For an exhausted person, energy boosting nootropic supplements might seem like a gift from God. The same goes for anyone wanting to improve other cognitive faculties. Those who have chosen to take Nootropics need to understand that although Nootropics work, they don’t work in isolation. We have to do our bit, too.
Supplements alone won’t bring the long-term change we need unless wesupport it by maintaining a healthy lifestyle. To get the best out of Nootropics here are a number of steps we can take.
Good Sleep Is Important
A work hard and party harder lifestyle may disrupt our normal sleep-wake cycle. When we either work until wee hours or party late into the night; sleep often becomes a casualty of our lifestyle.Our daily slumber, however, plays a crucial role in building and maintaining a healthy brain.
Skipping sleep for one night can cause permanent damage to our brain. While we’re sleeping, the body is at rest, giving our brain time to repair itself and recharge the batteries. No amount of nootropic supplements can permanently repair the damage caused by inadequate sleep.
Equally important is the quality of sleep. While we sleep our brain experiences five different phases, one of which is the REM Cycle (Rapid Eye Movement Cycle). The REM Cycle is the key to the creation and maintenance of memories. It also plays a big role in consolidating new information and associating it with existing data. The overall result of these functions is nerve growth. We all know that nootropic supplements increase the nerve growth factor. Hence, to help nootropics perform its function, we need an adequate amount of good sleep.
Healthy Body leads to a Healthy Mind
It happens unconsciously, and sometimes consciously. In search of a healthy mind, we neglect our body. Slowly, the general public realizes that physical activity, especially regular workout, is a prerequisite for a strong and healthy mind.
When a person is overweight, a large portion of the body’s energy goes into performing the basic, everyday tasks. In a healthy body, the excess energy is directed towards the enhancement of brain functions.
Regular exercise and workout also improve the immune system. It improves the blood flow throughout the body, including the brain. When the brain gets nourished with plenty of oxygenated blood and other nutrients we become more active, energetic, alert, motivated, and confident. These are the exact same cognitive benefits we want the nootropics to perform.
There is enough proof to show that exercise can influence neurotransmitters in our brain. When we work out our muscles, our brain releases serotonin, dopamine, and endorphins, thereby functioning as mood enhancers.
Experts believe nerve cell development takes place only when we’re young. But, new research on nootropics and brain functioning, has found that a combination of exercise and nootropic supplements can extend the nerve cell growth past young adulthood and well into middle age and beyond.
Nourish the Body with Healthy Food
Healthy food and Nootropics go hand-in-hand. To augment the effectiveness of nootropic supplements and help the brain perform vital functions, we need to follow a healthy, nutrient rich diet.
Wholesome food contributes to our well-being in many ways. It ensures our nerve cells work properly, there is the right chemical balance in our brain which keeps the brain energized, and boosts the body’s immune system.
For example, choline, which is a precursor to the neurotransmitter acetylcholine, has a lot of say in the way our brain functions. Food such as beef, fish, meat, dairy products, and eggs are the primary source of choline. But, doctors say that nearly 90% of the general population suffers from choline deficiency.
Choline supplements like citicoline or alpha GPC are not enough to ensure the body has adequate acetylcholine. The issue becomes even more serious in people who are using the nootropics oxiracetam or aniracetam . To perform efficiently, Racetams need plenty of acetylcholine. The only way to ensure an adequate presence of this neurotransmitter is to eatcholine-rich food while takingnootropic supplements.
Challenge the Brain
The brain is just like a muscle, the more we use it, the stronger it becomes. To make it stronger (e.g.) improve cognitive functions; we need to constantly challenge it. You don’t have to solve complex math problems to exercise the brain. Simple tasks such as learning a new skill, reading every day, having an interesting conversation with friends, debating, etc. can energize the brain and stimulate the nerve cells.
Beyond daily tasks, we can play brain games such as sudoku, Scrabble, otherpuzzles, etc. To improve brain performance, visit websites or download apps developed by organizations such as Lumosity and Cambridge Brain Sciences. Challenging the brain by taking brain tests will increase the effect of nootropics.
