In the world of self-improvement, biohacking, mental health and productivity, nootropics are big news right now.
‘Nootropics’ is a broad term for supplements that claim to facilitate better mental function. This could mean improving memory and lifting mood, as well as creating better focus and learning skills.
While people may take nootropics for any of these reasons, their aim is to enhance natural function rather than to treat illnesses or conditions of any kind. This makes them a lifestyle supplement and not a medical treatment. People who take nootropics may do so for a number of reasons, and have specific goals in mind.
This could range from being more productive at work to reducing stress, or simply increasing their enjoyment of life in general. These are not aims that are linked to health problems but are instead more about maximizing our brains’ potential without suffering negative side effects.
Nootropics may operate in a couple of different ways, although there is no set definition, and they may be a stimulant or a sedative, for use in different situations.
For example, if someone wishes to relax more easily and enjoy better sleep, substances including melatonin can help to give the user greater control over their sleep cycles. Alternatively, a stimulant such as phenibut can help users to feel more sociable and elevate their mood.
In general, any supplement that allows the user to have a greater control over their state of mind as they move through life – whether at work or at leisure – may be considered a nootropic.
This even extends to working out, and there are some nootropics that are particularly popular with gym-goers for their ability to motivate harder work during training, despite the fact that they target only cognitive abilities rather than physical ones.
Devotees of nootropics will often find that there are many complex and personalized ways to factor these supplements into their lives. This could include finding out which nootropics to combine for best effect, as well as cycling on and off certain supplements so they retain their potency when used.
This is in addition to working out the exact frequency and dosage that works for the individual, which isn’t the same from person to person.
Before you go out and buy every nootropic you think you might need, it’s important to do your own research into which supplements can be mixed together, which can’t, what dosage is right for you, and to try them out one at a time before you begin to combine them.
The more insight you can get beforehand, the better, because while they are a huge help to many people there is no standard way to take nootropics. If the concept of nootropics sounds too good to be true, it’s worth bearing in mind that they cannot help us to exceed our natural limits.
Instead, think of nootropics as a potential way to enhance and make the most of our individual abilities, to offset the stresses and burnout of modern life, and to operate at a more consistent and optimal level on a day-to-day basis