When we’re enjoying your favorite cold treat and suddenly struck with that unique type of intense cold in your head, we’re quick to say we’ve got a brain freeze.  Freezing our brains doesn’t sound good; but it’s actually a complex phenomenon which may even have benefits!                 What exactly is a “brain freeze”?  It’s a sensation produced by nerves in the palate of the mouth (specifically the sphenopalatine ganglion) which sends the message to the brain to feel a headache when cold activates those nerve bundles.  This ganglion of nerves is connected with...

             While you’re striving to enhance cognition, getting regular physical activity is definitely something you don’t want to overlook.  Exercise fuels the brain with oxygen-giving blood flow and releases endorphins that help maximize the performance of the brain and body.  It’s true that any activity is better than no activity; but if you’re interested in growing your hippocampus, take note of a recent study!                 The hippocampus is the area of the brain which is responsible for learning, memory, and attention.  Many nootropics focus on improving or activating key functions and processes of this brain...

               Coffee may be one of the most under-rated nootropics out there, and it’s certainly had its fair share of controversy for health.  Everything from caffeine dependency to tolerance levels, experiencing withdrawals, jitters, and dehydration, to name a few.  However, some of the unique factors that are present in coffee have given researchers something to think about.                 A recent study from the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology has found benefits to drinking coffee—even the decaf kind!  It’s long been known that coffee drinkers seem to have less cardiovascular concerns (except if you’re one...

            We’re always talking about how to hack areas of our health for certain results, and longevity is always an area of focus for biohackers. New and novel supplements are coming out regularly which look promising for keeping cellular health in top condition, mitigating damage to cellular DNA, and even helping chromosomes last longer in the body’s cells. One of the best ways to lengthen your time on earth may not involve any of those at all!             Research coming from the European Society of Cardiology studied the results of...

                 The results are in, and breaks are now one of the best ways to ensure that you’re performing at your cognitive best.                 Reviewing 22 previous studies about breaks and productivity over the past thirty years, researchers discovered a pattern between taking frequent breaks and better cognitive function.  These aren’t the typical fifteen-minute breaks allotted per number of hours worked that focus on working large percentages of the day before taking a break.  Instead, these are micro-breaks.                 In the studies, participants performed tasks both in and out of the office and...

             They say that the outside environment is a good indicator of the internal environment, but how much of that is true?  New research finds that while it’s easy to say things are always off better organized and tidy, there’s hidden benefits to less organized spaces.                 When it comes to your working desk, less clutter on the desk is a sign of a better worker, right?  Researchers at the University of Minnesota may surprise you with the answers they found when investigating that theory!  Participants filled out questionnaires in different working environments (messy vs....

              When the going gets tough, they say the tough get going.  This characteristic can be called anything from courage to perseverance to the commonly-used “grit.”  This is persistence in the face of adversity and set-backs and the ability to keep focused on a goal.  For younger generations not familiar with the adjective grit used in this sense, it’s part of the phrase to grit your teeth—and usually inferred as to grit your teeth, and get on it with it.                 Describing yourself or people you know as being gritty is usually meant as...

               You’ve probably seen the advertisements for playing various games on your smartphone or computer that claim to be able to measure your brain’s actual age, or games that claim to be able to take years off your brain’s age.  How much benefit do games like those really offer?                 According to a recent study from the University of California, “brain training” or memory games might offer benefit for the actual game involved, but some people won’t see it transfer into their being more mentally flexible outside the game.  The concept of this is...

             It’s remarkable with the onslaught of all the incoming and outgoing information that the brain can process and differentiate all the stimuli into coherent pieces of the puzzle which we call life.  It can’t always multi-task and has definite limitations—but have you ever wondered how it can keep up?  An exciting study shows us how the brain responds to the tiny differences in verbal communication which make all the difference!                 Researchers from the Max Planck Institute of Psycholinguistics partnered with Radbound University to understand what makes the brain receive one set of sentences...

                Are you a fan of a treadmill desk?  How about taking business phone calls on a headset while you’re out?  If you haven’t tuned into the hype about actively engaging your body while trying to work or study, new research may make you a believer.                 The University of Rochester designed an experiment to see if there was any validity for those people who swear they get more done while walking while they work.  Treadmill desks, under-desk cycles, and the rise of the standing desk have become more popular ever since “sitting is the new smoking” concept became mainstream. ...

                 On a budget?  Or on a shop-till-you drop marathon?  Either way, what you’re drinking or supplementing with before you head out to the stores could be influencing you in surprising ways!                 If you’re fueling yourself through your shopping with coffee in hand, you might want to rethink the caffeine content, according to a study earlier this month from the University of Florida.  Even if you’re not intentionally out to spend some extra cash, your decision-making abilities appear to be altered and self-control decreased compared to others who shop without caffeine on...

             The last time you engaged your brain in a challenging task, how willing were you to challenge yourself?  Based on a recent study, if you’re struggling with the willingness to exert what’s called cognitive effort, being open to the challenge is what makes all the difference.                 We’ve all seen musicians or technological wizards and been amazed at their skills, knowing it must have taken countless hours of dedication to master those types of skills.  The real secret isn’t in continually applying the effort day after day, but in the initial stage of applying...