Nature's nootropics

Would you like to enhance your brain's performance output and have the potential to improve memory, focus, energy and productivity, while mitigating stress? It sounds like an ideal proposition in the contemporary work-focused world, where time is money and maintaining a healthy life balance could use a helping hand. Enter the world of natural nootropics, inviting you to supplement your way to a sharper mind.

- LOLITA WALTERS

Among the prized substances of Mother Nature's bounty is an array of natural nootropics, touted for enhancing your brain's function and supercharging cognitive abilities. Here we explore how harnessing these nootropic substances in your lifestyle ultimately provides you with a means to have your brain functioning optimally. It's time to dive into how they work, which ones to choose and how to incorporate them in order to reap the maximum brain-boosting benefits on offer.

What are nootropics?

The term nootropics, by definition, refers to a collection of substances colloquially known as "smart drugs" or supplements, due to their actions on the brain that can contribute to a boost in intelligence. While this includes synthetic options created in a laboratory, the abundance of efficacious natural herbal nootropics, bearing minimal risk of side effects, generally tips the scale in favour of those created by Mother Nature when selecting cognitive enhancers.

According to expert Anna Mitsios, a naturopath passionate about utilising the special qualities of certain herbs and plants, nootropics found in nature have been used for centuries in Traditional Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine; however, they are only recently becoming popularised in the Western world due to their ability to function as cognitive enhancers. "This essentially means that they are substances with a long tradition of use by humans, which have the ability to improve your brain's power through avenues such as enhanced memory, concentration, focus, clarity and energy," explains Mitsios. In turn, this can have a ripple effect of increased productivity and higher work quality, along with greater enjoyment and less stress when performing cognitive tasks.

How do they work?