spread out over a large playing board, you are dealing with a single item that is randomly appearing at different parts of the board. The game can also be made more complex by adjusting how far back in time the letter or item appeared. For example, if the item appeared one turn previous, it is known as 1-N. If it happened three previous turns ago, however, it is known as 3-N and so on.

This task can either be done in a visual way or it can be done orally. In either case, it involves keeping a certain amount of information in your working memory, which are the temporary memories that are stored in the prefrontal cortex. It may be relatively easy to remember something that is 1-N, but anytime you go to 2-N or greater, it is going to require more in the way of your working memory than what most of us are accustomed to using.

Our working memory is a very important part of our intelligence because it is what we use to troubleshoot and to work through a particular task. Our long-term memories start out as working memories and eventually are stored in the hippocampus part of the brain. When we are able to do more with our short term or working memory, it improves our intelligence and our ability to learn. By improving those factors, we are able to significantly improve our IQ score as well.

Like any part of the human body, it is necessary for you to exercise your short-term memory, in order to make it stronger. If you continue to exercise it regularly, it is going to continue to get stronger, but if you stop exercising it, you may lose some ground fairly quickly.

It is also important to recognize that you are dealing with something that is known as the law of diminishing returns. As you continue to work more and more on your short-term memory using the N-back task, you will get less and less out of it. You will still see some improvements, but it is going to be necessary for you to work harder in order to see the same improvements as what you saw at first.

8. Improve Your IQ with the Relational Skills Training

As you probably recognize by this point in the publication, there are many different things that you can do, which will help to improve your memory and your IQ score. We have discussed health factors, along with the N-back technique, which can help to improve your working memory. In this chapter, we are going to discuss something that is known as relational skills. Training yourself in this way can help to improve your IQ level significantly.

On a most basic level, improving your relational skills would involve improving the way that you relate one thing to another in the world around you. For example, specific items are often grouped together in a category, such as breeds of dogs or types of flowers. Although a dog may be a specific breed or that breed may be of a specific type, the same is not true in reverse. This is also the case when it comes to flowers. A flower may belong to a specific type, but that type of flower does not belong to the specific flower.

When it comes to training your mind and improving your memory, however, it goes far beyond this very basic understanding of relational skills. In order to fully use these relational skills to improve your intelligence and increase your IQ number, you need to use them for mathematics, and they can also be applied to reading, writing and language comprehension. Using these more advanced skills will go a long way in helping you to break through the barrier and to truly improve your intelligence on a very profound level.

One of the ways that these relational skills can be improved is through a type of training that is known as SMART memory training. SMART is an acronym that stands for Strategic Memory Advanced Reasoning Training. It has been used by tens of thousands of individuals to significantly improve their mental performance, and it can go a long way in helping to boost your IQ numbers as well. In addition, many people suffering from cognitive losses as a result of illness or advancing age were able to regain much of those losses through SMART training.

Previously, we discussed how it was important to exercise the memory because of the benefits that it provides. This is often equated to exercising a muscle because it gets stronger and grows in size when you exercise it. Most of us would not consider it possible to exercise the brain and to increase its capacity to learn, but did you realize that it actually could make a physical different in the brain as well? When you are able to develop the proper relational skills through SMART techniques, it can strengthen the white matter in the brain and even increase the blood flow to the brain significantly!

One of the key factors of this type of training is that it can help you to focus your attention and to use the brain's ability to decipher information in a very specific way. Many of us tend to allow our mind to simply wander, or we may split our cognitive abilities between multiple tasks. When you use the SMART program, however, it allows you to focus your attention, giving you the ability to see beneath the surface and to separate what is relevant from what is not relevant.

It also provides you with the ability to be flexible in your thinking as well. This is something that many of us tend to fall short in, because we always feel that it is necessary to reach a correct conclusion to any problem that we are facing. The fact of the matter is, however, it is not always getting to the conclusion that is going to provide you with the most benefit. At times, it is necessary for you to take a look at the overall problem and the possible outcomes as well. By supplying you with this benefit, it can provide you with additional intelligence.

