The Best Nootropics to Boost Cognitive Performance, Focus and Energy without Breaking the Bank
In this guide, I’m going to reveal the best nootropics for boosting your cognition, memory, and focus to get the edge.
Smart drugs and “biohacking” are on the rise. It’s all but impossible to find a CEO, startup founder, or high-performer who hasn’t dabbled in some form of performance enhancement.
But there’s a problem.
This unprecedented rise in performance hacking has led to some unintended consequences. Namely that today, more than ever before, the average man has no idea how to navigate the murky waters of nootropics. We buy useless supplements because of unethical advertising campaigns, we imbibe dangerous, sometimes fatal drugs in an effort to get ahead, and experiment with our bodies in ways that could lead to profound consequences in the future.
So the question remains…
How do we get the best of both worlds? How can we optimize our brains and bodies for peak performance without spending thousands of dollars on risky procedures or synthetic drugs? How can we get more out of our minds and unlock the latent potential inside of us without sacrificing our sanity or longevity to do it?
Today, I’m going to answer those questions and give you a step-by-step guide to finding the best nootropics (that actually work) and get more out of yourself in the most effective (and safest) way possible.
Let’s dive in…
Medical Disclaimer: Always seek the guidance of your doctor or other qualified health professional with any questions you may have regarding your health or a medical condition. Never disregard the advice of a medical professional, or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this Website. Seriously…don’t do anything stupid, hurt yourself, and then blame me m’kay? Be responsible.
The Best Non-Nootropic Nootropics: Simple Lifestyle Hacks and Strategies to Boost Brainpower, Memory, and Cognition
Before we can begin our conversation about the best nootropics and stacks for optimal performance, we must momentarily digress and address the very “unsexy” fact most biohackers and supplement companies avoid.
There is no pill, powder, potion, or supplement on the planet that will act as a panacea for your cognitive woes. And more often than not, haphazard supplementation and “biohacking”–e.g. Imbibing substances without first understanding your bloodwork and genetic makeup–will worsen the problems you are already experiencing.
In the same way that a cup of coffee (which we’ll talk about later) is no substitute for a good night of sleep, all of the smart drugs in the world cannot rectify an unhealthy or imbalanced lifestyle.
To achieve true cognitive optimization, you must work from the inside out. By implementing the following prescriptions, you will lay a strong foundation for your future performance and exponentially increase the positive effects gleaned from any smart drugs or nootropic stacks you decide to consume.
This isn’t what you want to hear. But it’s the truth and we must cover the basics first before introducing the best nootropic stacks available.
Use the following strategies first and then work nootropics and smart drugs into your life in an intentional and conscious way.
1. The Most Underrated (Free) Nootropic on the Planet
Sleep deprivation is a problem in America. A big problem. According to the CDC, more than 30% of the American workforce struggles with chronic sleep deprivation and many economists estimate that sleep deprivation costs more than $63 billion annually in lost productivity, on the job accidents, and preventable illness and injury.
Not only has sleep deprivation–consistently getting 6 or fewer hours of sleep a night–been linked to:
Depression
Delirium
Hallucinations
Impaired Cognition and an Increased Risk of Preventable Accidents
An increased risk of infections, cancer, and overall mortality.
But studies have shown it can, quite literally, make you dumber.
People who regularly get 6 or fewer hours of sleep a night are shown to perform tasks slower, less efficiently, and with more errors than their well-rested peers. And the worst part?
They don’t even realize that their performance is being affected! The participants in these studies actually believed they were performing at normal levels even though every conceivable metric said otherwise.
Inversely, adequate sleep has been shown to cause: improved memory, lower systemic inflammation, improved immune function, elevated mood, learning and problem-solving abilities improved
As such, the best and most easily accessible “nootropic” you can use is to commit to getting at least 7-8 hours of sleep every night whenever possible. If that means you have to give up your favorite show or skip a few parts of your morning routine, do it. It’ll pay dividends in the long run.
In order to get the best sleep possible and wake up fully rejuvenated, I recommend:
Invest in an insanely comfortable mattress (I recommend Helix brand)
Buy blackout shades or tape black trash bags over your windows
Set the thermostat to 67F or cooler and sleep naked (seriously, it’s healthier for you)
Remove ALL electronics from your room and cover any light-emitting fixtures (like smoke detectors)
Take 500-1,000 mg of Magnesium, 50 mg of Zinc, krill oil, and 100 mg L-Theanine 45 minutes before bed
Turn off all electronics 60 minutes before you go to sleep
Go to bed and wake up at the same time every day
Consume a high fat snack 3 hours before bed and quit consuming alcohol 4 hours before sleep
If you do NOTHING else except improving your sleep (and get more of it), I promise you it will yield a greater impact on and improvement to your cognition, memory, and focus than anything else on this list.
