It only takes about 45 minutes for most of the caffeine you drink to be absorbed into your bloodstream, though its effects can last anywhere from 4 to 6 hours. The problem is that, if you want to keep enjoying the energy-boosting benefits of caffeine, you need to keep drinking it.

Unfortunately, not all of the effects caffeine has on your body and brain are helpful. In fact, some of them can be downright dangerous. Keep reading to learn more about the effects of caffeine on the body and mind and to receive some tips for beating your coffee addiction once and for all.

How Much Caffeine is Too Much?

Technically speaking, caffeine is a stimulant, and it is often described as the most commonly used psychoactive drug in the world. While some people sip a small cup of coffee while reading the paper in the morning, others make multiple trips to the corner coffee shop throughout the day, consuming anywhere from 3 to 6 cups of coffee over the course of a single day.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) considers caffeine to be both a food additive and a drug, recommending a maximum intake of 400mg per day. With over 90% of American adults consuming caffeine on a daily basis, the average daily consumption is 200mg per day, about the amount of caffeine you’d get from a 14-ounce Dunkin’ Donuts coffee.

But how exactly does caffeine affect the body and mind, and is it dangerous?

Though the effects of caffeine can last up to 6 hours, it takes less than an hour for your body to absorb most of the caffeine you drink through your epithelial tissue. Caffeine passes easily into the bloodstream through the lining of your mouth, throat, and stomach. Depending on your genetic makeup, your body may metabolize caffeine at a certain rate depending on your level of caffeine sensitivity:

• Hyposensitive – People who are hyposensitive to caffeine can take large doses (greater than 500mg) without feeling much effect – they can also consume caffeine close to bedtime without it affecting their sleep. About 10% of people are hyposensitive to caffeine.
• Normal – Normal caffeine sensitivity means that you can consume 200mg to 400mg per day without adverse reactions. As long as you stop consuming caffeine in the early afternoon, it shouldn’t affect your ability to fall asleep at night.
• Hypersensitive – If you are hypersensitive to caffeine, even small doses under 100mg can cause overdose symptoms such as jitters, rapid heart rate, and insomnia. People who are hypersensitive to caffeine may take twice as long for the body to metabolize it.

Many people fall somewhere in between these three levels of caffeine sensitivity, and you may already have some idea where you fall based on reactions you have noticed in the past. What you may not realize is that many of your body’s reactions to caffeine are internal, so you are unlikely to even be aware that they are happening.

What Does Caffeine Do?

In order to understand the effects of caffeine on the body, you first need to understand the basics about a chemical called adenosine. A naturally-occurring nucleotide, adenosine plays a role in cellular energy transfer by forming ATP and ADP – it also plays a role in cell signaling.

In the brain, adenosine is an inhibitory neurotransmitter. Throughout the course of a normal day, your adenosine levels slowly climb. As a central nervous system depressant, increasing levels of adenosine in the body is what causes you to become tired. Caffeine is similar in size and shape to adenosine, so the adenosine receptors in your brain can’t tell the difference, so the caffeine molecules bind to those receptors, preventing adenosine from binding. As a result, the effects of adenosine are blocked, and the caffeine prevents you from getting tired.

The problem is that by blocking adenosine receptors, caffeine allows other neurotransmitters to keep producing. As your dopamine levels increase, you experience a mild jolt of energy. Caffeine can also trigger the pituitary gland, causing it to release hormones like adrenaline which are normally released during a stress response. As a result, your pupils dilate, your heart beats faster, your blood pressure rises, and your liver releases sugar into the bloodstream for energy.

This is why, when you drink coffee, your hands may get cold, your muscles grow tense, and you feel a rush of energy and excitement as your heart beats more quickly. These symptoms are more commonly referred to as the caffeine “jitters”.

How Does Caffeine Affect the Body and Mind?

The energy-boosting effects of caffeine may sound relatively harmless. On the surface it may seem like they do more good than harm. The problem is that the energy-boosting effects of caffeine can only last for so long. When your adenosine receptors are clogged, all of that adenosine has nowhere to go. So, once the caffeine wears off, all of the adenosine rushes in, and you get very tired all at once. After the energy rush wears off, you may find that you feel even more tired than you did before.

In small doses, caffeine has been scientifically proven to provide a wide array of health benefits. For example, a study published in Medical News Today revealed that drinking three cups of coffee per day was correlated with a 50% lower risk of liver cancer. Another study showed that drinking four cups of coffee per day halved the risk for throat and mouth cancers. Moderate caffeine intake has been shown to boost long-term memory and may even protect against certain chronic diseases like type 2 diabetes, Parkinson’s disease, heart disease, and stroke.

Though there are some potential health benefits associated with caffeine, there are also negative effects – particularly if you consume more than 500mg to 600mg per day. Common side effects of excess caffeine consumption include nervousness, restlessness, upset stomach, insomnia, irritability, rapid heart rate, and muscle tremors. Not only can excessive caffeine consumption cause negative side effects, but its nature as a stimulant means that there is also a potential for addiction and withdrawal. These symptoms may include fatigue, headache, depression, irritability, nausea, vomiting, and difficulty concentrating.

Because the effects of excessive caffeine consumption and caffeine addiction can be severe, you may be thinking about kicking your caffeine habit. Keep reading to learn about natural alternatives to caffeine and to receive some tips for beating your caffeine addiction.

5 Ways to Beat Your Caffeine Addiction

Even if you don’t experience a negative reaction to caffeine, it could still be affecting your mind and body in ways you don’t realize. If you’re experience negative side effects, or if you simply want to find a healthier alternative, there are some simple things you can do to beat your caffeine addiction.

Here are 5 simple ways to beat your addiction to caffeine:

1. Take a closer look at your caffeine habits to determine just how much you’re drinking on a daily basis. Different drinks like coffee, soda, and tea contain different levels of caffeine – you may even find it in over-the-counter pain relievers.
2. Start cutting back gradually to reduce the risk of withdrawal. You could drink one fewer cup of coffee during the day or simply make your cups smaller.
3. Quit drinking caffeine earlier in the day. In addition to slowly cutting back on how much caffeine you drink, you should also make changes to when you drink it. Stop drinking caffeine after 2pm, so the effects don’t last long enough to interfere with sleep.
4. Switch to decaf or “half-caf”. If the main reason you drink coffee is because you like the taste, switch to decaf or to half-caf so you can still enjoy your favorite beverage.
5. Change how you brew your tea. If tea is your caffeinated beverage of choice, you can reduce your caffeine intake by brewing your tea for less time or by going herbal – most herbal teas don’t contain caffeine because they are made from herbs rather than tea leaves.

Depending how much caffeine you’re used to drinking on a daily basis, cutting back could lead to withdrawal symptoms. Cutting back slowly may help to reduce these symptoms, but you should be prepared for them all the same. Following a healthy diet of whole foods will help provide your body with natural energy and regular exercise will boost your endorphins to give you a similar effect to caffeine, albeit for a shorter period of time.

Try These Natural Alternatives to Coffee

As you work on beating your caffeine addiction, you may want to try some natural alternatives to coffee. Fortunately, there are a number of beverages that have the potential to give you a natural boost of energy without any of the nasty side effects associated with caffeine.

Here are 10 natural alternatives to coffee that you might try:

1. Matcha Tea – To make matcha tea, the leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant are steamed, dried, and ground into a fine green powder. Matcha tea is more highly concentrated in antioxidants than regular green tea, and it has a fresh, earthy flavor. To prepare matcha tea, add hot water to 1 to 2 teaspoons of matcha powder and stir slowly until dissolved then serve when frothy.
2. Chicory Root – Chicory root, like coffee beans, can be roasted, ground, and brewed into a hot beverage that tastes similar to coffee. Brew 2 tablespoons for every 6 ounces of water or adjust the taste. You can sweeten chicory root just like coffee.
3. Lemon Water – Not only is fresh lemon water caffeine-free, but it is also calorie-free which means that you can enjoy it any time of day. The vitamin C in lemon juice supports your immune system as well as your skin health.
4. Golden Milk – A rich, warm beverage, golden milk is a healthy and caffeine-free coffee substitute. Golden milk consists of milk or non-dairy milk heated with turmeric, cinnamon, ground ginger, and black pepper. It is primarily known for its anti-inflammatory benefits.
5. Chai Tea – This beverage consists of a mix of black tea blended with herbs and spices. Though black tea does still contain caffeine, it has a different chemical makeup and the potential to provide numerous health benefits. To make chai tea, steep 4 cardamom seeds, 4 cloves, and 2 black peppercorns with a cinnamon stick and 1 inch of fresh sliced ginger in 2 cups of water or milk for 10 minutes before straining into a mug.
6. Yerba Mate – An herbal tea made from the dried leaves of the South American holly tree (Ilex paraguriensis), yerba mate is a natural coffee substitute. This beverage contains about 78mg of caffeine per cup, but it is loaded with beneficial plant compounds that coffee is lacking. Yerba mate is rich in antioxidants as well as essential nutrients like riboflavin, iron, and calcium.
7. Rooibos Tea – Also known as red tea, rooibos tea is a non-caffeinated beverage originally made in South Africa. This tea is rich in antioxidants which may protect against cancer and heart disease in addition to helping you feel a little more alert and energized. Prepare rooibos tea by steeping 1 to 1 ½ teaspoons of loose rooibos in a cup of hot water for up to 10 minutes.
8. Apple Cider Vinegar – Made by fermenting crushed apples, apple cider vinegar is rich in acetic acid which provides myriad health benefits. Apple cider vinegar may help lower blood sugar and cholesterol while improving weight loss and heart health. Try drinking 1 to 2 tablespoons mixed with a cup of cold water once a day.
9. Kombucha – Made by fermenting black tea with bacteria, yeast, and sugar, kombucha is a probiotic beverage rich in antioxidants. In addition to providing a boost of energy, kombucha may provide similar benefits to green tea such as improved cholesterol levels, increased calorie burn, and blood sugar control.
10. Coconut Water – Derived from young coconuts, coconut water is naturally sweet, and it is loaded with electrolytes and naturally-occurring bioactive enzymes. Not only can coconut water give you a boost of natural energy, but it is a healthier alternative to sugary sports drinks as well.

