Sharp: 14 Simple Ways to Improve Your Life with Brain Science

by Therese Huston Ph.D.

What if your best days weren’t left to chance, but something you could control and activate at will? Most of us want to be a little happier, a little more focused, and a lot less stressed. We want simple approaches that are easy to fold into our everyday lives.
 
In Sharp, you’ll discover dozens of evidence-backed strategies to help you unlock your potential and enhance your performance—whether at work, school, home, or in relationships.
Cognitive scientist Therese Huston unpacks the latest neuroscience research to deliver a gold mine of techniques to help you feel your sharpest   How a calming deep breathing technique improves decision-making  Exactly what kind of exercise helps you think on your feet  What brain science says you should look for in a doctor, and  How to get focused on your most unfocused days. 
Forget the tired advice of "get more sleep"—Sharp dives into more innovative, actionable tips that can make a difference in your daily routine.  Best of all, many of them take five minutes or less.

Whether you want to make fewer mistakes, support your partner through life’s challenges, or simply learn faster, Sharp gives you the tools to do it all, without having to overhaul your entire lifestyle. It’s time to take charge of your mental and emotional well-being with science.
 
For anyone looking to be a little happier, a lot more productive, and far less stressed, Sharp offers the solutions you’ve been looking for.
 

Genres: Nonfiction, Health, Personal Development, Self Help, Psychology

307 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 29, 2025

Reviews

[Tom Hedrup · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic book

This book should be read by many. Every chapter is a way to improve your life. The solutions are easy to manage and could be done by anybody. I really really enjoyed the authors smooth writing. It was almost like being back in college with your favorite professor. Highly recommend.

[Britt Loves Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has some truly great information that's easy to understand, easy to absorb, and easy to put into play.

[Golden · Rating 3 out of 5]

There are some good tips in this book and it felt like a worth-while background information type read. There was no lightening bolt moment for me, but it was worth the time.

[Robert Orliński · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a great, insightful, and condense book.

[Cathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an interesting book. It taught me some things to help with difficult situations and the brain science behind them.

[Emily Erickson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sharp is like a stack of some of the most useful articles you’ve ever read about how to leverage brain science to make your life better – professionally and personally. They cover how to make fewer mistakes, enhance creativity, make better decisions, and more. The tips are practical and quick— many take just minutes. But most importantly, Dr. Huston, a cognitive scientist at Seattle University, explains in depth why you’ll want to bother. She has a talent for translating a research paper’s mind-numbing methods section into a gripping story that sticks with you.

Recommended for anyone interested in neuroscience, psychology, self-help, science-backed mental health advice, and productivity.

Recommendation coming soon on my blog: emilypgerickson.com/blog.

Thanks to Smith Publicity and Mayo Clinic Press for providing me with an advance review copy.