One only need tune into an episode of "Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader?" to feel dumber than a box of hair. Somehow you're able to remember the intricate plotlines of "Days of Our Lives," yet struggle to remember the capital of Nevada, the name of the person you're chatting to, and where on earth you put your car keys.

But it's not too late to be a little less Jessica Simpson and a little more Albert Einstein. If you want to sharpen your mental faculties, speed up your thinking, and increase the power of your brain, give these brain games, drugs, and lifestyle tips a try. And remember: smart is the new black.

15. Get it on.

If you want to get your lover in the mood, dim the lights, crank up the Sade, and leave a copy of "Teach Yourself: Training Your Brain" on the bedside table. Co-authors Simon Wooten and Terry Horne assert that sexual intercourse stimulates chemical reactions in the brain, helping it to function more effectively.

In related news, Jenna Jameson has just been made a member of MENSA.

"It is fitness as it interacts with age that has the positive effects," said head researcher Arthur F. Kramer. "Older adults show a real decline in brain density in white and gray areas, but fitness actually slows that decline."

As Newsweek notes, a recent study showed that regular exercise (in this case, a hour a day, four days a week for three months) revealed what appeared to be the growth of new neurons on the subjects' brain scans.

11. Ditch Debbie Downer.

Here's another tip from "Teach Yourself: Training Your Brain": lose the party pooper friends.

"Mix with people who make you laugh, have a good sense of humor, or who share the same interests as you, and avoid people who whine and complain, as people who are negative will make you depressed, which means you won't achieve things," says co-author Terry Horne.

By contrast, surrounding yourself with positive influences raises the level of serotonin in the brain, putting you in more optimistic spirits.

"No one knows whether smoking directly impairs memory or is merely associated with memory loss because it causes illnesses that contribute to memory loss," the Harvard report says. "Smoking is especially common among people who are depressed, and depression weakens the memory. In addition, smoking increases the risk for stroke and hypertension, two other causes of memory impairment.

"Smoking can interfere with memory in other ways, too. For one thing, it damages the lungs, and good lung function is one of the characteristics of people whose memories stay strong in old age. In addition, smoking constricts the blood vessels to the brain, depriving it of oxygen and possibly harming neurons."

Ironically, nicotine itself does help people focus, which aids in retrieving memories; it's the side effects of smoking that does the damage. As such, Newsweek is reporting that scientists are currently developing a memory-boosting compound that would trigger nicotine receptors in the brain. Though the drug is still in the early testing phases, a recent trial on 80 Alzheimer's patients showed improved long-term memory, working memory, and cognitive processing speed after eight weeks of taking the pill.

"Sleep problems and effects on the heart and blood system caused by caffeine are a good reason to go for decaf and for scientists to attempt to separate the beneficial effects from the side effects," Dr. Vreugdenhil says.

Getting your caffeine from green tea may be the healthiest approach to a better brain.

Now break me off a piece of that Kit Kat bar.

5. Learn something new.

Turns out you can teach an old dog new tricks. Picking up a new skill - whether it be an instrument, a foreign language, or the dance steps to "Soulja Boy" - can keep the mind sharp because it presents the brain with a new challenge. Traveling and experiencing new things can also reinvigorate the mind.

"Whatever company comes out with the first memory pill is going to put Viagra to shame," University of Pennsylvania bioethicist Paul Root Wolpe tells The Chicago Tribune.

Those pills, however, may be years away from development. In the meantime, ADD treatments help patients focus by triggering the release of dopamine in the brain, while a beta blocker like Inderal has a calming effect because it blocks adrenaline receptors in the brain.

Those looking to keep their mind as sharp as a tack can also look to multivitamins, or take ginkgo supplements.

While video games are often associated with brain-fired slackers, researchers have found that playing video games - whether it's Tetris, The Sims, or Grand Theft Auto - can have a positive effect on the brain. Games can stimulate brain functions like pattern recognition, system thinking, and patience, resulting in a sharpened attention span and faster information processing.

"Basically, how we think is through running perceptual simulations in our heads that prepare us for the actions we're going to take," Professor James Gee told Discover. "By modeling those simulations, video games externalize how the mind works."

While researchers say any game that players find challenging - but not overwhelmingly so - will boost mental dexterity, the video game market has recently been flooded with "train your brain" games. Try swapping Mario and Luigi for these mind teasers:

Nintendo Big Brain Academy: Wii Degree
Sega Crush
Nintendo DS Ultimate Brain Games
Nintendo DS Mind Quiz - Your Brain Coach