We all have our vices and for some, drinking too much coffee is one of them. Excessive consumption of coffee can lead to some significant side effects, so it may be a good idea to start cutting back, even if you don’t feel like you need to.

Give some of the natural coffee alternatives listed above a try – you might just find that you like them better than coffee!

The post Quitting Caffeine: 5 Ways to Beat Your Coffee Addiction appeared first on Brain Wiz.

Procrastination is normal, and we all do it from time to time. What you may not realize is that procrastination is more than just avoiding or delaying a task – there is also a needless, irrational, or counterproductive aspect to it.

The effects of procrastination are obvious. By putting off an urgent task to do something less urgent, you put yourself in the position of having to rush later which may impact your ability to complete the task well or on-time.

Though it can seem difficult to train your brain to stop procrastinating it can be done, and, in this article, you’ll learn how.

Let’s get started…

What is Procrastination, Really?

People who procrastinate are often viewed as lazy or disorganized. The truth of the matter is, however, that most people who procrastinate are actually quite intelligent, hardworking people. Furthermore, procrastination is not the same as “laziness” – procrastinating is an action in which you choose to do something other than the thing you know you should be doing.

Let’s take a closer look at the definition of procrastination and review it in its many forms.

Merriam-Webster defines the word procrastinate as, “to put off intentionally and habitually” or “to put off intentionally the doing of something that should be done.” The Oxford English Dictionary may hit closest to the mark with its definition of procrastination as a means of postponement, “often with the sense of deferring through indecision, when early action would have been preferable.”

These definitions pinpoint what makes procrastination different from ordinary delay – the needlessness and counter-productivity of it. In most cases when you procrastinate, it is with the knowledge that doing so will have future consequences. In fact, procrastinating can cause severe anxiety in some individuals.

So, why do we procrastinate even when we know it will only make things more difficult later?

The above definitions are how most people understand the meaning of the word procrastinate, but psychologists suggest that there is something deeper and darker to it.

Why Do We Procrastinate and What Are the Effects?

According to Joseph Ferrari, Ph.D., an associate professor of psychology at De Paul University in Chicago, procrastination is a lifestyle and, in some, an innate personality trait. About massive 20% of people self-identify as chronic procrastinators, and it ekes its ways into all aspects of their lives. From making late payments on bills to buying Christmas gifts at the last minute, some people seem to procrastinate on just about everything.

Dr. Ferrari suggests that there are three types of procrastinators:

1. People who wait until the last minute for the euphoric rush of having to complete the task at the very last moment.
2. People who avoid certain tasks out of a fear of failure or success as well as concern about how others will view them.
3. People who have trouble making decisions – by not making a decision, they absolve themselves of responsibility for the outcome.

Many people who procrastinate end up getting the delayed task done, but not always on time or to the best of their ability. In cases where your performance is evaluated by others, procrastination can lead to disapproval and a loss of respect – it could even cost you your job. On a more personal level, procrastination can result in physical symptoms such as stress, a sense of guilt, and even chronic anxiety.

When you procrastinate, you may find yourself justifying the action – you make an excuse about why you are putting off the more urgent task to complete something less urgent. Here are some of the ways you might actively delay completing a task or justify your procrastination:

• Avoidance: You avoid the location or situation where the delayed task takes place.
• Trivialization: You convince yourself that the task is not important, or that it is less important than another task.
• Distraction: You engage yourself in a behavior or activity that distracts you from the task.
• Humor: You make your procrastination itself a joke.
• Comparisons: You compare your situation to something that is worse.
• Blaming: You suggest that the cause of your procrastination is something beyond your control.
• Reframing: You suggest that getting an earlier start is actually harmful, that procrastination yields better results.
• Denial: You pretend that you are not procrastinating, that the chosen task is actually more important than the delayed task.
• Laziness: You avoid the urgent task simply because you do not want to or feel like doing it.

The more you procrastinate, the more things can seem to spiral out of control. By delaying an urgent task in favor of a less urgent task, you put yourself in a position of having to complete that task in a rush later which may also force you to delay other tasks that come up in the meantime.

Now that you have a deeper understanding of how procrastination rears its ugly head, let’s review how we can overcome it.

How to Train Your Brain to Stop Procrastinating

The most dangerous thing about procrastination is that you may not even realize you’re doing it.

According to psychologist Piers Steel, there are key personality traits of people who do not procrastinate. They are high in conscientiousness, persistence, self-discipline, and personal responsibility. Chronic procrastinators, on the other hand, are more concerned about social esteem – how others view them – than self-esteem or how they view themselves.

The first step in retraining your brain to stop procrastinating, then, is to become more aware of the fact that you are procrastinating and to ask yourself why. Here is a quick overview of the 6 steps you can take to train your brain to stop procrastinating:

1. Recognize that you are procrastinating.
2. Find out why you are procrastinating.
3. Reframe your thinking and move forward.
4. Break the task into smaller steps.
5. Find the right source of motivation.
6. Identify and account for distractions.

Now, let’s take a closer look at each of these six steps in greater detail.

Step 1: Recognize that you are procrastinating.

Recognizing that you are procrastinating can be difficult, especially if it is a habit you’ve adopted. Here are some of the signs that you might be procrastinating:

• You tend to fill your day with low-priority tasks.
• The same couple of items have been on your to-do list all week.
• You read emails several times without replying.
• You postpone calling people back.
• You start working on an urgent task then quickly switch to something else.
• You work on new tasks before tasks that have already been assigned.
• You wait until you are “in the right mood” to start a task.

Chronic procrastinators often have trouble with self-regulation, so you might not even be aware that you are putting off a more urgent task to complete a simpler one. The key to retraining your brain to stop procrastination is to know what procrastination looks like and to identify it in yourself. Review the delaying strategies from the previous section and keep them in your mind so you will learn to recognize procrastination behaviors sooner.

Step 2: Find out why you are procrastinating.

Once you realize that you are procrastinating, the next step is to find out why. Even if procrastination has become a habit or a lifestyle for you, there is probably some underlying reason why you tend to put things off. That reason might be different for each task, or it could all have a similar undercurrent. Here are some of the reasons you might be delaying a task:

• You find the task unpleasant or boring.
• You are afraid that you won’t do it correctly.
• You’re afraid that doing it well will lead to more work.
• You don’t feel like you have the skills to complete the task.
• You can’t make a decision about how to do it.
• You aren’t motivated or don’t feel like doing the task.
• You’re worried that someone else might do it better.
• You don’t like being told what to do.

Unfortunately, if procrastination has become a habit for you, it may take some time to dig deep enough to determine the true underlying reason for your behavior. Our minds are constantly running, often without our awareness, and it is only by focusing in on those unconscious thoughts that we can get to the true heart of our deepest fears and worries.

When you find yourself procrastinating, sit back and really think about the reason why. Ask yourself these questions:

• Is this task relevant to my position and do I enjoy the work?
• What worries me about this task in particular?
• Have I completed a similar task before? Did I do it well?
• What are the future implications of completing this task poorly/well?
• Do I have the skills and knowledge to complete this task properly?

By asking these questions, you can start to get a feel for why you are putting off a certain task. Realizing that you are procrastinating is the first step, identifying the underlying cause of your procrastination is the next step, and the third step is to reframe your thinking and move forward.

In some people, procrastination is more than just a bad habit. Certain mental health conditions like anxiety, depression, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) are also associated with procrastination. If you find that you procrastinate frequently, but your reasons do not quite fit the list above, you may want to talk to your doctor about your concerns.

Step 3: Reframe your thinking and move forward.

Procrastination is a deeply ingrained pattern of thought and behavior, so you’ll need to work at changing your thinking if you want to change your behavior. Once you recognize that you are procrastinating, and you’ve determined the underlying reason why, your next step is to reframe your thoughts about the task and your completion of it, so you can move forward.

One place you might start is to forgive yourself for procrastinating in the past. Many chronic procrastinators are perfectionists – people who would prefer not to do something at all than to do it poorly. If you’re going to get over your habit of procrastination, however, you’re going to have to change your priorities and come to accept that your best, at the current point in time you choose to complete the task, is good enough.

It may also help for you to work on changing your internal monologue. If the thought that certain tasks are necessary makes you nervous and you start thinking of them with terms like “have to” or “need to,” it can make you feel disempowered. If you instead reframe your thinking with terms like “want to” and “choose to,” it might help you feel like you are in control. By choosing to complete a task, you are taking ownership of it, and that is a step in the right direction.