2. Use This 15 Minute “Superset” to Tap into the Two Most Ancient Nootropics
Despite the recent “Sunlight Causes Skin Cancer” scare (which is based on exceptionally bad research) recent studies have shown a definitive link between vitamin D deficiency and impaired cognitive health. And other studies have shown that inadequate sun exposure can actually cause many of the cancers and diseases purportedly caused by sunlight.
When you don’t get sufficient amounts of sunlight, you can expect to suffer from mood swings, depression, anxiety, and a number of other negative effects. This is one of the reasons that suicide and depression rates tend to increase the further away from the equator you go.
Luckily, you don’t need to relocate to the beach in order to remedy this particular problem – although you could. Simply exposing your body to early morning sunlight (before 10 a.m.) for 15-20 minutes has been shown to dramatically improve your body’s vitamin D synthesis.
Personally, I recommend that you aim for at least 60-minutes of direct sun exposure (e.g. no sunscreen and no shirt or short sleeve clothing) each day.
If you live in a colder climate or do not regularly spend time outside, you should also supplement with 5,000–10,000 IU of a high-quality D3 supplement every day. (I prefer Jarrow’s Brand)
In addition to regular sun exposure or vitamin D3 supplementation, I encourage you to add in another practice called “earthing” to compound the benefits received from your morning practice.
Simply put, earthing is the act of standing in direct contact with the earth for a prolonged period of time, e.g. standing barefoot in the grass for ten minutes.
Although originally considered to be “hippy pseudoscience”, researchers have found a surprising number of tangible benefits that can be gleaned by reconnecting with the earth’s electron-rich surface.
Specifically, studies have found that regular earthing (15 minutes a day) can reduce pain, improve immunity, combat insomnia, reduce stress, and help fight brain fog.
All of which will result in (admittedly indirect) benefits to your cognitive health.
I encourage you to “superset” these practices together and spend the first 15-20 minutes of your day standing barefoot on the grass with direct sun exposure.
This might not be the most commonly prescribed “nootropic” hack, but I promise you, it will radically improve your overall health and cognitive capacity.
3. The “GOYA” Principle for Improved Health and Cognition
I’m going to tell you something you already know…
If you want to perform at the highest levels physically, emotionally, and mentally, regular exercise isn’t just a “good idea”…it’s a mandatory prescription for success.
Studies have shown time and time again that physical exercise is essential to improve cognitive function.
Elevating your heart rate and moving your body have been shown to improve memory, speed up cognitive processes, deepen focus, stave off Alzheimer’s and dementia, reduce age-related cognitive decline…and, of course, help you live a longer, fuller, and more mobile life.
But here’s the best part…
You don’t need to spend hours a day slaving away on the “Dreadmill” or pumping iron like Arnold to accomplish your goal of improving your brain health. You simply need to implement the “Goya Principle” (get off your ass) and move for 15-30 minutes a day.
In fact, most studies suggest that 150 minutes of moderate to intense exercise per week is all that’s necessary to optimize cognition.
Whether you go for a brisk walk, do a killer CrossFit workout, jog for a few miles, or do 30-minutes of intense yoga, get off your ass and do something every day to work up a sweat.
After a few months, you’ll never go back to a sedentary lifestyle ever again.
4. The “JERF” Rule to Improve Your Cognition, Immunity, Mood, and Physique
Unlike most “bloggers” out there, I’m going to admit something that few health or biohacking experts will…
Even though your diet is arguably the most important way to improve your cognitive health and improve your focus, mood, and memory, there is no “one size fits all” approach to dietary optimization.
While there are a few hard and fast principles you should follow, the human body is breathtakingly complex and dietary recommendations that work for one person can literally kill another.
Sure, you can and should:
Consume 80% of your calories from organic whole food sources or JERF (just eat real food).
Consume adequate amounts of healthy fats (typically 100grams a day for most men)
Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables while moderating your intake of meat
But that’s where the “general” rules end.
While I could spend hours sharing the thousands of peer-reviewed papers and anecdotal reports about the vegan, ketogenic, paleo, high carb, low carb, or Atkins diet, my effort would be in vain.
The only “expert” you should listen to with regards to your diet is your own body. Instead of basing your decisions on the tired platitudes espoused by the health and fitness “gurus” of the world, base them on the unique data derived from your own blood work and gut biome.
I recommend that you invest in a gut biome analysis, food sensitivity test, and genetic test to determine the ideal diet for you. Anything else is simply a shot in the dark.
However, if you can’t afford these types of tests right now, stick to the basics.
Eat plenty of whole foods–veggies, fruits, grass-fed meats–and pay attention to how you feel. Continually modify your diet until you’re able to sustain peak energy levels all day long and invest in the more detailed tests later down the line.