Brain Hacks: 200+ Ways to Boost Your Brain Power

by Adams Media

Discover more than 300 quick tips and exercises to help you optimize your mental performance and improve brain health.Everyone wants to be at their best mentally, and Brain Hacks provides you with more than 300 actionable tips and exercises you can use right away to help you achieve and maintain peak mental performance. Topics covers -Proper nutrition and brain superfoods -Brain-boosting vitamins, minerals, herbs, and supplements -Stress management techniques -Natural mood-enhancing activities -Exercises that stimulate and challenge the brain With straightforward, simple advice, Brain Hacks will teach you how to keep your brain sharp and functioning at optimal levels.

Genres: Nonfiction, Self Help, Brain, Psychology, Productivity, Health, Adult

270 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2017

Reviews

[S]

Instead of 200+ hacks, this book can be summarized as: Eat fruits and veggies, exercise, sleep well and do activities for the brain.

Some of the tips were contradictory. One page says avoid dairy and the next page says load up on a particular vitamin by eating cheese.

I don't like recommending and naming particular fruits and veggies as good for the brain. I believe most of them are good, it just so happens to be that research has been done on only say broccoli or blueberries.

[C. Patrick G.]

I've been working in the learning and talent development space, and as part of my research, have been looking at brain science, especially as it relates to learning. I picked up a copy of this book at Alexander Book Company on 2nd Street in San Francisco. The store has a good section on brain science and learning.

While nothing in the book is revolutionary or particularly shocking, I did enjoy reading through some tips, especially regarding food, to a healthier, more effective, brain.

I spent a couple years in the classroom teaching fifth graders on the south side of Chicago, and wish that I'd had a copy of this to read to my students throughout the year as part of our health and wellness efforts. It's pretty simple, not surprisingly: eat a balanced diet with lots of veggies, and in moderation; spend time with people you love, exercise your body, in various ways; and exercise your mind too, with mental challenges, meditation, breathing, and the like. Have the right attitude, and listen to your body.

The book could use references. While the author mentions studies of various kinds, it would be nice to know more details, both for validation but also as a way to dig deeper into some of the strategies and approaches. The book also could benefit from up-front structure: brain hacks related to food, relationships, exercise, etc.

But overall, it's an interesting and very quick read. It'd be nice to get an email every day with a new tip or reminder. Ultimately, though, making your brain work for you is a deeply personal endeavor.

[Greta Navickaite]

This book sometimes seems more entertaining than beneficial. Some of the facts contradict with each other. Moreover, facts are placed in a random, scattered order, feels like someone just was sitting and writing whatever popped in their mind. (From nuts to sleep, from sleep to London Cab Drivers, from drivers to fat, from fat to laugh more) Most of the facts have more or less superficial explanation, but personally I feel everything lacks connection, structure and more clear, detailed explanation of certain organism mechanisms. When you have time for a fun an easy read, this is quite nice. Not complicated, but still slightly informative.

[Gab of Green Gables]

It wasn't a deep dive on brain hacks but nonetheless each tip was digestible.

It mostly talked about vitamins that would help your brain.

I took note those tips I'm looking forward to trying to see if it would improve my brain capacity.

[Alaa Ayman]

I would like to personally apologize to any tree that died for this “tumbler blog nonsense advice” to exist.

[daniela sofia]

Um livro cheio de dicas, perfeito para quem quer improvisar a produtividade, aumentar a criatividade e de certo modo, viver melhor. Com imensas dicas fundamentais, que deveriam ser de conhecimento geral, porém, com muitas dicas que vimos todos os dias na internet. Foi sem dúvida uma leitura agradável, aprendi e diverti-me. Recomendo a todos.

[Erin Shields]

Maybe there's good content in here, but the book DESPERATELY needed a (different) editor. The book is literally just 241-ish random hacks with alliterative titles that grate on you after a while. Content is repeated in different hacks, and there's no organization. There could be an 'eating' hack next to a 'lifestyle' hack, and then back to an 'eating' hack. Spoiler alert: They're mostly eating hacks.
I would have ditched it after about half-way, but I didn't want to bail on a book that could have turned it around. It didn't. Skip it and read a different book about eating for your brain.

[Osama Romoh]

Those 200 hacks can be summarized in 10 main hacks only. There’s a lot of stuffing in this book.

[Hanya Elshamy]

I found Brain Hacks an interesting and accessible introduction to the topic of brain health, but I was disappointed by how confidently some of its claims were presented as established facts when the scientific evidence is considerably more nuanced.

For example, the book states that “stress creates free radicals that kill your brain cells.” This is an overly simplistic and scientifically misleading way of describing the relationship between stress and the brain. Chronic stress can contribute to increased oxidative stress and cellular damage, but this does not mean that stress simply creates free radicals that directly “kill your brain cells.” The distinction matters, particularly in a book presenting itself as a source of information about the brain.

This was not an isolated issue for me. Throughout the book, some statements felt more definitive than the available evidence warrants. Concepts that are complex, probabilistic, or still being investigated are sometimes reduced to catchy, absolute-sounding claims. While this may make the material easier to digest, it comes at the cost of scientific accuracy.

I would have appreciated clearer distinctions between well-established findings, emerging research, hypotheses, and simplified explanations. For a general-audience book, simplification is completely reasonable, but simplification should not come at the expense of accuracy.

Overall, I think the book has potential as an engaging introduction to brain-related topics, but I would recommend approaching some of its claims critically and checking them against reliable scientific sources.

