Sharp

14 Simple Ways to Improve Your Life with Brain Science

By: Therese Huston PhD

Narrated by: Theresa Bakken

What if your best days weren’t left to chance, but something you could control and activate at will? Most of us want to be a little happier, a little more focused, and a lot less stressed. We want simple approaches that are easy to fold into our everyday lives.

In Sharp, you’ll discover dozens of evidence-backed strategies to help you unlock your potential and enhance your performance—whether at work, school, home, or in relationships. Cognitive scientist Therese Huston unpacks the latest neuroscience research to deliver a gold mine of techniques to help you feel your sharpest including:

• how a calming deep breathing technique improves decision-making
• exactly what kind of exercise helps you think on your feet
• what brain science says you should look for in a doctor, and
• how to get focused on your most unfocused days.

Forget the tired advice of get more sleep—Sharp dives into more innovative, actionable tips that can make a difference in your daily routine. Best of all, many of them take five minutes or less. Whether you want to make fewer mistakes, support your partner through life’s challenges, or simply learn faster, Sharp gives you the tools to do it all without having to overhaul your entire lifestyle. It’s time to take charge of your mental and emotional well-being with science.

For anyone looking to be a little happier, a lot more productive, and far less stressed, Sharp offers the solutions you’ve been looking for.

©2025 Therese Huston, PhD (P)2025 Mayo Clinic Press

Making you sharper

Great book with helpful and practical recommendations for making you sharper and smarter. I listened twice to make sure I didn't miss anything

very informational

This book did a great job providing good information on tips about the brain to improve our daily lives, it provided the science behind the tips.

Enjoyed book until I got to the CRT bias section ....

Enjoyed book until I got to the CRT bias section .... completely unnecessary for what otherwise is a nice framework

Long on negative short on solution

I found it reinforces all of the things. I am trying to change in my habits and behaviors. Long negative examples and short easy to miss Solutions. Sorry guys this is not what you’re looking for.

Book with an Agenda

The first few chapters were both interesting and educational. But, as the book goes on, it feels like it becomes more about DEI than brain improvement. I'm sure that changing your views about In-groups goes a lot deeper than some class to change your behavior, especially since its been instilled in most of us since birth. But all races have bias, since the beginning of time. And although all races or groups should try and work against it, only some are required to. Maybe there should be something in the title that also includes "14 ways...+ DEI Training"