Just about everyone would like to be at least a little smarter. But with so many methods for enhancing intelligence, from supplements to meditation, learning a new language, and more, it’s hard to separate methods that are real from those that are a waste of your time.
In this article, we’ll explore six science-backed ways to boost your brainpower that actually work. No fluff—just proven strategies to help you think faster, solve problems more efficiently, remember more, and generally improve your life quality.
What is Intelligence, and Can It Be Improved?
Intelligence is measured in terms of IQ — a scale for assigning a number to your general cognitive ability that allows you to compare yourself to everyone else of the same age. It is sometimes understood as only that; a number that functions like a label stamped onto your brain that indicates your inbuilt and unchangeable mental ability. But that is a misunderstanding. In reality, the definition of intelligence involves much more than your IQ test result. It refers to your ability to learn, adapt, solve problems, think critically, and apply knowledge in real-world situations. The different aspects of this set of skills can be high or low with respect to each other — we all have talents! And they also vary with age and lifestyle as we will see.
Scientists generally divide intelligence into two types:
- Fluid intelligence – Your ability to think on your feet, solve new problems, and make quick decisions. This peaks in early adulthood but can still be trained.
- Crystallized intelligence – The knowledge and skills you accumulate over time. This keeps growing as long as you keep learning.
Given the importance of intellectual skills for functioning successfully at school, in the work-place and in business, it’s no surprise that people are so often looking for ways to become smarter. The problem is that not everything described or marketed as a ‘brain hack’ actually works.
Debunking Brain Training Myths
Let’s bust some common myths about intelligence and brain training:
- Myth: Intelligence is fixed—you either have it or you don’t.
Reality: While genetics play a certain role in determining how easy you will find it to learn and master intellectual skills, countless research studies have shown that intelligence levels are not set in stone. Your brain is more like a muscle than a rock! It is what neuroscientists call “plastic” — it adapts, grows, and strengthens with the right exercises. This is one of the most agreed upon discoveries in neuroscience — that the brain changes as a result of learning experiences and so its efficiency is not fixed for life. - Myth: You only use 10% of your brain.
Reality: Neurological research shows that almost every part of the brain has a function, and you’re using nearly all of it—even when you’re asleep! - Myth: All brain-training games make you smarter.
Reality: Many apps and puzzles only improve your ability to perform the very specific task you are practicing. Of course, some science-backed cognitive training programs are designed to enhance real-world skills like memory, attention, and problem-solving and can do so if they follow proven research methods. These skills do improve with practice but the skills do not “transfer” very far beyond the precise skill that was learned.
So, while you may not transform into a genius overnight, science shows that with the right methods, you can enhance memory, problem-solving skills, and specific mental skills. Ready to find out how? Let’s explore the best science-backed techniques for boosting intelligence.
Proven Methods for Enhancing Cognitive Skills
Now that we have set aside some myths, let’s focus on what actually works. Science has identified several powerful strategies that can improve memory, problem-solving, and overall mental agility. The best part? These methods are simple, practical, and backed by publicly available scientific research—meaning anyone can start using them to sharpen their thinking and reasoning in the confidence that these methods are based on reliable sources.
Extended Schooling and IQ Improvement
Education plays a fundamental role in cognitive development. A large Norwegian study (Brinch & Galloway, 2012) found that students who remain in school for additional years show measurable IQ scores increase. These findings suggest that structured learning and regular problem-solving can strengthen cognitive abilities. The downside? The gains are very small and to see these you need to spend around two extra years in school.
Can lifelong learning increase IQ? Well, learning doesn’t have to stop after graduation. Reading, skill development, and intellectual challenges can still keep your brain sharp and adaptable. Keep your self challenged intellectually to really reap the IQ benefits of lifelong learning.
The Role of Nutrition in Cognitive Health
Proper nutrition is crucial for brain health. Research suggests that deficiencies in essential nutrients for brain function, such as omega-3 fatty acids, B vitamins, and iron, can negatively impact cognitive performance. A review by Fernandez-Rodriguez et al. (2021) found that correcting these deficiencies supports optimal brain health.
