Creativity is one of those things that people assume you either have or you don't. But this simply isn't true.

Sure, some people may have a higher level of creativity than others naturally. But with the right supplements and a few behavioral techniques, you can increase your level of creativity dramatically.

We're gonna explore those supplements here, looking at the best nootropics for creativity. But first, lets briefly define what creativity is and look at a few behavioral techniques for increasing it. If you want to just skip right down to the best nootropics for creativity, you can do so by using the table on contents on the right.

What Is Creativity?

We all know what creativity is. We know it when it strikes, and we know how hard it can be to find sometimes. But how do we define creativity?

According to Merriam-Webster's Dictionary, creativity is defined as “the ability to make new things or think of new ideas.” Creativity is an important aspect of many disciplines, including music, art, business, medicine, performance arts, literature, exploration, science, and just about anything else you can think of.

Any time you come up with something new, you are being creative. This could be something as simple as a new word, or as complex as writing a symphony. Being creative is an excellent quality to have, and will help you in many areas of life.

A Few Ways To Increase Creativity

If you're just here for the best nootropics for creativity, you can skip to the next section. But if you want to really boost your creativity, you should use these behavioral techniques in addition to nootropics.

Here's a few things you can do to increase your creativity:

1. Take notes

Always have a way to take notes, no matter where you are or what you're doing. You can use your smart phone's notepad app or time-tested paper and pen. It doesn't matter what you use. As long as you have a way to jot down ideas as they come to you.

Have you ever had a great idea, only to forget it before you get the chance to put it into action? Creativity can strike at any time. Write down your ideas as you have them, and you'll never experience this ever again.

2. Get moving

Exercise has been shown to increase creativity. It doesn't seem to matter what kind of exercise it is. Just get moving.

I'm not going to get into all the benefits of exercise here, because there are tons of them. But the one relevant to creativity is that exercise increases blood flow to the brain. More blood, more oxygen. More oxygen, more creativity.

3. Meditate

Meditation is an excellent way to increase creativity. While meditation used to only be practiced in the far east, it is now done all over the world. And for good reason: It works.

It might sound silly at first. Sitting around, not thinking about anything sounds like the opposite of creativity. But meditation has been shown to increase divergent thinking, which is a type of thinking that is associated with creativity.

4. Change your perspective

Sometimes creativity can be increased by a change in perspective. Looking at things in a different way allows us to think about things in a different way. In other words, it allows us to be more creative.

Learn something new, go somewhere different, or put yourself in someone else's shoes. The more you're able to look at things from different perspectives, the more creative you'll be.

Look at it this way: Creativity is all about thinking outside the box. The best way to think outside the box is to first learn everything in the box. Once you know everything in the box, you'll be able to think outside of it.

5. Set aside time to be creative every day

This one is very important, but often overlooked. It's not overlooked by the world's top artists, musicians, writers, and business leaders, though. They know how to harness the power of scheduled creativity.

Why are you trying to increase creativity? Are you a writer? Then you should set aside a certain time every day (or most days) to write. Are you a musician? Then you should set aside time every day to work on your music.

It sounds simple, but it's often overlooked. Don't sit around waiting for creativity to strike. Set aside time every day to work on your creative endeavors.

6. Be creative!

The people that have the highest levels of creativity also find creative ways to cultivate that creativity. Don't be afraid to try new things and figure out what works best for you.

Now that we've defined creativity and gone over some of the most effective behavioral ways to increase it, we can get to the best nootropics for creativity.

The Best Nootropics For Creativity

This was not an easy list to come up with. Just about every nootropic out there increases one or more aspects of creativity.

But these are the ones that have the most research behind them, the best safety profiles, and the most case reports. Here's the best nootropics for creativity:

1. Aniracetam

This is a great nootropic that can improve several aspects of creativity. Aniracetam is known to improve focus and motivation while decreasing anxiety. This can lead to a sharp increase in creative thinking.

Aniracetam is in a class of nootropics called racetams. These are a group of chemically similar nootropics that all produce a variety of cognitive boosting effects.

What makes aniracetam special is its ability to improve focus and motivation in a very relaxed way. Unlike stimulants, which can cause anxiety, this nootropic actually reduces anxiety while improving cognitive ability.

As you can imagine, being focused and motivated while, at the same time, relaxed is great for creativity. You can cultivate ideas in a relaxed-yet-focused way.

Here are some of the benefits of aniracetam:

• Increased Focus
• Increased Motivation
• Reduced Anxiety
• Improved Learning Ability
• Improved Memory
• Mood-Enhancement
• Improved Cognitive Processing

As you can see, this is an impressive list of benefits. The recommended dosage for aniracetam is between 750 milligrams (mg) and 2.5 grams. As always, it's recommended that you start with the lower dose first, and work your way up as needed.

Side effects from aniracetam are rare, and usually go away as soon as you stop taking it. Like all the racetams, stacking a choline source like Alpha-GPC with aniracetam can increase effectiveness and reduce the possibility of side effects.

