Increase Brainpower
by: Sondra Kornblatt "A Better Brain at Any Age: The Holistic Way to Improve Your Memory, Reduce Stress, and Sharpen Your Wits"

MU researchers aren't the only ones looking at the human brain. Here are some tips on how to increase your brainpower. 
  1. Laugh. Humor works in the whole brain and quickly. Less than a half-second after you hear or see something funny, an electrical wave moves through the higher brain functions of the cerebral cortex: t. The left hemisphere analyzes the joke’s words and structure; and the right hemisphere interprets the meaning. Meanwhile, the visual sensory area of the occipital lobe creates images; the limbic (emotional system) makes you happier; and the motor sections make you smile or laugh. In short, laughter improves alertness, creativity and memory.
  2. Exercise. Movement helps you think. The brain’s cognitive and movement functions work side by side, sharing the same automatic process. When you solve a problem, you imagine moving through the steps. Exercise also stimulates the production of brain chemicals, such as BDNF (brain-derived neurotrophic factor),
    which encourages growth of new nerve connections.
  3. Balance light and darkness. Changes in light can affect the brain, even if you’re not aware of it. For example, the lack of sufficient brightness in the wintertime can lead to seasonal affective disorder, otherwise known as the blues. We need light. The brain uses it to enhance alertness. We also need darkness to synchronize our body's internaladded 'internal' clock.
  4. Learn. Learning strengthens the whole brain. Start by simply trying new things: visit a new place, learn a song and/or rearrange the furniture — they all stimulate your the brain's neurons. Or do normal things in odd ways, such as brushing your teeth with your non-dominant hand, taking a new route home or sleeping on the wrong side of the bed.
  5. Create. Recent functional brain scans show that the whole brain engages in creative thinking. Try a new craft, put a sketch pad on your desk or make a date to spend a half hour each week writing, painting, knitting or building a bird house. Pump the creative well, and you’ll inspire yourself while building new neural connections.

Source: http://www.columbiamissourian.com/stories/2009/06/24/mu-professor-found-social-competition-leading-reason-brain-growth/