However, while nutrition plays a key role in maintaining cognitive function (and it’s always a good idea to eat healthily), it does not necessarily increase baseline intelligence beyond natural potential. This is why many supplements are careful not to claim that they increase intelligence, but instead say they support it by providing nutrients that are part of a normal healthy diet that you should already be on.
Physical Exercise for Brain Function
Exercise is one of the most well-supported ways to support brain function and give yourself the best chance at acquiring advanced intellectual skills. Physical activity increases blood flow to the brain, reduces stress, and supports neural plasticity. A meta-analysis (Diamond, 2020) found that activities like martial arts and Tai Chi can enhance executive functioning. However, while these benefits contribute to long-term cognitive resilience, they do not drastically increase IQ scores.
Cognitive Activities: Chess, Sudoku, and Brain Games
Engaging in mentally challenging activities like chess and Sudoku can sharpen specific problem-solving skills. A meta-analysis by Sala and Gobet (2020) found that chess instruction improves strategic thinking and working memory, but it also reports that there is no reliable proof that the benefits transfer to other cognitive tasks. Likewise, Sudoku helps with numerical pattern recognition but doesn’t lead to overall intelligence gains.
Working Memory Training and the N-Back Task
The N-back task, initially hailed as a breakthrough for boosting fluid intelligence, has produced mixed results. While Susan Jaeggi et al. (2008) initially reported positive effects, later research by Melby-Lervåg & Hulme (2013) found that improvements were often task-specific and did not translate into general intelligence gains. Even the gains found in the original study were very small — just a couple of IQ points. This suggests that while working memory training may strengthen certain cognitive processes, it does not necessarily lead to broader intellectual improvements.
Brain Training Programs: Separating Hype from Reality
The idea of improving intelligence through a simple-to-use brain-training app is appealing. Who wouldn’t want to get smarter with just a few minutes on their phone each day? Many popular apps, like Lumosity and Elevate, claim to enhance cognitive function, but there is almost no published scientific research at all that shows that using these apps leads to gains in general intelligence. As usual, users may get better at the specific tasks that they train with within the app, but these improvements often fail to transfer to real-world intellectual skills. Because of this, experts caution against overestimating the effectiveness of all those popular brain training apps you may have heard of.
The key exception is relational reasoning training based on Relational Frame Theory (RFT) and a method called SMART
One approach that has gained strong scientific support for leading to IQ gain is training in relational reasoning. Relational reasoning is a core component of human intelligence. In fact it may be the most important aspect according to the research. Unlike traditional brain-training games, relational skills training strengthens fundamental cognitive processes that support reasoning, problem-solving, and learning across different domains. This is literally what we mean by intelligence!
So, what makes relational reasoning such a powerful tool for cognitive growth? Let’s explore the science behind it.
The Science Behind RFT and Intelligence
Psychologists have begun to realize that intelligence isn’t just about doing well on those specific test items on an IQ test. It’s about how we recognize and reason with a small number of abstract relational concepts such as oppositeness, sameness, difference, size, time, position, and so on.
This is where Relational Frame Theory (RFT) comes in. RFT explains how intelligence is built upon our ability to understand these types of relationships between concepts and things — which in turn supports reasoning, learning, and problem-solving across just about every area of mental activity you can think of.
What is Relational Frame Theory?
Relational Frame Theory (RFT) suggests that intelligence isn’t just about storing facts—it’s about understanding the relationships between ideas and applying that understanding to a very wide range of mental tasks that may all appear different…. But are essentially all alike! Our ability to see connections between words, symbols, and concepts plays a crucial role in problem-solving and logical reasoning and once you get the basics — they can be applied to almost anything.
For example, imagine this scenario:
- Mary is taller than John.
- John is taller than Norma.
- Without additional information, you can already infer that Norma is shorter than Mary.
