ILLUMINATION Book Chapters
An Instant and Sustainable Mental Boost — Chapter 4
From the book titled “Powerful Life-Changing Hacks That Truly Transformed My Life” by Dr. Mehmet Yildiz on Medium
This chapter covers seven sections with interesting points that affect the brain from different angles. These practices may activate various parts of the brain.
1 — Cold Therapy
Exposing the body to cold can activate the primal survival chemicals quickly. Protection against cold is coded in our genes.
I never thought I would enjoy cold showers. Who would have thought I would replace my warm morning coffee with cold exposure? Doesn’t it sound insane?
When I reviewed the incredible benefits of cold showers, I initially thought it was hype. However, these anecdotes created curiosity in me. I kept reading various articles and watching YouTube videos about the benefits of cold showers.
After reading many testimonials, one day I decided to try cold showers myself. My first experience shocked me. My body reacted badly. I thought I was about to die. The primitive brain kicked in very quickly.
Then I watched more YouTube videos on how others did it. Some techniques, such as starting slowly with legs, arms, head, and whole body, were promising. The techniques I learned made it a little easier. It was a good start.
After a while, I learned how to deal with the body’s response. The adaptation process was an eye-opener. My coach told me I wouldn’t die in a few minutes of cold showers. However, my body felt like I was about to die. The survival mechanism of the body causes this reaction. In a few minutes, the body would get used to it and would start feeling good.
The advice of my coach was spot-on. After 20 to 30 seconds, my body got used to the effect of cold water. The adverse reaction slowly turned into pleasant feelings. I started feeling great. The water seemed warmer after a while. I promise I did not change the tap at all.
The best part was after the shower. There was a euphoric feeling. All lethargy and morning drowsiness disappeared shortly. I felt as if I’d had three cups of strong coffee. My energy got a level higher. My confidence increased incredibly. This was the state I had aspired to for a long time.
Nowadays, when I plan a challenging day ahead of me, I take a cold shower for a few minutes. After a while, I feel ready for any challenge. After taking cold showers as a habit, I reduced my coffee intake substantially, and eventually, I gave it up. What a relief it was. My stomach thanked me.
After reviewing the literature about the benefits of cold showers, I came across interesting points about sleep one day. Having cold and hot showers together for half an hour before bed could reset the circadian rhythm. This was very helpful information for me. I frequently traveled over the Atlantic. Like many other travelers, I used to take Melatonin to overcome my jetlag issues.
Taking 30-second cold and 30-second hot showers alternately five to ten times half an hour before bedtime did resolve my jetlag issues. I’ve since stopped using Melatonin. Even though Melatonin was effective, it caused some side effects for me. I used to feel drowsy for a while the next day.
So, cold showers became my morning and night therapy. Not only did it resolve my jet lag issues, but it also improved my quality of sleep. Caffeine was interfering with my sleep patterns and preventing me from experiencing deep sleep. Solving my sleep issues with cold therapy was serendipitous for me.
2 — Brain Games
When I studied cognitive science, I learned the importance of stimulating our brains using various methods. Besides being an avid reader, I also supplemented it with different crossword puzzles, Sudoku, and several other mental exercises. I particularly enjoyed mind exercise collections from Mensa.
My discovery of Lumosity and Elevate was a new chapter for my mental fitness. They opened a new door and made a considerable difference in stimulating my brain.
Like many people, I was initially doubtful of the benefits touted by these products’ owners and their fans. After a while of playing with both the Lumosity and Elevate games daily, I started enjoying them. They were not just for fun. I also improved my memory, attention, flexibility, and agility.
Lumosity and Elevate are designed to aim for a progressive approach. Each time when we play, we move to the next level. Timing is an essential factor in these games. They also focus on increasing speed.
There are several great apps. I reviewed ten of them in an article.
I love to challenge my working memory, retention, focus, and problem-solving daily. Ten minutes of investment in a brain gym can create a significant opportunity to keep our brains healthy and fit.
3 — Mindfulness and Meditation
Living mindfully is a lifestyle goal for me. Practicing mindfulness made the most significant impact on my mental and emotional health. After I started practicing mindfulness, my overall mood improved considerably. I became more optimistic. Mindfulness helped me reinvent myself and have a new personality.
Living in the moment is essential to me. I see instant benefits when I genuinely get stuck and feel miserable. When I start practicing mindfulness by being in the moment, by being aware of the things around me, my emotions, and sensations in my body, I can see a dramatic drop in my stress and anxiety.
I practice mindfulness anywhere and anytime. It is paradoxically an effortless natural state. Many traditions use mindfulness in different formats under different names — for example, contemplative practices in prayer or mediation formats.
The purest form of meditation for me is focusing on my breath as soon as I notice my brain is ruminating. I take a deep breath, count to four, then hold it for a count of four, then release it to a count of four again. This simple technique works for me. I know there are a wide variety of breathing techniques.
While doing slow and rhythmic breathing, I keep my focus on each breath. Then I continue my natural breathing process and focus on each in, out, and space in between. Whenever a thought comes to my mind, I gently remind myself that my focus is on my breathing.
Practicing this simple process for 20 minutes a day works best for me. I usually try ten minutes in the morning when I wake up and ten minutes before I go to bed at night. When I face challenging situations at work, I try a two-minute mini-meditation session to reset my brain activities.
4 — Epsom Salts
I now jump to a different brain enhancer. When I say that, people get surprised. What has salt got to do with the brain? Epsom salts are not ordinary salts.