Relational skills training can be applied by anyone and when you use it properly, it can really make a difference in your life. Not only will you find that your intelligence is improving and your IQ scores improving along with it, it will likely have an impact on your health and your happiness as well.

9. Limiting the Effect of Stress on Your Brain

The human brain is perhaps the most complex of all creation. Contained within the matter that is inside of our skull is the ability to learn, to improve ourselves and to remember things for an entire lifetime. Having a better understanding of how our brain works will allow us to see why it is important to care for the brain, if we want to improve our intelligence.

Unfortunately, all of us have something that is working against us and our ability to improve our memory. It is something that affects us on a very deep level and many of us experience it to the point where it is chronic. I'm talking about stress, and most of us face stressful situations every day at work, at home and in all aspects of our life. If you don't get it under control, it can affect you on a very profound level, including affecting your physical health and limiting your ability to learn.

It has been known for quite some time that high levels of stress experienced for an extended amount of time can impact our ability to learn. Quite simply, stress brings a heightened sense of awareness, an increase in your heart rate and your breathing and invokes what is known as the fight or flight response. At the same time, cortisol and other very powerful chemicals are being released in the body, and this can have an effect on us both physically and mentally. If you're under a high level of stress such as this, reducing it is vitally important for your intelligence.

Recent studies have shown that it is not only the long-term stress that causes these types of problems; it is our short-term stress as well. The release of cortisol is almost simultaneous with the stressful situation that we are experiencing. As this chemical is coursing through our body, it can affect a different part of the body, which are molecules known as corticotrophin releasing hormones (CRH). These chemicals can have a disruptive effect on the brain and limit the ability for the neurons to connect with each other across the synapse. By limiting communication between the neurons, it limits your ability to think, reason and remember.

Of course, it is illogical to think that we are going to be able to remove all types of stressful situations from our lives. Quite simply, stress is a fact of life for many of us, so it is not a matter of limiting our stressful situations; it is a matter of controlling the stress that we experience. When you're able to do so successfully, you can improve your memory and your IQ score will often go up considerably at that time.

Although there are many different methods that can be used to relieve stress, we are going to discuss two that work very quickly and are extremely effective. In fact, it can have such a deep effect on your stress levels that it is something that you will want to incorporate in your life for the rest of your life.

Learning How to Detach

There are a number of different types of detachment methods that can allow you to get beyond your stress very quickly. Some of them are short-term methods, such as mindfulness meditation, but they are also quite complex in how they are done, and they need to be done frequently. There is something that you can do on a daily basis, however, and it only takes a few minutes. When you do it regularly, it will allow you to de-stress daily.

All of us have become accustomed to having our electronic devices with us everywhere we go. In fact, it is unlikely that we are ever more than a few steps away from our cell phone or tablet, and Internet access is perpetually available. As a result, we have conditioned ourselves to feel that we must answer every text message, social media, or telephone call within a matter of seconds. It adds stress to the already stressful life that many of us are experiencing.

There are things that you can do in order to reduce this problem, but the easiest way for you to reduce it is to simply detach from it for a few minutes every day. It is not necessary for you to go for hours on end without your cell phone by your side, but if you can go for 10 minutes daily, it will make a positive impact on your stress levels.

In order to detach properly, you need to turn off all of your devices and be in an area where you will not be interrupted for at least 10 minutes. If this thought disturbs you or if you feel that you may miss something important, always remember that you are not going to be doing it for any longer than the time it would take you to be taking a shower.

Sit in a quiet room and simply allow your thoughts to dwell on anything other than electronic forms of communication. Think about the events of the day, plan a nice evening with your spouse, or perhaps just sit quietly and think about anything, or nothing in particular. It's not really what you think about, it's the fact that you're giving yourself the opportunity to think and to do so without the constant distractions that your electronic devices are bringing to the table.

