6 EASY TRICKS TO IMPROVE MENTAL POWER

Your brain is your most important tool in life. Here are six ways to flex your grey matter and get the best out of your brain cells:

1. Think positive, loving thoughts -- really!

A decade of research at the W.M. Keck Laboratory for Functional Brain Imaging and Behavior led by neuroscientist Richard Davidson found that choosing positive thoughts and emotions can permanently change the working of the brain for the better.

When participants practiced feeling love and compassion, their brains went into action -- connecting and building new circuitry at

high speed.

Davidson has concluded that emotions play a strong role in mental acuity and that spending just 10 minutes a day focusing on feeling loving and kind can make you smarter and happier!

2. Don't be a slave to technology

In more than 80 clinical trials, Dr. Glenn Wilson, a psychiatrist at King's College London University, found that workers distracted by phone calls, e-mails and text messages suffer a greater loss of IQ than if they'd smoked weed.

The IQ of those juggling messages and work fell by an average of 10 points -- equivalent to missing a whole night's sleep and more than double the four-point fall seen after smoking pot. The drop in IQ was even more significant in men.

To keep sharp, resist the urge to check messages continually. Instead, schedule blocks of time throughout the day to retrieve and respond to them.

3. Physical exercise can boost brain as well as brawn

Exercise boosts circulation and bolsters brain-nurturing chemicals that improve your creativity, reaction time and retention. Researchers at Middlesex University found that participants scored higher on a creativity test after engaging in 25 minutes of aerobic exercise.

Likewise, a University of Illinois study found that inactive individuals increased their memory and ability to multitask by more than 15 percent after participating in a walking program.

4. Never underestimate the power of a good night's rest

Lack of sleep also results in reduced productivity and increased errors. A National Sleep Foundation study found that half of all workers in the United States say sleepiness interferes with the amount of work they get done -- and nearly 20 percent say it causes them to make mistakes.

Sometimes those mistakes are tragic. Government investigations of human error in the space shuttle Challenger explosion and Exxon Valdez oil spill cited sleep deprivation as a "direct cause" of those accidents.

"The brain keeps an exact accounting of how much sleep it is owed," says Dr. William C. Dement, a Stanford University sleep expert who says we all need to get one hour of sleep for every two hours we're awake. "If you sleep one hour less each day then you're supposed to, you will acquire 'sleep debt.' "

"Everyone should block out eight hours of sleep," Dement adds. "Consider it an appointment with yourself that can't be broken."

5. You are what you eat, and that includes your brain

Many studies support the memory and cognitive benefits of a diet rich in antioxidants (vitamins C, E and beta carotene) and B vitamins.

If you have an important morning meeting, Douglas Kalman, director of clinical research at Peak Wellness, suggests eating a high protein breakfast to help raise your serotonin levels, which produces hormones that make you feel alert and focused.

If you're feeling sluggish midday, boost your serotonin with a small dose of carbohydrates, such as fruit or an energy bar. Also,drink lots of water. A craving for sugar can indicate the beginning stages of dehydration.

6. Put your mind to work in the right way

Mental exercise is important, too. Using your brain to learn a new language, master a new hobby or engage in friendly debate stimulates blood flow and strengthens the connections (synapses) between nerve cells in the brain. A Washington University study found that memorization techniques also encourage the brain to work more efficiently and may reduce age-related memory loss.

Dr. Robert Goldman, author of Brain Fitness, suggests reading challenging books, doing puzzles - even combing your hair and brushing your teeth with your other hand.

Boost your mental powers with these easy tips and you'll operate at your peak!