Meditation: Boost Your Memory and IQ

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Meditation: Boost Your Memory and IQ

In this digital age, when everyone seems to be in a rush or on their smartphones, it is easy to become overwhelmed with information and ideas, different kinds of noise, activities, and errands. The result? We are stressed out on most days, our minds work in overdrive, and our health suffers.

There are so many ways to combat stress, and one of them is meditation. Meditation is done to train the mind, bringing us back to the present moment and giving us an opportunity to be calmer and kinder not only to ourselves but to other people as well.

You can also train your mind by checking out some of CFI’s free courses!

The Power of Meditation

Mindfulness Meditation

In the last few years, mindfulness meditation has become increasingly popular. The focus of it is to help you reduce stress and improve calmness and tranquility. In this type of meditation, the practitioner pays attention to the present moment without judgment.

A common misconception is that meditation involves emptying the mind, but it actually teaches us to focus on physical sensations, thoughts, and feelings to see them more clearly.

The Power of Meditation - Mindfulness Meditation

Meditate to Boost Your Memory and IQ

Meditation is beneficial in reducing stress, lowering blood pressure, and improving mood. However, did you know that meditating regularly can also boost your memory and IQ?

Boost your Memory

study in Consciousness and Cognition revealed that participants who meditated for 20 minutes for four days showed lowered stress levels as well as significant improvements in memory and cognition. Those who meditated also scored as much as 10 times better on a working memory task.

In another study, researchers at UC Santa Barbara found that even as little as two weeks of mindfulness meditation can lead to significant improvement in working memory capacity, reading comprehension, and ability to focus. You can channel this focus to work towards becoming a world-class Financial Analyst with CFI’s Financial Modeling and Valuation Analyst (FMVA™) Certification program.

Boost your IQ

Siegfried Othmer, former president of the neurofeedback division of the Association for Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback, conducted neurofeedback research on this topic. The results showed that participants who meditated showed an average gain in IQ of 23 percent.

One of the reasons is that deep meditation slows down brain activity. With slower brainwaves, the brain increases its ability to reorganize itself. When you give your brain some rest, it improves itself.

Simply controlling your breath reduces the stress hormone called cortisol. As the mind wanders, it focuses on negative issues, which can lead to stress. With meditation, the mind is less active and therefore lowers stress levels.

The Power of Meditation - Boost IQ

Try Meditation

Want to give meditation a try? There are many ways to start. If you’re going the digital route, consider the app Headspace, which can guide you through the process. It also enables you to track your progress. You can also practice on your own. Start by sitting with your eyes closed, then focus on your breathing. You can listen to some soothing music as well.

Additional Resources

Use that refreshed brain towards self-improvement. Corporate Finance Institute offers a variety of courses and resources that can help you learn and advance your career! Check them out below:

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