De-Stress with This Deep Breathing Exercise

One other option that you have available is something that is promoted by many psychiatrists and psychologists, and it is even taught to first responders. It is a deep breathing method that takes less than one minute, but the psychological and physiological effects are extremely profound. It is called Square breathing, and it is something that you should incorporate into your life and learn how to do automatically.

The Square breathing process is a deep breathing technique that is done with each step of the process being completed to the count of four. You should not rush your way through the counting and it should be done in a relaxed, calm manner. After all, this method is designed to reduce stress. If at any time you feel panicked because of needing to count to four, you can reduce your count to three, but you should remain consistent throughout the exercise.

This type of exercise is best done if you are seated quietly, but you can also do it while you are lying down or even if you are standing still. Although it is physically possible to go through a square breathing set while you are walking, there is the risk of hyperventilation, so it is best if you are still. During the square breathing process, you will not be doing anything that draws attention to you, so you will be the only one that knows you are doing it.

Step One: Breathe in - The square breathing process begins with your lungs at a comfortably empty level. Counting before, you will breathe in through your nose; engaging your diaphragm and filling your lungs to a comfortable, yet not overly full level. Take the entire count of four to take your breath in, and then move on to the next step.

Step Two: Hold Your Breath - The second step in the square breathing process is to hold your breath to the count of four. It may take some time for you to be able to adjust to the sensations that you experience while holding your breath, especially if you have a pre-existing breathing problem. If you need to adjust your count to three, you should continue to count to three for the rest of the set.

Step Three: Breathe Out - During the third step in the process, you will breathe out through your open mouth to the count of four. The breath should occur naturally, and you are not trying to force all of the air out of your lungs. You just want your lungs to be comfortably empty, but not completely empty.

Step Four: Hold Your Breath - The final step in the square breathing breath is to allow your lungs to remain comfortably empty for the count of four. More than likely, this is something that will take some time for you to become accustomed to, and if you're under an extreme amount of stress, it could cause some anxiety. Adjust your count to match your anxiety levels until your body becomes accustomed to the sensations you are experiencing.

Those four steps are one of the ‘breaths’ that are taken in the square breathing process. The entire exercise will require a total of four breaths, so you will repeat the process three additional times. The entire square breathing process should take less than one minute, but the effect that it has on you will be felt almost immediately.

Although there may be many things that go on while you are square breathing, one of the primary benefits is that it will help balance your oxygen and carbon dioxide levels. These often get out of balance when you are dealing with a lot of stress, which causes your breathing to accelerate and your heart to pump harder. By bringing the levels back to balance in the body, it helps to reduce your stress levels quickly and effectively.

10. Using Language to Build Your IQ Numbers

Although there are many different things that you can do to improve your intelligence and potentially to raise your IQ levels, one that is often overlooked is the use of language. If you are able to use language effectively and if you understand the inner workings of it, it can really make a difference in your ability to comprehend and your ability to remember. Knowing this, how can you use it to your advantage?

First of all, the entire world has been submerged into a shortened form of communication through text messaging and social media. At one time, our communication would be face-to-face, and although it would sometimes use slang terms and improper use of the language, it was still using the language outright. Because we have been reduced to communicating with each other on electronic devices, it limits our ability to use language effectively.

In fact, an entire generation is being raised with many of them thinking that shortening words in order to make them easier to type is perfectly acceptable. Although it may be easier to send a text message when you shorten words in such a way, it does not have an appropriate use when using proper written communication. Not only does it appear as if you are lacking intelligence, it may actually limit your intelligence in a number of ways.

It has often been said that one way for you to exercise your brain and to improve your level of intelligence was to learn a second language. Although it certainly is true that learning a second language is an exercise that is well worth doing, it may also be possible for you to learn your primary language to a greater extent as well. In either case, you are able to communicate more effectively, but when you can communicate more fully using your primary language, it is what will make a difference in your intelligence.

There is one type of language that can be learned by anyone, and it is one that can help to improve your intelligence and extend your IQ level along with it. It is learning the language of music, and being able to read music and to play an instrument. The fact of the matter is that playing an instrument offers many different benefits, including relieving stress and exercising the brain. It is something that you can consider as a way to improve your ability to learn and to bump your IQ up a few numbers in the process.

