A better brain means better thinking, better learning, and a brighter outlook on life. In light of these things, who wouldn’t want to support their cognitive function?
If these possibilities sound promising to you, we have good news: better brain function might only be a few small shifts away. It turns out nature wants us mentally optimized just as much as we do! Keep reading to learn more about natural nootropics and their cognitive benefits.
- Why Cognitive Function Matters So Much
- What Are Nootropics?
- 6 Ways Nootropics Could Benefit Your Brain, Body, and More
- Boosted Overall Brain Health and Neuroplasticity
- Improved Cerebral Blood Flow
- Renewed Processing Time
- Reduced Mental Stress
- Improved Motivation
- Deeper Calmness
Why Cognitive Function Matters So Much
First things first: what is cognitive function?
According to Science Direct the term “refers to multiple mental abilities, including learning, thinking, reasoning, remembering, problem-solving, decision making, and attention.” [1] In simpler terms, cognitive function describes the mind’s ability to ‘see’ and relate to the world around it.
Cognitive function affects virtually everything you do. The almost-instantaneous cognitive reflexes you have when you’re young allow you to thrive in mentally-demanding environments, while the cognitive slowdown of old age is responsible for many common age-related issues. It only makes sense to take steps to preserve your cognitive function in the long run!
What kind of steps? More on that next.
What Are Nootropics?
Nootropics are defined as any ingredient that can be used to enhance memory or other cognitive functions.
You may not realize it, but you probably already have at least a little bit of experience with nootropics. Caffeine-rich coffee is the world’s most popular nootropic by far. Even working out can be considered nootropic in nature — it boosts your body’s own supply of cognition-enhancing endorphins and endocannabinoids. [2]
And while nootropics might seem like a fancy new thing, they’ve actually been used by monks, warriors, and ancient athletes for eons now. Traditional nootropics include ginseng, Rhodiola rosea, and Lion’s Mane mushroom.
6 Ways Nootropics Could Benefit Your Brain, Body, and More
The scientific world is finally starting to affirm what our ancestors already knew about nootropics. Just check out the 6 science-backed benefits below. Nootropics may:
- Support Overall Brain Health and Neuroplasticity
- Help Cerebral Blood Flow
- Renew Processing Time
- Reduce Mental Stress
- Improve Motivation
- Instill Calmness
Here’s an in-depth look at each of these potential health benefits.
Support Overall Brain Health and Neuroplasticity
The most impressive thing about nootropics is probably their ability to improve overall brain function without side effects.
To get a little more specific, nootropics may help strengthen your brain’s best neural pathways while ‘pruning’ away unhelpful ones. They may also help these neural paths adapt faster to stimuli, allowing you to learn (and unlearn) with ease. Improved neuroplasticity means stronger reward pathways . . . and stronger reward pathways mean more motivation!
Some nootropics, notably the Lion’s Mane mushroom, foster neuroplasticity so powerfully that their mental benefits translate into physical ones. Check out said benefits below: [3]
- Less stress
- Less fatigue
- Liver support
- Heart support
- Faster learning
- Improved creative output
- Reduced brain, body, and skin aging
Help Cerebral Blood Flow
Some nootropics confer mental benefits by increasing blood flow — to your brain. By delivering more fuel to your central processing unit, these nootropics may improve overall cognitive function and processing time.
It’s also possible that this class of nootropics makes exercise’s cognitive benefits even more pronounced. Gotu Kola is one of the best natural nootropics for improved circulatory health. [4]
Renew Processing Time
Ever feel like your reflexes aren’t quite as fast as they used to be? If so, don’t worry. Research shows that it’s ‘normal’ for reflex time to start slowly declining past the age of 24 or 25. [5]
With nootropics, however, you may not have to accept old norms about aging and degeneration. Studies show that some nootropics may be able to help you retain (or even regain) youthful processing times.
A flowering herb called bacopa may be one of the best nootropics for this. One clinical trial found that bacopa might improve processing speed, memory formation, and memory retention. These effects seem to hold true even in older adults. [6]
Reduce Mental Stress
Many of nature’s best nootropics double as adaptogens. As the name implies, adaptogens help your body adapt to and overcome stress. Yes, that includes mental stress too! These nootropic adaptogens (or would they be adaptogenic nootropics?) may:
- Help you avoid burnout
- Brighten your overall life outlook
- Allow you to handle higher workloads
- Protect the brain from oxidative stress/damage
- Help you feel like the best and brightest version of yourself
One of the best nootropic + adaptogenic substances is an herb called Rhodiola rosea.
Improve Motivation
Let’s face it: sometimes you just need to get yourself psyched up for the task at hand. In lieu of a dedicated hype man (or hype woman), nootropics can help. Some nootropics provide enough of an energy boost to get you truly excited about life.
In other good news, this boost comes without the post-high crash of coffee or energy drinks. It’s upliftment that remains! One of the best nootropics for escaping brain fog and improving motivation is ginseng. A 2021 study found that consistent ginseng supplementation may reduce mental and physical fatigue by 90%. [7]
Instill Calmness
Substances like caffeine may improve energy, sure . . . but they do so at the expense of keeping you calm and collected. Not so with the natural nootropics we’ve prioritized. Many of them have the unique ability to keep you energized and calm.
Look no further than L-theanine for a perfect example of this. L-theanine is an amino acid derived from green tea that upregulates energy levels while down regulating excitatory neurotransmitters like glutamate. The end result of this cool, collected energy? Reduced reaction time and improved working memory — particularly in older adults. [8]
Summing Things Up
The right nootropics can support your brain health, foster neuroplasticity, help cerebral blood flow, reduce processing time and mental stress, improve motivation, instill calmness, and more.
Our new Beautiful Mind Wellness Supplement checks all six of these benefit boxes. Beautiful Mind combines time-tested nootropics with patented liposomal technology that boosts their bioavailability by up to 300%. Nature’s best nootropics just got three times more potent! Try it out for yourself if you’re ready to envision a brighter, more beautiful future . . .