Whatever unhealthy patterns of thought are contributing to your procrastination, those are the thoughts you need to target and change if you want to move forward. Keep in mind that this will take time to do, and it’s okay if you don’t get it right each and every time. As you’re working on these first three steps to reframing your thoughts, putting the next three into action will help you start changing your behavior.

Step 4: Break the task into smaller steps.

Changing your behavior is not something that you can do overnight – at least not with lasting results. If you want to retrain your brain to stop procrastinating, it may help to break up larger tasks into smaller pieces. This is a process often referred to as “chunking“.

Here’s how to put it into practice… Take a minute to sit down and think about the task and all of the different pieces of the bigger picture that it will take to complete it. Write down each of those steps in a numbered list and then start at the top. Each time you complete one of the steps, cross it off the list and move on to the next.

If you are a person who is motivated by deadlines, you may also want to assign a time limit to each step on the list. The deadline for the completion of total task should be your final deadline, so work backward from there and assign a specific deadline or time limit for each of the individual tasks. Make sure you give yourself enough time to complete each step properly, but not so much time that you start to lose focus or start to procrastinate again. Knowing that each task has an assigned time limit should help you stay on track because if you fall behind on one step, it will affect all the steps thereafter.

The power of chunking comes from the same psychological influence behind the classic to do list. Your brain loves ordered tasks and is much more willing to cooperate with completing an unknown task if it is further broken down into actionable steps.

Step 5: Find the right source of motivation.

Often in life, we find ourselves forced to do things we don’t want to do. If this is the underlying cause for your procrastination, you may need to find something else to motivate yourself. Motivation can come from anywhere, and it can be either a small-scale or a large-scale thing.

For example, if you hate writing status reports at work, but you are required to for your position, you might procrastinate simply because you dislike the work. The completion of the task itself is not enough to motivate you, so you’ll need to find something else that will. As a small-scale motivation, you might choose a reward to give yourself when you finish writing the reports – maybe a candy bar from the vending machine or a trip to your favorite coffee shop during your lunch break. If large-scale motivations work better, maybe focus on the fact that completing the status reports will allow you to move on to work that you enjoy more.

Step 6: Identify and account for distractions.

As you work at training your brain to stop procrastinating, you’re going to encounter some stumbling blocks along the way. Chronic procrastinators are easily distracted by things like email, coffee breaks, even conversations happening in the office. If you really want to change your habits to become more productive, you’re going to need to learn how to work around distractions and keep your focus honed in.

The first step in learning how to work through distractions is to identify what those distractions might be. Take some time to think about your typical day and all of the things you do besides work – you might even want to make a list. Be sure to include things like checking email, checking social media, reading and replying to text messages, taking coffee and bathroom breaks, walking around the office, and more. Once you have those potential distractions in mind, you’ll be more conscious of them when they arise and, when they do, you can make the effort to refocus your mind on the task at hand.

For example, if you are distracted by your phone during work you might put in on airplane more and tuck it away in your desk until you’ve finished the task at hand.

You can also find productivity apps that will prevent you from opening certain websites or using your phone until a certain time period has passed. Freedom is a personal favorite of mine because it works on desktop and mobile devices (Mac, Windows, Android, and iOS).

Get Started with the Two-Minute Rule

The steps above will help you retrain your brain to bring your habit of procrastination to an end. Unfortunately, getting started is the hardest part for many procrastinators, and if you never get started, you’ll never make any progress.

That is where the two-minute rule comes into play.

The two-minute rule is based on the idea that most complex tasks can be scaled down into a quick, two-minute version. Smaller tasks are easier to handle and, once you’ve gotten started with the task, it is much easier to keep going and to make a lasting change to your habits. Here’s what that might look like:

• “Catch up on emails and clean out your inbox” becomes “read, reply to (if necessary), and delete three emails.”
• “Develop a plan for a complex presentation at the end of the week” becomes “gather the supplies and documentation you need to plan the presentation.”
• “Write performance reviews for the entire department” becomes “write down a list of staff members to be reviewed and gather their files.”
• “Plan the company’s anniversary party for the end of the month” becomes “write a list of tasks that need to be completed for the party to be a success.”

By breaking down complex tasks into smaller pieces, they suddenly seem more manageable. From there, simply choose a task to start with and follow the six steps from the previous section to stay focused. You may find that once you get past the hurdle of getting started that you gain momentum and it becomes easier to stay on task. Before you know it, you’ll be checking every box on your to-do list, and you’ll have to start a new one!

Final Thoughts

For many people, procrastination is a state of mind, and that’s what makes it so difficult to overcome. If you follow the advice in this article and put those six steps into play, however, you can actually train your brain to stop procrastinating, and you’ll be a happier, healthier, and more productive person for it.

Did you find this article helpful? I’d love to know! Leave a comment below…

The post 6 Step Plan to Train Your Brain to Stop Procrastinating appeared first on Brain Wiz.

Visit any college library and you’re bound to encounter students with their heads buried in textbooks or ferociously typing away on their laptops. What’s keeping them motivated and productive? There’s a chance it’s Adderall. In fact, accord to the Partnership For Drug-Free Kids, 60% of the students surveyed were abusing some type of stimulant (Adderall, Ritalin, or Vyvanse) to help them study.

I’m no stranger to Adderall. In college, I was prescribed it for an inability to focus. While it initially gave me a boost of energy and motivation to focus, the negative side effects were too big to ignore.

Because of my own personal experience with Adderall and my fascination with optimizing focus, productivity, and mental energy, I went searching for the perfect Adderall alternatives. What I found has changed my life for the better.

Note: I am not a doctor and this article is not meant to provide any medical diagnosis or suggestions. If you have ADHD or are prescribed Adderall, please talk to your doctor before taking any new supplement or increasing, decreasing, or stopping your regular dosage. Never take illegally obtained drugs. 

Okay, now that we have all the legal jargon out of the way. Let’s first start by digging into what Adderall is…

An Overview Of Adderall

Adderall is a stimulant known as an amphetamine. Amphetamines have been around for decades and are traditionally used and abused by “tweakers” or “meth heads”. Most notably, amphetamines were used on both the Axis and Allies sides during World War 2 in order to keep the troops awake and stimulated.

Amphetamines, like Adderall, work by causing the release of dopamine and norepinephrine. These chemicals react in your brain by making you feel more alert and awake. For some, it can make them feel a rush of power, like they can achieve anything. It’s no wonder why it has been abused for so long — it gets users high, regardless of whether they’re taking it legally or illegally. And for students looking to illegally obtain it to cram for midterms or finals, it seems like a miracle drug. But is it?

Adderall Side Effects

Like all drugs or supplements available, there can always be negative side effects. And usually, the stronger the drug or supplement, the riskier the side effects. Adderall is no different.

Many Adderall or amphetamine users are familiar with the short-term side effects associated with its use.

• Irritability
• Trouble sleeping
• Cardiac issues (such as a racing heartbeat)

However, the long-term effects of heavy Adderall use are a bit more scary.

• Heart disease
• Insomnia
• Heart palpitations
• Trouble breathing
• Tremors

These effects can have a domino effect by leading to even worse medical issues such as a weakened heart, changes in the brain, and seizures.

And we haven’t even touched the scariest part of Adderall abuse — addiction.

Adderall Addiction

Amphetamines are one of the top ten most addictive drugs in the world. This is because the body can build up a tolerance relatively quickly and need more of it just to feel the same. This leads to increasing dosages and building up even higher tolerances… A never ending cycle.

Beyond the physical addiction, there is also a very strong mental addiction that can occur. Many addicts believe that they cannot perform or function without the drug. This has led to a lot of students who abused Adderall in school graduating and continuing to abuse it in the workplace. And since Adderall works by pumping out dopamine (the body’s “happy” chemical) long-term users and addicts often feel a level of depression when they aren’t on it since their dopamine levels have been skewed for so long.

Nootropic Adderall Alternatives

Having given up Adderall years ago when I became tired of all the negative side effects, I began researching alternatives that could help me in the same way. This led me down the rabbit hole of nootropics. If you’re unfamiliar with nootropics, they are supplements that provide their users with various cognitive benefits. Some use nootropics to help them think clearer, others use nootropics to help them be more extroverted in social settings. The end goal is always the same, to optimize the users mental state.

Because we’re talking about alternatives to Adderall, I’ve narrowed down my favorite nootropics that have similar effects as Adderall (increase focus, enhance concentration, and higher levels of mental energy) without such nasty side effects.

The best part about nootropics is that they’re legal, affordable, effective, and many are backed by research.

Note: These supplements are not meant to treat any medical diagnosis. If you are legally prescribed Adderall, please talk to your doctor before trying anything mentioned in this article.

OptiMind

OptiMind is a nootropic made by Alternascript, a company that has a long history with making great supplements. Funny enough, OptiMind used to be called “Alleradd”, which sounds an awful lot like “Adderall”. It has a combination of nootropic ingredients in it that increase focus and mood. Because OptiMind has caffeine in it, it still has decent stimulant effects too (increasing overall energy, not just mental energy). Although I personally like OptiMind, my one gripe is that they don’t put exactly how much caffeine is in each dose. Based on my experience, it didn’t seem like more than 80mg (around a small cup of coffee’s worth). However, I’m just estimating. OptiMind currently has a promotion going on where they are giving away a free sample. This is a great way to try it out and see if it’s a good option for your needs.