11. Building Your Brain with Games

We discussed a number of specific methods to improve your IQ and to give yourself a higher level of intelligence. They have truly spanned a number of different sectors, from the way that we eat to the way that we speak. In this chapter, we are going to consider something enjoyable that can be done, which will help to improve your cognitive abilities in the process. I'm talking about playing games, and if you play the right games, you can boost your IQ considerably.

Games have always been a great way to exercise the mind, although there are some games that are better suited for doing so than others. Any type of puzzle game, including crossword puzzles, word find or Sudoku allow you to get in some troubleshooting practice and can engage a part of the brain that will make it easier for you to think and to learn. There are also some benefits to playing games in a social setting because building strong relationships can go a long way in helping you to build your memory as well.

The Internet has really changed the way that many of us play games, and we may be playing games on our tablets, cell phones and computers in order to pass the time. These games often involve troubleshooting, and on a standard IQ test, it is typically easy to see who the gamers are and who don't play games. These types of games, however, don't help to extend your memory. But there are some digital games that can be played that do work on the memory.

A number of websites have entered the market and they allow you to test your memory, improve your memory and to keep it sharp. These small digital games typically only take a few minutes to play, but if you play them regularly, the benefits extend beyond the fact that they are somewhat enjoyable. It allows your brain to work and it works different areas of the brain, teaching you valuable skills in mathematics, language or comprehension. It can even improve your short-term memory, giving you the ability to work on tasks in a fuller measure.

Of course, the variety of games that are available may come at a cost, but the cost is going to be minimal in comparison to the benefits that it provides. You can typically play some of the games for free, but in order to gain access to all of the games and the step-by-step instructions for improving your memory, you may need to pay a monthly premium. If you are interested in improving your memory and IQ, however, it is well worth the money.

12. IQ Tips

We have provided you with valuable information on how to improve your IQ and your memory along with it. This information has spanned a number of different areas, and in this chapter, we are going to condense some of the more important factors so that you can review it quickly. If you were able to keep just a few things in mind and to work toward improving your IQ, you would be amazed with how much of a difference it can make.

Pay Attention to Your Health - One of the most important things for you to do in order to improve your cognitive abilities is to pay attention to your general health. This would include eating a proper diet, getting some exercise and drinking plenty of water. Although it is not necessary for you to be perfect in this regard, any steps that you can make toward a healthier lifestyle are going to make a difference.

Sleep - Although this could have been included with the general health tip stated above, it is important to mention it on its own. Due to the fact that most people look at sleep as something that is expendable, it can really be problematic when it comes to improving your IQ score. If you are overtired and sleep deprived, you are not going to have the mental capacity necessary to improve your IQ. Make sure that you are scheduling enough time for sleep every night and it will make a difference.

Play Some Games - Exercising the mind is very important, and you can do so through a series of games that were discussed in this publication. Some of the games are available online on websites such as luminosity.com. Other games, however, can be held in your hand and include word games, such as crossword puzzles or number games, such as Sudoku.

Stop the Stress - One of the biggest difficulties that many people face when it comes to their level of intelligence is too much stress. Even short amounts of stress that only last for a few hours can negatively affect your ability to remember because it stops your neurons from communicating effectively with each other. Review the information on relieving stress in this publication, and learn how to apply the square breathing process. It will quickly make a difference in your stress levels.

Practice - another way for you to improve your IQ is to practice taking the standard IQ test. There are going to be variations in this test, but trying some of those variations and testing regularly can make a difference in your ability to improve your IQ numbers substantially. It is also good exercise for the brain, helping to improve your ability to learn.

Learn the Language - Many experts will tell you that learning a second language can go a long way in helping you to gain intelligence. Although it certainly is true that learning a second language can help, you may be able to experience the same benefits and more, by learning your own language. Take the time to understand the principles behind your language and to engage in proper communication, both verbally and in written form.