Discovering the use of Epsom salts in my baths made a massive difference in my physical sensations. Epsom salt, Magnesium Sulphate, helped relax my muscles, especially after a workout or a stressful situation. When muscles are relaxed, the brain performs better.
In addition, having a bath with Epsom salts solved my sleep issues. This practice reduced my stress by increasing my magnesium intake effectively. Sleep quality and well-managed stress are excellent brain boosters.
Unfortunately, magnesium in tablet and powder formats, usually more than 600 mg, caused me to experience digestive issues. As I am primarily in ketosis, I still supplement with magnesium tablets once a day, an hour before sleep.
Having an Epsom salt bath is enjoyable. But we can use Epsom salts in different ways. I use it as a solution spray for topical use at other times. It is easier to carry the spray wherever I go. Whenever I feel soreness in my muscles, I spray some Epsom saltwater topically. I feel relaxed quickly. It turned out to be an essential tool in my emergency bag.
5 — Journaling
In my leadership workshops, new participants always ask me how journaling affects the brain. I tell them it is one of the best tools to keep their memory and attention sharp.
Keeping a diary and journaling every day has been one of the best-established habits for me. Writing about my thoughts became an extension of my brain and retention capability.
I jot down anything important in my electronic journal instantly. Writing my thoughts gives me instant and significant relief. It is therapeutic, hence reducing stress.
Keeping an electronic journal nowadays is easy and common. Smartphones, tablets, and laptops offer free text editors. We can simply jot down our thoughts, ideas, and plans as they surface in our minds.
We don’t have to worry about grammar, structure, or editing in a diary. It can be an informal way of writing our thoughts. Journaling is essential and a viable option for everyone. If we don’t have an electronic device, we can journal in a notebook. In fact, handwriting on a piece of paper, maybe even more therapeutic.
Journaling allows me to clarify my thoughts and feelings. It is a unique tool for addressing problematic situations. Through journaling, I gain valuable self-knowledge and confidence.
In addition, I use journaling as a problem-solving and creativity tool. Interestingly, when I start using my keyboard on my laptop, my thoughts get more explicit, and solutions to my problems come to the tips of my touch-typing fingers. It is almost like a spiritual act. I feel like my higher self is talking to me via my fingertips.
Blogging can be a kind of journaling. However, since blogging is shared publicly, we cannot write private matters on a blog. It can be helpful to share general ideas and thoughts which are appropriate to share. However, in personal journaling, we can write about everything in detail without the risk of offending anyone except ourselves.
6 — Self-Conversations
We constantly and internally communicate with ourselves.
I don’t know about your perception now, but I believe you are surprised by this statement. I enjoy talking to myself about a specific point that requires some personal insights. Self-talk is a therapeutic and creative activity for me. This technique helped me to become an inventor and a thought leader in my field. No, I am not crazy, as Sheldon in Big Bang Theory says.
Sometimes I record my conversations using a smartphone or laptop. Google Documents is a free tool I sometimes use for this purpose on my PC. In addition, as an added value, this free word processing software converts my recorded voice to text. Then I can insert the converted text into my daily journal.
Listening to my recorded conversations later gives me clues about my mood and the overall psychological situation at the recording times. This unique information allows me to recognize the essential patterns in my feelings and thoughts.
By recording my self-conversations and analyzing them, I act like my own therapist. I can monitor my mood and make the necessary therapeutic adjustments as required. The last time I saw a shrink was over a decade ago. In my opinion, being in control of one’s mental and emotional health is a crucial privilege in this life.
I had the tremendous benefit of improving my conversational English by using this voice recording method. It has been fascinating to listen to my own voice. I detect my own mistakes based on my grammar knowledge. I corrected them for better usage. My conversational fluency on specific topics increased.
This linguistic and therapeutic activity also contributes to my cognitive reserves. It is a broad topic beyond this book’s scope. My book about this topic will be available soon. It is a topic close to my heart.
7- Uplifting Music and Dance
Like many people, I find music as a tool to instantly boost my mood. For many years, when I was studying, background instrumental music was my concentration tool. It was mainly baroque music that facilitated my learning. I still listen to baroque music for relaxation and motivation in my creative work.
When I am in a low mood for any reason, I listen to uplifting music from my selected best pieces in an extensive collection. It doesn’t take too long to lift my mood to a positive state when I listen to those selected pieces. As potent reminders, they immediately send convincing signals to my brain to move from a negative to a positive zone.
The use of uplifting music in challenging times has allowed me to transform from a pessimistic to an optimistic state. We are hard-wired to be pessimistic and suspicious as the default. Unless we make a special effort to move it to an optimal state, the brain will always default to a pessimistic state.
Another tool that I discovered was dancing, and I combine dancing with my uplifting music when I feel lethargic.
During my hourly breaks, just five to ten minutes of dancing with selected uplifting music provides an additional cognitive boost. Both my brain and body always crave dancing with uplifting music.
My body loves to dance, and my brain loves to listen to music and responds with favorable hormonal and neural reactions. I love the choreography. For example, have you come across Kerry Muzzey’s “Architect of the Mind” with Christopher Scott’s choreography on YouTube? This piece has a special meaning for me. It artistically reflects how the brain works. I embed it here for your pleasure.
Making these seven simple techniques daily habits contributed to boosting my brain instantly and sustainably.
Disclaimer: I shared my personal experience for information purposes only. This article does not provide medical or therapeutic advice. I presented my experiments for a biographical representation of my personal life experience. I do not make any claims and recommendations.
Previous Chapters
Chapter 9: Powerful Life-Changing Hacks That Truly Transformed My Life
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