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Alpha Brain and Coffee

Possibly one of the most popular nootropics around, Alpha Brain is made by Onnit. If you listen to podcasts, there’s a chance you’ve heard an advertisement for Onnit before. Alpha Brain is one of the few nootropics that have paid for an unbiased clinical study. The results were positive — users had significantly improved recent verbal memory when compared with controls. When I’m looking for that Adderall “effect” to help my get through a long day at work or study, sometimes I will take Alpha Brain and have a small cup of coffee. Since Alpha Brain doesn’t have any stimulants in it, I find have a cup to a cup and a half of coffee throughout the day enhances its positive cognitive effects.

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Lumonol

Lumonol is one of the main nootropics I reach for in those semi-rare occasions where I need intense focus, mental clarity, and energy. Unlike the nootropics mentioned above, it has the added benefit of Noopept. In the world of mental optimization, Noopept may be one of the most talked about nootropics. Many users have incredible personal stories of reducing brain fog and increasing mental alertness. However, there isn’t a ton of research on how it works and truly how effective it is. I can say that it is very effective for helping me stay “in the zone” while working. After taking Lumonol, I often find myself working for hours on end and having to force myself to get up, eat, and drink water to stay hydrated.

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Mind Lab Pro and Coffee

Mind Lab Pro is a nootropic that I take more frequently because it is more “middle of the road” for me in terms of its nootropic effects. Like Alpha Brain, it has no caffeine or stimulants in it, which means I can have a cup of coffee or two and it will only enhance its effects. Based on my experience, Mind Lab Pro is probably one of the best nootropics for beginners.

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Four Sigmatic Mushroom Coffee

Mushroom coffee might sound crazy but, let me tell you, it works wonders. This is the first caffeinated drink I’ve ever had that had a lot of effects similar to Adderall (e.g. an increase in mental energy, focus, and concentration). One thing I really like about Four Sigmatic Mushroom coffee is that it has about half the caffeine of a regular cup of coffee. This makes it a good Adderall alternative for people who have a low tolerance for caffeine or those that get jittery from taking too much caffeine.

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Qualia

Qualia is a nootropic supplement stack from the folks over at Neurohacker Collective. To put it bluntly, Qualia is possibly the highest level of nootropic available. I would refer to it as the “Rolls Royce” of nootropics. If you’re new to the world of nootropics, you may not want to start with such a powerful one. That being said, I have found it to be incredibly effective in improving almost every aspect of my mental health. While it has a lot of ingredients, each and every one plays an important role in the cognitive benefit of its user.

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TruBrain

TruBrain is a nootropic that is a little unlike the ones mentioned above. It comes in a pouch and can be drank. It doesn’t particularly taste great but I found its effects to be very similar to Adderall. Like Lumonol, it puts me into a zone state for hours at a time. This is probably because it has Noopept and caffeine in it. One of the main benefits of TruBrain, beyond the fact that it helps increase focus/concentration, is that you can take it with you anywhere. For example, I throw a few pouches of TruBrain in my backpack, briefcase, and gym bag. That way, no matter where I am, if I need an extra brain boost, I can grab TruBrain and get to work.

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Final Thoughts on Nootropics as an Adderall Alternative

I’m a huge fan of nootropics in helping boost cognitive function, memory, focus, and energy. However, nootropics don’t work properly unless you already have a healthy lifestyle. That means you need to ensure that you’re giving your body the following:

• Enough Sleep: Regardless of your age or gender, you need to be getting at least seven hours of sleep each night. Sleep allows your body to flush out all of the waste and buildup in your brain that occurs throughout the day. Proper sleep also helps in forming long-term memories.
• Healthy Diet: You’ve heard it before but eating a healthy diet is key for helping your brain work as efficiently as possibly. While every diet differs, its important to eat food that isn’t processed and is as close to the “real thing” as possible. For example, chicken breasts instead of chicken nuggets.
• Exercise: One of the biggest ways I was able to improve my energy and focus throughout the day was by maintaining a regular exercise regime. Even if it’s only a fifteen minute run, getting your blood pumping and heart beating faster through exercise has a whole host of benefits (e.g. increasing dopamine to make you feel better and have more energy throughout the day).

Natural Alternatives to Adderall

If you’re looking to steer clear of drugs and supplements completely in an effort to find the right natural Adderall alternative, there are still many options. I have incorporated the following four strategies into my daily routine with much success, even when not combined with nootropics.

The Wim Hof Method

If you aren’t already familiar with Wim Hof, he is a man who has baffled scientists by his ability to resist cold and literally control his immune system. Thus, almost never getting sick.  His ability to perform these modern day miracles can be boiled down to a set of three steps:

1. He performs a breathing exercise to expel as much carbon dioxide from the body as possible and replace it with as much oxygen as possible.
2. He performs a light exercise routine, such as push ups, to get his blood pumping and move the new oxygen around his body and into red blood cells.
3. He takes a cold shower to help release adrenaline, dopamine, and reduce inflammation in the body.

Doing all three of these things in succession may seem crazy to someone who is new to the Wim Hof Method. I certainly thought it was crazy the first time I heard of it. But then I tried it. Within ten to fifteen minutes after finishing the last step, I could feel the effects literally change how I felt both mentally and physically.

How does it work? It’s pretty simple, actually. Because we sit for the majority of our days, our body isn’t taking in as much oxygen as is needed to function optimally. When we don’t get enough oxygen, we start to feel fatigued. This can lead to not being able to focus properly, exhaustion, and brain fog.

If one of the reasons you’re looking for an Adderall alternative is because you’re having trouble with mental fatigue, I definitely recommend trying the Wim Hof Method. Read my full review here.

Eat Anti-Inflammation Foods

One of the leading causes of mental fatigue and the dreaded “brain fog” is inflammation. We are fed so much processed food, sugar, and gluten in our day-to-day diets that causes our body and mind to become inflamed. What’s scary is that I estimate upwards of 70% of the food in a grocery store causes inflammation (e.g. most cereals, breads, pastas, candy, and frozen foods).

I have battled with brain fog my entire life. Only recently have I been able to identify one of the main culprits being my diet. Once I stopped eating foods that caused inflammation and added in foods to my diet that were anti-inflammatories, I was finally able to reclaim my brain.

Here are ten great anti-inflammatory foods you can start incorporating into your diet:

1. Green Leafy Vegetables
2. Celery
3. Beets
4. Broccoli
5. Blueberries
6. Salmon
7. Turmeric
8. Flax Seeds
9. Ginger
10. Bone Broth

Meditation

Most people hear the word “meditation” and instantly think of hippies crossing their legs, closing their eyes, and saying “ohm” over and over. Most people think meditating is nonsense but research says otherwise.

I practice Transcendental Meditation to calm and focus my mind during the day in order to get me over the mid-day hump. I believe this type of meditation is one of the easiest to learn and perform on a consistent basis. However, there are plenty of meditation apps out there.

For those looking for an Adderall alternative that will calm and focus their mind while also giving them natural energy, meditation is one of the best options. Just look at how much it helped when applied in a classroom setting…

Hydrate

The last natural Adderall alternative I have for you might be the simplest — keep yourself hydrated. Way too often when we’re overcome with fatigue, irritability, or mental exhaustion, its simply because we’re a bit dehydrated. Regardless of wether you’re at work, school, or out and about, you should always be carrying water around.

I suggest investing in a reusable water bottle that is easy to carry with you or fit in a bag and won’t break if dropped. Here are some favorites of mine:

• Brita 20 Ounce Sport Water Bottle
• Premium Sports Water Bottle
• CamelBak eddy .75L Water Bottle

Final Thoughts

Adderall is a powerful drug. It’s one that has a lot of positives for those who are prescribed it and truly need it. But it also has a lot of negatives for those who take it illegally. Finding an Adderall alternative doesn’t have to be hard. Whether you’re looking for a safer OTC alternative such as a nootropic or a natural strategy such as the Wim Hof Method, you have a lot of options.

If you have tried any of the above alternatives to Adderall or you you have suggestions of your own based on personal experience, please leave a comment below!

The post Adderall Alternatives: Legal OTC & Natural Substitutes appeared first on Brain Wiz.

Remaining focused throughout the day can be extremely difficult when living in a world with so many distractions. Here are 5 simple hacks so you can pay more attention to the important things that you face on a daily basis.

1) Keep Your Phone Turned Off While Conducting Important Tasks

In today’s day and age phone’s are the number one, most distracting things in each of our lives. Nearly everything from sending emails, to checking Facebook, to controlling the heating in your house can be done via mobile device.

It’s no wonder that these little things have become a major distraction.

I know it may sound uncanny to not have your phone on for an hour or two during the day; However, if you’re looking to get tasks done this is an extremely beneficial technique.

Every time we look at our phones, we not only waste the time that we spend looking at either Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or even replying to that text from an old friend; We also lose so much time in the process of returning to the task at hand. It may take several minutes to get back into the flow of whatever it was you were doing. Times this by 10 or even 20 and hours can be wasted!

2) Take A Break And Exercise For One Hour During The Day

Exercise along with a good night’s sleep is one of the number one hacks for remaining focused throughout the day. Doing just an hours exercise during the day can be extremely rewarding.

If exercise is done in the middle of the day it is a fantastic way to break up the day and the many daily tasks you plan to complete. Having a bit of ’time out’ encourages reflection and better thinking patterns; it allows you to take a step back and formulate strategic plans rather than being in the midst of mountains of work.