You can learn more about aniracetam here: Aniracetam For Anxiety and Focus.

2. L-Theanine and Caffeine

This is a great little stack for increasing creativity that is often overlooked. It is especially effective for people that are new to nootropics.

This combo, like aniracetam, provides a sense of relaxed focus. Caffeine, by itself, is stimulating. L-theanine, by itself, is mildly relaxing. Take them together, and they boost each others' effectiveness, creating a relaxed, focused feeling.

We all know what caffeine is. It's that wonderful chemical that's found naturally in coffee and tea that helps us get going every morning.

L-theanine, on the other hand, isn't so well know. L-theanine is an amino acid that is found in green tea. I'm sure you've heard about the benefits of drinking green tea. Some of these benefits come from l-theanine.

This amino acid, when taken at dosages higher than is found in green tea, can make you feel relaxed, but not in an overly sedated way. When taken with caffeine, it increases the focus you get with caffeine while eliminating the jitters.

Benefits of L-Theanine and Caffeine:

• Increased Focus
• Increased Wakefulness, Without Jitters
• Promotes A Calm, Focused Mindset
• Improved Mood
• Improved Learning
• Creates A Feeling Of Relaxed Alertness

L-theanine is usually taken in a dosage of anywhere from 100-300 mg, with 200 mg of caffeine. For me and many others, the perfect ratio seems to be 1:1. In other words, 200 mg of l-theanine with 200 mg of caffeine.

This combo has been shown to be safe and effective. Side effects are rare and easily reversible by simply stopping taking it. Some people that are sensitive to caffeine may not respond well. However, many people that are usually sensitive to caffeine report that taking it with l-theanine reduces that sensitivity.

You can learn more about l-theanine and caffeine here: L-Theanine and Caffeine – The Perfect Combo.

3. Sulbutiamine

This is an underrated nootropic that was originally created to be a superior version of vitamin B1 (thiamine). And, in many ways, it is exactly that.

Sulbutiamine is able to cross the blood-brain-barrier much more efficiently than thiamine. This gives it all the benefits of thiamine, plus more.

This nootropic is known for it's mood-boosting, anxiety-reducing, and cognitive-enhancing effects. Obviously, these are all good things when it comes to boosting creativity.

Sulbutiamine has also been shown in scientific studies to improve memory. Having a good memory will certainly allow you to be more creative, giving you more information to draw from.

Benefits of Sulbutiamine:

• Improved Memory
• Improved Mood
• Reduced Anxiety
• Mildly Stimulating
• Improved Stamina and Endurance

Sulbutiamine is typically used in dosages ranging from 500 mg to 1000 mg. As always, start with the lower dose to see how it works for you. Some people report all the above benefits with just 500 mg.

Side effects from sulbutiamine seem to be very rare. When they do happen, they are often mild and easily reversed by stopping sulbutiamine.

You can learn more about sulbutiamine here: Sulbutiamine For Mood and Anxiety.

4. Coluracetam

This is another nootropic that is in the racetam family, like aniracetam. Coluracetam is much newer, and has different effects.

This nootropic has not been studied anywhere near as much as the other ones on this list. However, the few studies that have been done on humans have all shown it to be safe.

Coluracetam is being investigated as a treatment for depression, anxiety, and memory problems. It seems to have mood-boosting, anxiety-reducing, cognitive-enhancing, and sensory-enhancing properties.

All these things are known to increase creativity. What sets coluracetam apart from other nootropics is its ability to increase sensory awareness.

Like the other racetams, coluracetam probably works best when taken with a choline source, like Alpha-GPC.

Benefits of Coluracetam:

• Improved Mood
• Reduced Anxiety
• Increased Sensory Perception
• Improved Cognitive Performance

The recommended dosage for coluracetam is between 5 and 35 mg. However, as a newer nootropic, there are no set guidelines as of now.

One study done on humans used a dose of 80 mg, three times a day. At this dose, no serious side effects were reported. As always, it's a good idea to start with a lower dose and work your way up as needed.

You can learn more about coluracetam here: Coluracetam.

Conclusion

There you have the best nootropics for creativity. If the first thing you try doesn't work, don't get discouraged. Everyone's brains are different, and respond differently.

This is why psychiatrists often have to prescribe several different medications before finding the right one (or ones) that work. The same is true with nootropics. It takes some trial and error, but when you figure out what works for you, you'll be glad you went through the process.

I should mention that you should always talk to a licensed physician before starting or stopping any new drug, supplement, diet, or anything really. The truth is, most doctors have never heard of nootropics and will tell you to stay away from them. But your doctors give you the best advice they can, and you should take into consideration what they say when making your own decisions.

And this concludes our list of the best nootropics for creativity. You might also like to check out the other articles in our “Best Nootropics For…” series:

• The Best Nootropics For Mood
• The Best Nootropics For Anxiety
• The Best Nootropics For Studying
• The Best Nootropics For Focus
• The Best Nootropics For Motivation
• The Best Nootropics For Memory
• The Best Nootropics For Social Anxiety