Power Naps

Brainpower Newsletter

You'll find news on a supplement for brainpower and a new riddle this week.

What is a "power nap?" It is what used to be called a catnap. The term power nap was apparently coined by Cornell University social psychologist James Maas. Basically it is a short nap that is designed to refresh you. What does the research say?

According to Dr. Sara Mednick, at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies, napping benefits cell repair, heart function, and hormonal maintenance. A power nap maximizes these benefits, by getting the rejuvenative effects in as short a time as possible. The brain benefits as well. A study done by NASA found that although naps don't aid alertness, they do improve memory functions.

Recent research also demonstrates that power naps can boost productivity, lower stress, and improve learning and mood (no surprise there). Looking at the MRIs of nappers, researchers at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies found that...

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http://www.increasebrainpower.com/power-nap.html

Several readers have suggested that I update my page on drugs and supplements for brainpower. I will be doing so soon. I am looking into ampakines (thanks Timothy), for example.

Ampakines apparently enhance communication among brain cells, and in tests they improve memory, and mental acuity, with very few side effects. Medical students given the drug in a Swedish study improved on four cognitive performance measures. Seniors, aged 65 to 75, showed even more improvement.

More on that soon. I'll also be looking into Piracetam (Thanks Steve). Watch the newsletter for updates.

- Sharks may be the only fish that can blink with both eyes.

- There are more chickens in the world than there are people.

What is the shortest complete sentence in the English language?

(The answer is at the bottom of the page)

Note: In response to the riddle about days being longer than years (2 or 3 weeks ago), one reader pointed out that this is also true on Venus, where the days are 243 earth-days and its years are 225. Thanks Joshua.

Concentration is more or less automatic once you remove distractions. Try this technique:

Stop what you are doing and watch your mind. As you notice things that are subtly bothering you, deal with them. This might mean making a phone call you need to make, or putting things on a list so you can forget them for now. It may even help to say "There is nothing I can do about this now." The point is to mentally categorize these "mind irritations" so they can be easily set aside. Then get back to the task at hand. With practice, this becomes easier, and your thinking becomes more powerful.

(Many subscribers are not aware of all the pages of the site. This section is a reminder of useful pages you may have missed. You can just ignore this part if you have read the following pages.)

What Do You Think And Feel?

Can you solve problems quickly and easily? Can you learn new things efficiently? Can you increase your brainpower? Whatever you think and feel about these questions, those thoughts and feelings have an effect on your brain function, because brain power and psychology are intimately connected.

Expectation Rules The Subconscious

Checkmate in four moves, the book said, so I looked until I finally found it. I love chess puzzles, and I used to think those elegant solutions weren't often possible in real games. Then I realized that they probably are there, but that without the expectation of finding them, I settled for less worthy moves. I find these elegant ones more often now.

A man I know spent his childhood around wealthy kids and their families. Is it just coincidence that he now makes more money than...

Continued here:
http://www.increasebrainpower.com/a-brainpower.html

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Until next time,

Steve

www.IncreaseBrainpower.com

Riddle Answer: "I am."

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