It has been found that doing an hours exercise a day has an extremely positive effect on brain function. Not only is exercise great for your heart but regularly exercising has been found to improve memory, learning and thinking skills.

Time to get those running shoes out!

3) Break Large Tasks Down Into Smaller Singular Tasks

Most of us struggle to stay focused due to the daunting nature of the tasks we face on a day to day basis. One extremely simple technique is to simply break these tasks down into miniature tasks themselves.

For example when having a big project at work, simply make a list of each individual task that makes up the project. By making these into similar smaller size tasks and ticking them off your list as they are done it’s much easier to gain momentum and immediately becomes far less daunting.

The main reason our brain gets distracted during big tasks is simply because…  they’re too big!

Let’s make them smaller… easy! 

4) Use Clever Software To Avoid Distractions.

Nowadays we are subject to an unbelievable amount of information online. This is a huge advantage but can also be a rather large hinderance. For those of you that work on a laptop, websites can be an extreme distraction. We’ve all got to admit a sneaky look at Facebook at work when the boss isn’t looking.

Well now there are a few invaluable free apps online that can really minimize these distractions when willpower just simply isn’t enough.

The first is a chrome extension called StayFocusd. This fantastic little tool allows you to select websites to block and time periods in which you wish them to be blocked. Give it a go – It can hugely improve productivity.

Another, even more effective tool is ColdTurkey. This literally allows you to block anything and everything. If you have a piece of writing that needs to be done it can even lock you into the document. 

5) Use A Form Of Nootropic To Aid Your Focus.

Finally the use of Nootropics can be a fantastic way to aid your Focus. Nutrients are essential for proper functioning of the brain, without them we would be unable to stay focused on anything.

Choline Supplements such as Alpha GPC and CDP Choline are known to specifically help with both memory and focus by conferring dietary choline to the body upon consumption. Choline is found in many foods such as eggs and red meat and it is a vital part of our diet in order to improve cognitive function.

If you’re interested in exploring Choline Supplements further; Improving your memory, focus, concentration and learning skills then take a look here for more information about The Science Behind Choline.

The post 5 Important Hacks To Remain Focused Throughout The Day appeared first on Brain Wiz.

However, there are a lot of people who struggle with meditation. They find it difficult to calm their minds or they often wonder if they’re doing it right. It can be both frustrating and discouraging for someone who is just getting into meditation for the first time.

The good news is, there’s a company that hopes to make meditation a little easier for you — Muse.

Muse has developed a brain sensing headband that detects brain activity to guide and monitor your mind throughout the meditation process. It allows you to see how active your mind is and can guide you back to a state of calm through the use of sound.

The reason this headband is a game changer is because it’s going to give you real-time feedback for every meditation session you complete. Once you’re done, you’ll immediately see how well you performed and you can get tips on how to improve. It’s the best way to track your progress when it comes to meditation, but it’ll also help you get into the regular habit of taking time for mindfulness.

If you could use a little help getting into meditation, the Muse headband just might be what you need to get started. Keep reading for our full review to learn what the headband actually does, how it works, and more…

What is the Muse Headband?

Muse has deemed this headband to be your “personal meditation assistant.” The reason for this title is that they’ve designed the headband to not only help you become better at meditation, but also to get you into the habit of meditating on a regular basis. The combination of the brain-sensing headband and their smartphone app will help guide you to a calm, focused mind, making meditation much easier.

All you have to do is place this slim headband around your head. It has a sleek, stylish design that you can feel comfortable using both inside and outside your home. Next, you have to pair it with your smartphone via Bluetooth. There are multiple sensors on the headband that monitor and detect your brain’s activity while you’re in a meditation session. These sensors can pick up on your brain waves because your brain constantly omits electrical signals, even when you’re asleep or in a relaxed state.

One important thing to note here is that brain waves are typically broken down into five bands. Each of those five bands can be detected by the Muse headband. Those brain wave bands include: delta waves, theta waves, alpha waves, beta waves, and gamma waves.

It works by then translating your brain signals into sounds that then guide your meditations. If your mind is calm, you’ll hear more soothing weather sounds. If your mind becomes active, the weather sounds will intensify. This is meant to guide you back to a calm state. Whenever the sounds become louder, that’s your reminder to let those thoughts pass so you can get focused again. Once the sounds return to being calming and soothing, you’ll know you’re on the right path. It really eliminates the stress of wondering if you’re meditating correctly.

The feedback you receive at the end of your meditation session will truly be invaluable for anyone who wants to get better at meditation. It shows you how calm your brain was versus how active it was. Since these results are saved in your private profile, you can track your progress over time and watch yourself improve. After all, the more you practice meditation, the better you will become at it.

To encourage you to meditate regularly, there are milestones and rewards for you to hit so you’ll feel that push to keep moving forward. They have even added exercises that have been contributed by meditation experts, which are another helpful way for you to learn meditation.

How Does it Work?

So, how exactly does this brain sensing headband work? It’s actually pretty simple to get everything set up and ready for its first use. You just need to begin by downloading the Muse app on your smartphone, which you can find in both the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store. Once you’ve downloaded the app, you’ll connect the headband to your device via Bluetooth. You’ll only have to do this once and it’s a quick and easy process.

Next, you’ll find a tutorial available for you within the Muse app. You’ll want to check that out first to learn how to adjust the headband to perfectly fit your head and to ensure it’s receiving an accurate reading. By taking the time to go through these steps first, you’re going to have a much better experience when using the Muse headband.

Before you can begin a session, you’ll have to do the calibration process first. There are seven calibrated sensors on the headband as there are two on the forehead, two behind the ears, as well as three references sensors. With all these sensors, it’s important to take the time to calibrate them. In fact, Muse recommends doing this before every session because your brain activity is different every single day. This step allows the Muse headband to get an image of your brain in a natural state, which will help get a better understanding of your brain signals.

After you’ve calibrated the headband, you’re ready to get started with your meditation session. You’ll use the app on your phone to begin the process. Your brain signals will be translated into the sounds of nature (like wind, for example), which will sound calm only when your mind is calm. If your mind is active with a lot of thoughts, the sounds will become louder and more intense. This is your indication to work on getting back to that point of focus and calming your mind.

There are a few different sound settings you can choose from, but you can expect to hear noises such as wind, chirping birds, light rain to heavy rain, and even thunder. No matter which settings you choose, the sounds will always intensify if your brain becomes busy.

Once you’ve completed your session, you’ll be able to see your results right on the app. All of the data is provided through graphs and charts that show how your brain performed. You’ll be able to see just how much time your brain spent in a calm state and how often it became active again. The results of every session are saved in your app for you to view privately, which means you can track your progress over time.

To encourage you to get better with every use of the Muse headband, they’ve made it into a little game where you receive points, can meet goals, and take on challenges and bonuses. It’s a great way to keep yourself motivated and to get you using the headband on a regular basis. You’ll notice that in time your ability to focus will increase, so don’t get discouraged if you don’t perform well the first time around.

Why Should I Meditate With the Muse Headband?

It’s no secret that you can obviously meditate without purchasing a headband like this one from Muse. For that reason, you might be questioning why something like this would be a worthwhile purchase to make. Well, the biggest reason is the real-time feedback the headband and the app provide you regarding your brain activity during meditation.

The feedback you receive will allow you to see how calm your brain is when you meditate and it shows how often you see spikes in brain activity. While you might find it difficult to keep your mind calm when you first begin meditating, the app provides tips and suggestions and encourages regular usage so you can get better and truly reap the benefits of meditation. Simply starting with a three to five minute session will help you on the way to building the habit of meditation. Before you know it, you’ll be meditating regularly and performing better and better each time.

What Else Do I Need to Know?

One of the first things you might be wondering is whether or not this device is safe to use. While you can learn more details on the Muse website, they have assured customers the headband has been tested and certified to meet United States, Canadian, and European regulations.

It’s also important to note that the headband uses Bluetooth to send information, which are significantly less powerful radio waves than the radio waves that come from a cell phone. They have even positioned the Bluetooth antenna inside the headband so that it is on the the outside of the circuit board. This means any signals it produces are directed away from your head.

All of the data the app collects is stored on your mobile device and within the Muse cloud servers. Before the information goes into the cloud, it is made anonymous and cannot be accessed by anyone unless you give Muse permission. They take great pride in maintaining their customers’ privacy, so you can feel comfortable storing data with them.

What Customers Are Saying

A quick search online will reveal plenty of reviews from customers who have had the opportunity to try out the Muse headband for themselves. Most of those reviews seem to be overwhelmingly positive from users who have been truly enjoying the experience the headband has provided to them.

Happy customers have said the headband provided accurate results and allowed them to clearly track brain activity during each meditation session. They even appreciate the gamification side of the app that provides you with points and rewards as a motivator to keep working hard. It sounds simple, but it’s the small things like that which make a huge difference. People love a little competition and this pushes them to do better every single time.

Others raved about how easy it was to set up, as well as how affordable they found it when compared to similar devices that are currently on the market. Overall, it seems like people are pretty pleased with the Muse headband and how it has improved meditation for them.

How Do I Buy One of These?

If you’re intrigued by the Muse headband and ready to purchase one of your very own, you can place your order through the Muse website or via Amazon, as well as a few other online retailers. In the United States, you can even find it in your local Target store. If you want, you can also order a case to keep your headband safe when taking it with you.

