The evidence library

The single largest, most reliable lever on next-day attention and working memory. Nothing in a bottle beats it.

Regular aerobic exercise reliably improves executive function and protects long-term brain health.

Small but real working-memory and processing-speed gains, biggest under sleep deprivation or in vegetarians.

The combo improves attention-switching and reduces the jitter/anxiety of caffeine alone.

Short, consistent mindfulness training improves working memory and reduces mind-wandering.

Getting bright light early anchors your circadian clock, improving sleep and daytime alertness.

Memory benefit mainly shows up in older adults with low intake or mild decline — not reliably in healthy young people.

Modestly improves memory acquisition — but it's slow (weeks) and effects are small.

Helps thinking under acute stress or sleep loss — but does little when you're rested and calm.

An adaptogen with modest evidence for reducing stress-related fatigue — not a focus stimulant.

May modestly improve sleep — strongest evidence in older adults with insomnia, weaker in everyone else.

High-dose cocoa flavanols may aid memory in older adults — but most chocolate has too little to matter.

You get better at the game. That improvement mostly does NOT transfer to real-world cognition.