This type of reasoning—understanding how different pieces of information relate to each other, in this case in terms of size, is a fundamental skill tested in intelligence assessments. This simple skill outlined here also applies to an enormous number of other mental tasks such as figuring out which of two cities is further away, which of your friends birthdays comes first, which deal in a supermarket is best value, and so on. Of course, even high levels of complexity in this type of reasoning can be taught to boost the intellectual reasoning even of adults with average or even above average IQ.
Similarly, consider the concept of opposites using this example, where A, B and C can be anything you like to imagine;
- If A is the opposite of B, and B is the opposite of C…. then A and C must be the same.
This type of relational reasoning is essential for grasping abstract concepts like negative numbers and spatial relationships. But you would be surprised how many adults struggle to draw the conclusion based on the first two statements! Try it yourself on your friends and see! Without being able to solve such puzzles correctly and quickly, you are going to be challenged in many different forms of reasoning every day. RFT-based training focuses on strengthening these cognitive skills, making it one of the few scientifically supported methods for enhancing core intelligence.
RFT-based SMART Training and Its Effectiveness
Since around 2010, research breakthroughs in the delivery of relational reasoning training led to the development of methods that seemed genuinely capable of increasing intelligence. These methods, particularly a form of relational reasoning training called SMART (Strengthening Mental Abilities with Relational Training), have been tested across multiple studies and laboratories, with several findings published in peer-reviewed scientific journals. Compared to other brain-training approaches, relational reasoning training has an impressive evidence base, as noted in both systematic reviews and literature analyses. While further research is always needed, this approach has achieved a level of scientific credibility that many other brain-training systems can only dream of.
One notable study by Sarah Cassidy et al. (2016) found that older schoolchildren showed significant improvements in verbal and numerical reasoning after several months of using the SMART system which is now offered online and mobile app by RaiseYourIQ.com. This training method was tested under real-world conditions in school classrooms—without any direct involvement from then scientists in the training or interference in the students’ regular school curriculum. The results? Clinically significant IQ gains across all children who completed the program. Similar results have been found in several other studies such as Colbert et al., (2018), Amd & Roche (2018), Roche et al. (2923), and Roche et al., (2024),
Several other studies support these findings, with systematic reviews (May et al., 2022) concluding that while more independent research is needed, the scientific basis for SMART training is strong. For those interested, a collection of published studies can be found in the scientific evidence section at www.RaiseYourIQ.com.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Can IQ Be Increased in Adulthood?
The SMART method has mostly been tested on young children and teenagers although some research has focused on older adults with cognitive decline and on young adults with exceptionally high intelligence levels before training. As you might expect, the higher the starting IQ level the less there is to gain from the training but users would need to have an IQ of at least 120 to see the diminished effect, although this effect will still be measurable in most cases. Older adults may well see reductions in the advancement of cognitive decline as was shown in one pilot study published by an Italian team based in a geriatric hospital in Sicily.
Are Brain Training Apps a Waste of Time?
Not all of them. Many brain-training apps improve performance on specific tasks, but their benefits don’t appear to extend to real-world functioning or general intelligence. However, scientifically backed training programs—such as those based on relational reasoning—have been shown to enhance cognitive skills beyond the training itself and to be measurable with independent tests of general intelligence of several kinds. The key is choosing evidence-based training and not wasting your time on apps for which the developers cannot point to independent evidence from several different research teams that find significant improvements in general cognitive ability.
Conclusion: What Works and What Doesn’t?
While many methods can sharpen specific cognitive skills, we know of only one that has real potential to enhance general intelligence in a meaningful way. Among them, relational reasoning training, based on Relational Frame Theory (RFT), stands out as one of the most effective and scientifically backed approaches. Unlike generic brain-training games, relational training strengthens the core cognitive processes that support reasoning, problem-solving, and learning across different areas of life.
If your goal is to boost general intelligence rather than very specific skills, the best approach is to focus on scientifically supported techniques. Methods like relational skills training, combined with a commitment to lifelong learning, proper nutrition, and mental challenges, offer the most promising path to cognitive growth. Rather than chasing fleeting trends or following the advice of celebrities over scientists, choosing evidence-based strategies will ensure that you experience real, lasting benefits for your brain function and everyday intellectual performance.