When ordering from the Muse website, the headband will cost you $249. You can add a hard carrying case for $29.99. You also have the option of choosing a black headband or a white headband, so you can choose the one that best suits your style. Considering it is available through a few different retailers, you can always do a little comparison shopping to see who has the best price available. However, the best part about ordering direct from the Muse website is that they give you a 60 day guarantee and free shipping.

Final Thoughts

Overall, the Muse headband seems to be a pretty impressive device. With all the benefits that are known about meditation, it’s no wonder so many people are wanting to try it out for themselves. However, instead of feeling stressed that they aren’t doing it right, this headband is going to guide them down the path to successful meditation.

Being able to track your brain waves during meditation isn’t something you’d typically have access to, but it’s going to be invaluable to anyone who wants to get better at this skill. In time, you’ll become a meditation pro and you’ll be making time for it on a daily basis thanks to the brain sensing headband Muse has created.

The post Muse Headband Review: This Meditation Gadget is More Than Just a Cool Toy appeared first on Brain Wiz.

If you have anxiety (whether it’s a small case or a debilitating one) just know that you’re not alone and there is help available.

I can remember one specific day, feeling incredibly hopeless and depressed, I spent the entire day searching online for ways to break out of my anxiety “funk”. That led me down the rabbit hole of supplements. While there are tons of supplements out there that promote sleep, I didn’t want to take a supplement that would make me tired all day. Because I work nearly 11 hour days, I needed to have a supplement that promoted focus and concentration while also bringing my anxiety and stress levels down.

Today I am going to share my findings and what nootropics have worked to keep my anxiety at bay and increase my cognitive abilities…

Just Say No To Caffeine

The biggest contributor to my anxiety levels was caffeine. I had no idea how much I was actually consuming until I wrote it down one day — 2 cups in the morning, 1 in the afternoon, and an energy drink before working out. That is over 400mg of caffeine every day.

Caffeine works by tricking the brain into binding with it instead of adenosine (which promotes calmness/tiredness). That’s why so many people drink it right in the morning — to wake up. It also increases adrenaline production, which increases the heart rate, blood flow, and gives you more energy. What’s more is it increases dopamine levels, making you feel happy.

All that sounds great, right? Not exactly…

Caffeine also increases cortisol production, the hormone that makes you feel stressed. This can make you feel anxious and elevate pre-existing anxiety to new highs.

Key takeaway: keep your caffeine levels as low as possible if you have any anxiety. That is why all of the nootropics I mention in this article have zero caffeine in them. Because while caffeine can be a great way to increase energy levels, it isn’t worth the stress.

Nootropics That Fight Anxiety & Increase Focus

The whole point of taking nootropics is to help improve your mental abilities. However, for people with anxiety, taking the wrong supplements can lead to even more anxiety and stress. Why? Some nootropics place a higher emphasis on increasing energy levels (through the use of stimulants, which can raise stress/anxiety) than they do on actually increasing focus and concentration.

Below are nootropics I use when I need to improve my cognition and stay calm at the same time…

Bacopa Monnieri

As one of my favorite all around nootropics, this supplement has been shown to improve memory and decrease anxiety. This makes it the perfect nootropic for those looking to decrease their anxiety and still stay mentally sharp. You’ll find Bacopa Monnieri in a lot of nootropics on the market today.

Purchase Here

Rhodiola Rosea

Like Bacopa, Rhodiola Rosea also increases memory (as well as focus) and decreases anxiety levels. In addition, it has been shown to increase serotonin levels, parasymathetic nervous system activity (allowing the body to slow down), and decreasing the sympathetic nervous system activity (lowering the heart rate, fight or flight response, and breathing rate). While research has been conducted on Rhodiola Rosea to understand what it does, it is still unclear as to why it works this way.

Purchase Here

L-Theanine

Have you ever wondered why the effects of green tea and coffee aren’t the same? They both contain caffeine (albeit different amounts). It is because green tea has L-Theanine in it. Studies show that L-Theanine can actually reduce the negative effects of caffeine (stress and anxiety) while still giving you energy and focus. So if you absolutely need to have caffeine, try a supplement that has L-Theanine and caffeine.

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Ashwagandha

In addition to its calming effects, Ashwagandha has also been shown to lower inflammation, help those with neurological disorders, and even support low white blood cell count. A study showed that it works as a potent way to treat anxiety by lowering cortisol levels (when compared to a placebo group).

Purchase Here

My Favorite Anti-Anxiety Nootropics

Although I researched all of these individual supplements that reduce anxiety, I didn’t want to fiddle around with combining them. I wanted the easiest and least time consuming solution — one dose of everything. That is why I chose to go with a nootropic blend. Below are the ones I regularly use…

• Mind Lab Pro: As one of the most highly rated nootropics on Brain Wiz, Mind Lab Pro does not contain any caffeine and still works like a charm. It does contain Cognizin (Citicoline), Phosphatidylserine, Lion’s Mane mushroom, Rhodiola rosea, L-Theanine, Bacopa monnieri, Pterostilbene, Vinpocetine, Huperzine-A. You’ll notice it has 3 of the supplements mentioned above.
• Alpha Brain: Popularized by the Joe Rogan Podcast, this supplement by Onnit might the most well known nootropic. It is well-received by many that use it and we had similar positive effects — an increase in mental alertness, verbal intelligence, and a decrease in stress/anxiety levels. Alpha Brain contains AC-11, Alpha GPC, Bacopa Monnieri, Huperzine A, L-Leucine, L-Theanine, L-Tyrosine, Oat Straw, Phosphatidylserine, Pterostilbene and Vinpocetine. You’ll notice it has 2 of the anxiety reducing supplements listed above.
• RISE by Nootrobox: Last but certainly not least is RISE by the folks over at Nootrobox. While they make many other supplements with caffeine in them (most notably, SPRINT and Go Cubes) RISE does not contain any caffeine. It also contains the least amount of ingredients overall with just Bacopa monnieri, Rhodiola rosea, and a-GPC. However, it still makes for a great anxiety relieving nootropic. One of our testers even described the effect of using RISE as, “I felt calm and level-headed…”

My Favorite Evening Supplements For Anxiety

While not technically nootropics, I find that the following supplements help allow me to relax and put me in the right mood prior to going to bed. This allows me to get a better rest and wake up feeling refreshed, rather than tired and anxious.

• Chamomile: Usually drank in tea, Chamomile is one of my favorite supplements to use at night. It promotes calmness and allows me to unwind right before going to sleep.
• KAVA: This is one of the most widely used supplements to help treat anxiety. I have used it before big presentations where I was feeling stressed and it definitely kept my anxiety levels down.
• Melatonin: As a promenant sleep aid, Melatonin is usually used right before bed to help make you feel tired. I use it on occasion when I need to get a deep sleep. One drawback I’ve found is that it causes me to have very vivid and sometimes stressful dreams.
• Valerian Root: Much like melatonin, valerian root is used as a sleep aid too. I use this supplement more frequently than melatonin because it does not cause me to have stressful dreams.

Final Thoughts

Regardless of your anxiety levels, you should speak to a medical professional before taking any supplements. If you are feeling as though your anxiety is reaching levels that you cannot control, speak with friends and family about treatment options. Here are some additional ways to help ease anxiety levels.

If you know of any other nootropics that help with anxiety, please leave a comment below!

The post The Best Nootropics For Anxiety (Based On Experience) appeared first on Brain Wiz.

Small and medium-sized businesses account for more than 99 percent of U.S. businesses today, according to the U.S. Small Business Administration, which means that smaller businesses make a big impact on the economy and the world. What this statistic doesn’t say is that small business owners and their teams work really hard, and that focus and productivity can make the difference between failure and success.

If you are a small business owner or entrepreneur, you have no choice but to get more accomplished during the business day. Some days, of course, that’s easier said than done. If you could use a little more focus and a little less distraction in your work week, the following tips can help you hone in on greater productivity.

Use the interval method.

How long do you typically work before you take a break? If the answer is “two minutes” or “two-plus hours,” then you need to incorporate a little more math into your workday. Workplace productivity experts recommend focused work, followed by breaks, rather than excessively long (or short) periods of work. Florida State University researchers discovered that elite performers who worked about 90 minutes at a stretch were more productive than those who tried to power on past that mark. Likewise, the highly touted Pomodoro Technique encourages work in 25-minute sessions, followed by short breaks (and one longer one after four such intervals). Don’t get distracted by social media after just a few minutes and don’t force yourself to work past your point of focus. Find the schedule that works best for you and then stick with it.

Love what you do.

If you can combine your life passions with your paycheck, you are in luck. When you enjoy your work, you won’t find yourself avoiding it. And happy employees are an impressive 12 percent more productive. If you aren’t exactly enamored with your job, your role or your company right now, remember that you always have the ability to make a change.

Move your body.

You might think that you need to skip the gym to handle expense reports and employee reviews, but that hour you take to strengthen and stretch your body actually improves your productivity back at the office. Exercise can enhance creativity and reduce stress, bolster your concentration and ability to remember while strengthening mental stamina. It can also put you in a better mood – which goes a long way toward positive workplace dynamics. Strength training, cardio and yoga are all beneficial for your body and your mind – even a few minutes can change the shape of your day. Next time you think “I just don’t have the time,” remind yourself that, indeed, you do.

Consider nootropics.

