/noot/ - ноотropics

Reddit will always default to a hands on deck approach to mitigate any actual thought would be applied to a post over there. I prefer going on websites like Longecity and Erowid to hear what users there have come up with, Longecity specifically is a treasure cove of knowledge and people there are generally of the self-experimental type, so don't be surprised if you'll so happen to go over there and see a group-buy of a unheard of research chemical from a distributor in China. Can it get a little overboard? It depends how serious YOU are when it comes to nootropics or whether you're trying to get a subtle edge on how you cognitively perform on a day to day basis. There's research compounded in the resources that I've posted in the beginner's sticky that will give you an entry point to learning more about the more popular nootropics, such as Piracetam. In certain countries (particularly, Eastern Europe), nootropics such as Picamilon and Noopept are Rx drugs, so the fact that these drugs are readily accessible to the American consumer does not negate the purported benefits that these drugs have, along with the minimal side-effect profile. Apart from the doctor-to-patient/prescribed authenticity of certain nootropics, the lengthiest amount of research done a nootropic to date, apart from caffeine, is the racetam family. The research generally agrees of its neuroprotective benefits, both clinical and anecdotal. The potential is there, but obviously not as direct as any stimulant that gives you short-term benefit with long-term harm. The tradeoff with most nootropics is that the effect is not immediate, but similar to exercise or a diet, nootropics demand a level of commitment on your part or else it'll be a drain of resources.

>best diet
Nutritionists and scientists generally agree that a Mediterranean diet has all the essentials to promote a healthy weight and cardiovascular health.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24142599
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23163793

>What's the best exercise?
There's no one best exercise. Find a routine, don't push yourself and make sure that you're giving your body time to recover. Exercise sends out signals to the pituitary gland to release endorphins, these chemical releases yield typically higher in men along with testosterone output. These hormones can help regulate mild to moderate depression, prevent certain types of cancer, sexual dysfunction and cardiovascular disease, and overall you well-being. You already knew that, though. Putting it into practice and sticking with it are essential to the bigger picture, nootropics can certainly give you the focus much like a jar of Jack3d would but without the dependency issues or the carcinogens.

>best time to sleep
This is a tough one to answer for me, as it's 2 AM and I've habitually been sleeping during the day for as long as I could remember. Fatigue is the monkey wrench in the brain's cogs for me, no matter how much sleep I'll get I wake up feeling groggy and still tired. Adopt a sleeping pattern that works best for you, but don't oversleep and shoot for 5-7 hours a day. I'm of the idea that it doesn't matter whether it's night out and you're awake, you may be nocturnal and as long as you're performing optimally, then make sure your lifestyle can coexist with your sleeping patterns. If you're supplementing for the lack of vitamin D that you're getting and compensating for the social interaction you'd get during light hours, then I don't see why it would be a problem.

>right side, left side, lying down
It doesn't matter unless you have sleep apnea or you're waking up cramped/sore. Beyond that and more importantly, the best investment that you'll ever make is a mattress. A good one. It doesn't matter how much you spend on it, just make sure that it's a medium-firm mattress and comfortable enough for you to enjoy sleeping.

The bigger picture is what works best for you and to not get deterred by lack of instant gratification, since that's what the bigger picture is all about, right?