[Amber]

I obviously didn’t read the description of this book very carefully. Because this book is exactly what it says it is but I guess I was expecting something different. This book is an easy read with each “hack” taking only page. Each suggestion gives a description of how it helps your brain health and how to work it into your life. However, the majority of these tips were common sense. Things like exercise, get plenty of sleep, meditate, play games, take naps, reduce stress, drink tea, reduce sugar, eat produce etc. I would say that at least 3/4 of the book are things that the average adult already knows are good practices to increase or maintain your overall health.

That being said, it was a good reminder for me that there are some easy things I could be doing for my health. But if you are looking for something new and life changing, this isn’t the one. It might also be overwhelming for those trying to incorporate a few new things into a healthy routine. With over 200 suggestions, how to pick? It’s one of those books that could easy overwhelm a person with the number of things we should be doing for our health but currently aren’t.

[Rmslis]

A small book that claims 244 techniques - “hacks” - to preserve and increase one’s brain function; a hack per page.

I was three-fourths of the way through the book before I came across a hack that was new to me, as I was already familiar with nearly all of the rest, having come across each one sometime throughout my reading over the past few decades. Likewise, I had already incorporated a number of them as a part of my usual health regimen. So there wasn’t much of anything new for me in this book. But I will admit it is handy to have all of these brain saving techniques together in one reference book, especially when one is not sure of the correct amount one needs to take of a specific nutritional supplement.

If one is looking for more ways to ensure he/she is maintaining healthy brain function or hopes to improve one’s brain power this is a small but handy guide to have at one’s fingertips. For those totally unfamiliar with the topic and would like to know more this book is a good place to start.

[リサ]

Overall this book is somewhat worthwhile. It doesn't delve into anything particularly deeply because the quick fire list format it is written in. Personally it didn't teach me anything new that other more substantial books on self improvement haven't already covered.

I would mainly recommend this to people who want to entry-level dip their toes into the subjects of biohacking, nootropics and general self improvement before reading books with more of a sandwich filling than this one supplies!

[Maha Al Zahrani]

It was an okay read. More of a nutrition and lifestyle guide than a real “brain hacks” book. Most of the content focuses on food, supplements, and general wellness tips rather than unique or surprising mental techniques.
I was hoping to learn something new or unconventional about improving brain function, but it mostly repeated familiar advice. Informative, but not as “hacky” as the title suggests.

[Joe Macko]

I thought I knew quite a bit about exercising my brain to keep it healthy but Brain Hacks gave me plenty of areas where I could improve. There is an extensive emphasis on dietary improvements as well as numerous examples of normal life activities and exercises that greatly improve the brains health and functionality.

[Garrett]

Good advice for the most part. Toward the 200's it gets a bit repetitive while still giving new-ish tips. There are a lot of eating talk, though. I don't want to change my beautiful diet of pizza and whatever else I eat. Mostly pizza. Where's the tip on how pizza makes your brain, y'know, smart or whatever?

[Pía López Copetti]

It's a cool book to tune-in (audiobook version) as it's pretty straightforward. Most of the advices are focused on your brain's dietary needs for proper functioning and the correct balance of vitamins, minerals, and chemicals. It will likely end up making you question your current eating habits, not to mention the impact of stress in daily life.

[Wulan Suci Maria]

200+ Brain Hacks tips that can be summarized as simple as eating good nutritious food/fruit, sleep well, positive thinking, positive attitude, get hobby, and exercise regularly.

Some of my favorite that is easy to do at the moment; smile, go outdoor/ natural, eat dark chocolate, read, day dreaming.

[Lisa Stevens]

It's just basically have good nutrition and exercise learn new things and don't get a brain injury. Very basic information in a lot of repeating information as well. But sometimes it's nice to remind yourself of these habits to bring it into your scope of mindfulness.

[BLACK CAT]

Brief collection of insights to improve brain performance and health: Korean red ginseng (nerve growth and neurotransmition) 200 mg daily, Convolvulus pluricaulis (calming effect), and book “herbal secrets of the rain forest” Taylor.

[Toni]

I learnt heaps of excellent tips. So much info I was unaware of.
I liked the format. Each hack had its own page, so no rambling on. Author has a fun, easy to understand & read style.
The only thing I would like is an index. To refer back to info, you have to flick through & find it.

[Emily Mellow]

Don't do it.
It's not scientific. It's not even a book, just a collection of popular science headlines. I got through #40 before realising my life was draining away and there are so many better books out there

[Thuy Nguyen]

4/12/2023: Start reading
Each hack had its own page, so no rambling on. In break time, choose some hacks to read instead of surfing Internet for quick dopamine; it's short, easy-to-understand and cited references

[Cheryl]

Good to know I am doing a lot of these tips!

[Patreesha]

Nothing new.

[Chelsea]

A lot of these are diet related (which is fine), and some even contradict each other - eg eat oily fish, but don't eat oily fish.

[Debbie]

Our brain is so important, nourishing and challenging it is important. I plan on using the hacks I have learned in this book.

[Candace Armstrong]

The kind of book you should own to refer back to and peruse over the years. Each page can be read independently as they are separate tips and topics on each page. Loved.

[Ruth]

Like an endless series of those "One Weird Trick" ads on the interwebz. Not worth the time.

[Hope Hunter]

Informative little book that is easy to read in small parts to keep it from being too overwhelming. The tips are super helpful and creative as well.

[eva]

eat well, sleep, workout and don't be lazy...now imagine that broken down in 200+ tips...