“Brain vitamins” for entrepreneurs and go-getters, nootropics are “smart drugs” engineered to help you focus, bounce back and think more clearly. They consist of herbal and dietary supplements, research chemicals, caffeine and other ingredients that reportedly give users the rush of coffee without the jitters. Entrepreneurs espouse the focus, concentration and clarity they get from smart drugs while critics remind that there are no long-term studies on the effects of nootropics.

Eat to succeed.

The office breakroom is generally home to leftover donuts and cakes, rather than leafy greens and berries. And if you work from home, the temptation to snack your day away is omnipresent. But remember the old adage, you are what you eat; some foods will help you feel sharp while others will make everything fuzzy around the edges. Fill up on salmon and lean protein, nuts, berries, vegetables and whole grains (yes, carbs are a healthy part of any balanced diet) while decreasing consumption of processed/fast/junk food, sugary treats and fried food that will leave you feeling sluggish and not-so-focused.

There’s an app for that.

Simply search your favorite keyword such as “productivity,” “focus” or “efficiency,” for example, and let technology do the rest. Apps can help you manage time, stay on task, get organized, prioritize, whittle down your to-do list and so much more. One of my personal favorite apps for keeping on task is called “StayFocusd”, which allows you to block websites where you waste the most time.

Wrapping up.

Remember this — try to play as hard as you work. If you don’t have work-life balance, you will burn out sooner than later, no matter how focused you are or how much you enjoy your work. Spend time with family and friends. Get outside. Do something you love. Celebrate little and big victories. When you are focused and productive at work, you have that much more time to enjoy the rest of the day.

The post How Entrepreneurs Can Increase Focus & Productivity Levels to Get More Done During the Day appeared first on Brain Wiz.

Very rarely do I stumble upon a nootropic that does every single thing its advertising/marketing claims. That’s exactly what happened when I found Mind Lab Pro.

Upon first reviewing this nootropic, I was very happy with my initial results. Instead of completely stopping using it after the review period was over (one week) I actually decided to continue to use it for a full 30 days. It was after using it for a longer period of time that I was able to discover even more benefits that I initially missed in my first review.

This is my 30 day experience using Mind Lab Pro…

Week 1

If you haven’t already, I suggest you read my full initial review of Mind Lab Pro. I go into depth on the ingredients, packaging, and much more. I also describe what it was like taking it for the first 7 days.

To summarize, I started the first day with half a dose. This is because I like to be careful when it comes to new supplements. I felt an initial cognitive boost (increase in mental clarity, verbal intelligence, and extended focus). As the week continued, I upped by dosage to the recommended daily amount. That is when I really saw the most benefits. My productivity skyrocketed and I was much less likely to take a break in the day because my mental stamina was at its highest point it has ever been.

The Mind Lab Pro website has a headline that says, “Imagine your brain firing on all cylinders.” In my experience, it’s true. This nootropic really did help me feel as though my brain was working as efficiently as possible but without the jittery effect of caffeine.

Week 2

As I continued to take Mind Lab Pro through the second week, I thought there would come a point in time when I would need to cycle off of it. This is because after extended use, many supplements need to be cycled off so that your body does not form a tolerance to the ingredients. For whatever reason, I did not need to cycle off of Mind Lab Pro in the second week. To me, this is very surprising because I had been taking other supplements prior to starting Mind Lab Pro with some of the same ingredients.

Week 2 seemed about the same as week 1 in terms of perceived effects. However, there was one day where I had to pull an “all nighter”. I’m not the type of person who does well on little sleep. In fact, I usually crash at about 1am regardless of my sleep patterns. Knowing that I was going to need to stay up for 24 hours, I took one Mind Lab Pro in the morning and one at about 4pm. This allowed the effects to be more sustained throughout the day and night. What happened was pretty incredible… I didn’t crash at 1am. In fact, I was able to work painlessly until about 6:30am. It was then that I started to fade.

I did combine Mind Lab Pro with some caffeine at around 1am to help give me an extra boost. And while the caffeine may have given me a little extra energy, I truly believe that it was the Mind Lab Pro that allowed me to focus all the way through the night (and morning).

Week 3

This week I was sure that I would need to cycle off of Mind Lab Pro. Again, I was wrong. I had yet to build up a tolerance to the ingredients and I kept chugging along with the same amount of focus and productivity levels I had the first week of taking it.

What’s more is that I thought that I might have seen some side effects of using Mind Lab Pro for a more extended period of time. Nope, nothing came up. I was sleeping a bit deeper (which may or may not have been because of the supplement) but that was all I noticed in terms of additional side effects.

One of the most notable positive effects of taking Mind Lab Pro this week occurred when I least expected it. I had been preparing for a big presentation for work. The morning of the presentation I took Mind Lab Pro as I normally had been every morning and thought nothing of it. Now let’s fast forward to later in the day when I have to give a big presentation. I usually run through a presentation with a few “ums” and “ahs”. This is just my mouth trying to catch up with my brain. However, this presentation was much different. My thoughts and the words coming out of my mouth meshed perfectly. I was in awe of how succinct and efficient my speaking was. Everything I was saying in the presentation with clear, to the point, and without any hesitation. This may have been from my preparation but it was certainly helped by taking Mind Lab Pro.

Week 4

It was during the last week of the month (after taking Mind Lab Pro for 23 straight days) that I started to notice a tolerance build up. Around the 24th day I noticed that the “pep” that I felt in the mornings after taking it after breakfast wasn’t the same. So I decided to take three days off (Friday, Saturday, and Sunday). On Monday, I took a regular serving and felt the full effects again.

I’m actually surprised that the tolerance took so long to build up. I’ve taken vitamins and supplements before that have needed to be cycled much more often than Mind Lab Pro. For that, I am incredibly thankful. It might be the awesome ingredients, the potency, or the fact that my body just doesn’t build a tolerance to Mind Lab Pro as easy.

Final Thoughts

I would say, hands down, that Mind Lab Pro is one of my favorite nootropics. Not only does it do what it advertises itself as doing but it does it in the best way possible. What does this mean? Mind Lab Pro uses clean ingredients. That means zero artificial colors, zero preservatives, no GMO’s, no gluten, no additives, and (my favorite) no caffeine.

Watch my in-depth review above.

If you have any specific questions about Mind Lab Pro, feel free to check out my full FAQ post about the most common questions I’ve heard asked about Mind Lab Pro.

Check out the best price on Mind Lab Pro here.

The post My 30 Day Experience Using Mind Lab Pro appeared first on Brain Wiz.

Historically speaking, human efforts to find new ways to leverage and the tools we’ve been given – particularly our bodies and our minds – are nothing new.

That said, many experts and enthusiasts will agree that nootropics (as we’ve come to recognize and understand them) first came onto the scene in the early 1970s – even if it took nearly 35 years for knowledge and interest in those nootropics to reach the levels that we’re experiencing today.

According to Google Trends, interest in nootropics (among US-based users) has seen a particularly significant increase over the last 10 years.

Especially within the last five years, industry insiders, scientific researchers, and health enthusiasts have witnessed “nootropics” transition from conversation topics that had been relegated to the deepest internet message boards to some of the trendiest and most highly-sought dietary and nutritional supplement products available today.

And yet…

Nootropics remain one of the only supplement category shrouded by a heavy veil of myths and misconceptions.

Nootropic Myths That Aren’t Worth Falling For

Let’s pull back the veil and examine four of the most prevalent (and outdated) myths about nootropics plaguing the web and the “well of common knowledge” today.

1. Nootropics can give me a super-human brain boost, like in the movies.

For better or for worse, none of legal or well-researched nootropic herbs, compounds, or supplement available on the market today  can give you super powers – despite what any Hollywood blockbusters may suggest (we’re looking at you Limitless).

Keeping that in mind, research has found that certain nootropic ingredients, compounds, stacks, and supplements may be capable of supporting factors like focus, energy, mood, and overall productivity.

2. The right nootropic can help me find a shortcut to success/achieving my goals.

Not exactly. Just like every other type of nutritional supplement on the market today, nootropic supplements are never designed or intended to replace key aspects of an individual’s routine or lifestyle – this includes everything from good sleeping habits and a healthy diet to hard-work and dedication.

That said, there’s a healthy body of scientific research suggesting that the benefits that may come with nootropic supplementation can have the potential to aid an individual trying to achieve certain tasks and goals.

3. All nootropics provide the same benefits.

While there’s no denying that almost all of the researched and recognized benefits of nootropics are linked to cognitive health in one way or another, nootropics may offer supplement takers an impressive variety of benefits.

Acknowledging that it’s not uncommon for the effects and experience with a given nootropic to vary slightly from individual to individual, studies and research have linked a “family” of potential benefits and effects to ingredients and supplement that have been categorized as nootropic in nature.

Some of the most researched and common benefits (and potential benefits) of nootropic supplements have come to include the support of:

• Memory
• Energy Levels & Mood
• Focus
• Reasoning
• Creativity

Different ingredients, ingredient variations, and ingredient combinations are poised to provide different results. Finding the right nootropic for a given need can be as simple as doing some research. That said, when considering the addition of a new supplement to a routine – nootropic or otherwise – individuals are always advised to seek professional medical or nutritional guidance.

4. All nootropics are relatively new, under researched, and synthetic.

This last myth couldn’t be further from the truth. While it is true that a number of popular nootropic ingredients require a degree of processing and distillation in order to be viable and that there are others that only came into being during the 20^th century, there are just as many (if not more) ingredients with “natural” origins and long standing histories of human use.

Certain plant-based nootropics, like ginseng and Bacopa monnieri, have centuries’ worth of anecdotal evidence supporting their viability as well as impressive collections of modern scientific research supporting their potential benefits and efficacy.

The post 4 Nootropic Myths That Aren’t Worth Falling For appeared first on Brain Wiz.

At first I was a bit confused, it seemed too good to be true, so I wrote it off as just another scam. Then I started to see Wim Hof pop up in various different interviews and articles. Something about his method had to be working if so many people were talking about it. So I decided to do my homework…

Click To Check Wim Hof Method Price

Who is Wim Hof?

To understand the Wim Hof Method, we must first understand who Wim Hof is. Having been nicknamed “The Iceman”, Wim is (as you might have guessed) not as susceptible to the cold as regular people are. And that is putting it lightly. Here are just some of his amazing feats:

• In 2007 he climbed Mount Everest wearing only shorts and shoes.
• In 2008 he broke a world record by immersing himself in ice for 1 hour, 13 minutes and 48 seconds.
• In 2009 he climbed Mount Kilimanjaro in only shorts.
• In 2010 he broke his own world record by standing immersed in ice for 1 hour and 44 minutes.

As you can see, he has an amazing ability to withstand and power through mentally and physically grueling experiences. The interesting part is, he isn’t exactly “special”. He wasn’t born this way, he doesn’t take any special supplements, and his diet is pretty normal. So how did he go from normal to superhuman? Through the aptly named Wim Hof Method.

How It Works

The Wim Hof Method is not just physical and not just mental. It combines both styles of exercises into one comprehensive course. In doing so it trains you to become mentally and physically more fit.

Here’s the basics of the course…

First, you start with a controlled hyperventilation exercise. While this may sound a bit scary, it has a purpose. Your body needs oxygen to perform at its peak. When we sit around in front of our computers or watch television, we aren’t getting proper amounts of oxygen to our brain, muscles, and blood cells. This causes them to not function to their utmost degree. By forcing yourself to breathe heavily, you basically force oxygen into your body. This alone can help increase energy levels and (for some) even make you feel a state of euphoria.

The second part involves an exercise element. Exercise helps to get the blood pumping and circulates the new oxygen around your body, helping you feel the effects more. Also, exercise increases dopamine production, leading to a better mood and more energy.

The last part of the Wim Hof Method is cold exposure. This part may be confusing and even scary to some but it is absolutely necessary. Allowing your body to be immersed in the cold triggers some interesting reactions. For example, it increases your immune system response by creating more white blood cells. It also helps fight inflammation. Inflammation is one of the root causes of a lot of big physiological and mental problems that we face every day, from chronic fatigue to brain fog.

When you combine the breathing, exercise, and cold exposure elements of the Wim Hof Method, you can literally transform your body and mind for the better.

My Experience

It took a while for me to actually pull the trigger and start the Wim Hof Method. I was skeptical, like most people would be. I made a lot of excuses…

“This probably won’t work for me,” and “This has to be some type of scam.”

Well, I was wrong.

Literally directly after the first session of breathing, exercising, and exposure to cold I noticed an immediate change in my mental state. I can only explain it as how I feel when I wake up 100% rested and fully energized. My brain fog had vanished, I was much more productive, and my mood had shifted from apathetic to happy and interested in my work. That is when I knew this was a game changer.

I continued using the Wim Hof Method and saw more noticeable effects start to happen. I’ve outlined some of them below:

• I started to sleep much better. My usual nightly routine involves taking a supplement such as valerian root or melatonin in order to induce sleep and help keep me asleep. After starting the Wim Hof Method I noticed that I not only fell asleep faster but I didn’t wake up in the middle of the night like I usually do. This is probably due to the fact that research has found that cooling your body temperature actually leads to a more restful sleep.
• I have much more “clean” energy throughout the day. To help power through my days, I used to drink upwards of four or five cups of coffee. As you might have guessed, this led to some negative consequences such as crashing and feeling mentally fatigued near the mid or late afternoon. Upon doing the Wim Hof Method I have much more sustainable energy. That means that I can work for longer periods of time without feeling tired or needing to take a break.
• I have much less “brain fog”. Ever since I was a kid I have been plagued by brain fog (the inability to focus due to thoughts not forming correctly). After trying almost everything to fix it, I finally was able to get a grasp on it by changing my diet and exercise routine. It occasionally does come back and when it does, I usually reach for a supplement (such as a nootropic) to help. Now that I’ve learned the Wim Hof Method, I use it to help rid myself of brain fog any time I feel it coming on.
• I don’t feel “dead” by the end of the day. My job can be very overwhelming. Like a lot of people, I am pulled in various of different directions every day. I usually deal with this by “vegging out” and watching a few episodes of television. However, now that I’ve started using the Wim Hof Method, I find that I don’t feel as exhausted by the end of the day and actually sometimes continue to work until much later in the day than I usually would.
• I feel more creative and happy. Much of my real job involves being creative (e.g. coming up with new marketing plans and designing campaigns). Being creative can be mentally taxing and when you aren’t “in the zone” it can be incredibly hard to come up with creative ideas. The Wim Hof Method gave me the mental energy and creativity to work through some impressive ideas that ended up being implemented in my client work. Not only was my creativity taken to new heights but so was my mood. I felt much happier day-to-day than I had in a long time (even during stressful situations such as deadlines).

Research

As with anything, it’s important to understand how and why it works. Researchers have tested Wim Hof using his methods to manipulate his immune system response and classified them as “remarkable”. Many scientists are taken aback at how his methods work so well for being so simple.

When you break it down and really look at it, each of the three core pillars of the Wim Hof Method all have positive research that backs them up. Take a look at a few below:

• Breathing: http://www.emmaseppala.com/benefits-breathing-scientific-benefits-breathing-infographic/
• Exercise: http://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/regular-exercise-changes-brain-improve-memory-thinking-skills-201404097110
• Cold Exposure: https://examine.com/supplements/cold-exposure/

Why Use The Course

To be honest there are a lot of videos and other tutorials online that try to explain what the Wim Hof Method is. I tried a lot of them and here’s why I recommend taking the course instead.

All of the videos and articles about the Wim Hof Method are just snippets of what you learn when you take the actual course from Wim himself. They skip over 90% of the actual material and provide you with just a basic overview of what the course actually teaches you. You need to understand the “meat” of what the method to do it correctly.

Also, the course is just that, a course. You don’t just immediately get thrown into performing the Wim Hof Method, you learn each and every aspect to the fullest. This allows you to really manipulate your body and get the most benefits out of the course.

Frequently Asked Questions

When I bring up the Wim Hof Method to people who aren’t familiar with it, I usually get a lot of questions about it. Below are some of the most common ones I receive and their answers…

Do I need to be physically fit to take this program?

Nope, you don’t. I am somewhat physically fit but I have read a variety of other accounts of people who are not fit by any means and still completed the course. That being said, the course does include some physically grueling tasks beyond the cold exposure element. The exercises can get a little tough but if you find that you literally cannot perform them, don’t be discouraged! Just keep at it and do what you can.

Will this program help me lose weight?

Cold exposure has been linked to an increase in metabolism. When your metabolism increases, it is because it is using more fat for energy. Thus, it is possible that this could help. However, I am not a doctor and neither is Wim Hof. Be sure to ask a professional.

How long does it take to complete?

The entire course is 10 weeks. Of course, you can break it down any way you’d like. There is no need to rush through it. Look at this course as a way to form better habits in the long run.

What if it doesn’t work for me?

Based on what it says in the support section of the website, you can request a refund within 14 days of purchasing. However, if you follow all of the steps that Wim Hof lays out, you should see some type of physical and mental change.

Does this course help ease anxiety/depression?

I’m not a doctor and neither is Wim Hof. However, the Wim Hof Method did significantly boost my mood. It isn’t “snake oil” either. By themselves, exercise, hard breathing, and cold exposure are all linked to increase in adrenaline and dopamine productions which can make you feel happier.

Wim Hof Method Testimonials

Before jumping into the Wim Hof Method I was just like you, wondering what it was like. I did a lot of research and found that tons of top performers use and benefit from the Wim Hof Method regularly. Here are a few testimonials that I thought were worth sharing…

“Not only does it bring a calmness to your spirit, which is probably the most important thing, but it has enhanced my performance and I believe this is a tool I’ll be able to use in the future.” — Laird Hamilton, Professional Surfer

“It’s changed my life — from a health standpoint, from a centering or consciousness standpoint, from an openness standpoint.” — Brian Mackenzie

“I am definitely recommending it to everybody… It is a truly unique method this is going to change the world.” — Alistair Overeem, Professional Fighter

Final Thoughts

Overall, I am really impressed with how the Wim Hof Method has been able to help me. It seems so simple but it actually works. There are no extra “bells and whistles” that you need to buy, no crazy contraptions, just straightforward and (researched) mental and physical exercises.

It has helped me up my performance in both my personal and professional life more than most of the nootropics that I’ve ever tried. And I have tried a lot of nootropics.

If you’re interested in learning more about the Wim Hof Method, I’ve added a great short documentary on Wim Hof and the Wim Hof Method below. I really recommend checking it out. Also, feel free to purchase the course here!

The post My Honest Wim Hof Method Review — Is It Worth Your Purchase? appeared first on Brain Wiz.