Tag: optimal mental wellness

  • How to cycle nortropics

    How to cycle nortropics

    Should You Cycle Nootropics? Here’s Why Taking a Break Can Be Beneficial

    With nootropics, consistency is key, but so is balance. Cycling your nootropic supplements can help keep them working for you while supporting your brain’s natural processes in the way it likes best. Here at Nortropics, we empower you for a healthy cognitive life by making informed choices. So let’s go ahead and find out why cycling nootropics, such as our formula Clarity, could be a good choice for long-term results.

    Neuroplasticity and Adaptation: Keep Your Brain Engaged

    The human brain is an amazing organ, ever-changing and rescripting itself in a non-stop process called neuroplasticity. This power of adaptation can be a double-edged sword: the more consistently an ingredient is used, the less sensitive the responding systems in your brain become. Cycling gives your brain some time to reset so that the pathways being touched by nootropics stay sensitive. It’s like allowing your brain a little breathing room so it goes back to gaining from the support Clarity gives when you return to using it.

    Preventing Tolerance: Maximize Long-Term Benefits

    Some nootropic ingredients, such as Rhodiola Rosea or L-Theanine, will lose a little potency over time if taken without breaks. That’s because your body can build up a tolerance to certain compounds with prolonged use. By cycling-whether it’s just taking 1-2 rest days a week, or going on a longer break every few months-you give your system time to reset. That way, when you do come back to Clarity, you’ll feel all of its benefits without diminishing returns.

    Supporting Natural Brain Function: All About Balance

    While nootropics do a great job of improving focus and clarity, it is essential to give your brain space to work naturally. Taking breaks allows your brain to engage in cognitive processes without relying on support, which enables you to stay balanced and resilient long-term. Think of this as training your brain to be strong independently, yet still leveraging the boost when needed with Clarity.

    Effective Ways to Cycle Nootropics

    Cycling doesn’t necessarily need to be that confusing; it’s all about finding what works best for you. A common approach is using nootropics 5–6 days a week with 1–2 rest days, or taking a break of 1–2 weeks after 8–12 consistent weeks. Do what your body tells you.

    We in Nortropics are here to guide you in growth, both in cognitive health and mental wellbeing. Cycling is not about stepping backward; it’s about stepping forward with intention and care toward what your mind is truly capable of.

  • From anxiety to balance – Hear from our customers

    From anxiety to balance – Hear from our customers

    Life consists of ups and downs and this is my story on how I went from anxiety to balance. You have your everyday normal challenges like work and family life, while trying to balance a healthy lifestyle. But throughout life, you will experience life altering events.

    A life altering event can be highly positive – like having a child. It can also be highly negative – like experiencing a serious trauma. But no matter which end of the scale you are balancing on, it will change your life forever. What if I told you, there is a product that can take you from anxiety to balance?

    About the Author

    This article is written by me – a 35-year-old woman, a registered nurse in Norway. The trio from Nortropics has developed a product called ‘Clarity’ and I have been using it since mid-March 2024.

    That means I’m now nearly 6 months into this new life I’m living, thanks to their product! There is only need for one sentence for me to describe what I mean by living a new life;

    – I didn’t know I could live a life without severe anxiety.

    But is it that simple? Yes and no, of course – as everything else in life. What I actually can promise you though, is that I feel different and exclusively for the better since I introduced ‘Clarity’ as a daily routine. I have noticed a remarkable difference both in my physical and mental health since I started to consume this product every single day – even though the nurse in me was highly skeptical. I mean, that skepticism is literally part of my job. But no matter what curve ball life throws my way, this change is here to stay. I found something that took me from anxiety to balance.

    If this made you curious, but not yet convinced – let me give this article more depth. I would like to tell you the reason why my life mostly has consisted of severe anxiety and depression.

    Trauma and mental illness

    As an adult woman, I was diagnosed complex post-traumatic stress disorder (cPTSD), in my late 20’s.

    In reality, I have most likely had the diagnose since early teen-age years, because that’s when the symptoms first occurred. But as a lot of traumatized people in this world – I suppressed it all. cPTSD can be developed by many different kinds of trauma, but mine in particular was developed after years of mental abuse – alongside with violently sexual abuse as a child. The reason why I have decided to include this part of my life in this article, is because sadly – a lot of people all over the world experience the same kind of trauma as me. An experience like this in life will make a huge impact, but no matter how big of an impact – I am here to tell you that there is hope to regain your freedom.

    To heal.

    And again, I feel the urge to mention ‘Clarity’ and tell you that this product has positive effects on my mental state. It really helped me go from anxiety to balance. I don’t remember much of my life before the trauma occurred, so I would have to say that I only remember a life existing of severe anxiety and depression – a consequence from cPTSD.

    I can’t remember a life without planning every single minute of my whole day, weeks ahead – medicated on maximum dosage of antidepressants. And even then, my everyday life consisted of me barely existing between my home and my job.

    I purposely write ‘existed’, because that’s exactly what I did. I haven’t been living for 35 years. No excitement, not thriving – just simply surviving each day.

    Until now.

    Heading for disability benefit

    It takes three years to get a bachelor’s degree as a registered nurse. Because of my mental health – I used almost 5 years. And because of cPTSD my whole life has been like this. Over time, I have never functioned both at home and at work at the same time, leading up to needing sick leave at least once a year. To be honest, I was heading for disability benefit.

    Then I came across one of the co-founders of Nortropics – Stian Sandåker.

    Until this point, I was convinced that my mental health was at a dead end. After three rounds of trauma-specific therapy, I had been told several times that I would never function better.

    Then I was introduced to hypnotic therapy and the product I highly recommend; Clarity.

    Hypnotherapy and Clarity

    As mentioned, Stian Sandåker introduced me to the product Clarity, but he also introduced me to hypnotic therapy. The nurse in me didn’t really believe that any of it would make a difference in my life. The little girl in me was scared, and the woman in me was exhausted, grasping at the last straw of hope.

    And all three versions of me mentioned, is extremely thankful for and still trying to comprehend this lifechanging product. The hypnotic therapy has been used to access my subconscious mind, altering how my conscious mind experience life – experiencing the world as most people do.

    However, Clarity has really upped the game on this one.

    At first, I didn’t really notice any difference, but I didn’t know what I was supposed to notice. I had no idea what to expect. And suddenly it hit me. What I would describe as brain fog, suddenly felt lifted. Like a layer of ‘mush’, just washed away. Like i slowly began going from anxiety to balance.

    My everyday life has been exhausting up to this point, not because I live a busy high-intensity life, because I am absolutely not. It has simply been exhausting because my brain hasn’t been functioning at the right level, consumed with anxiety.

    You know when you are reading a book, and all of a sudden you have read the same sentence, ten times for the past twenty minutes? Well, that’s one way to describe how my brain normally has been functioning throughout the day. And then of course, the anxiety came on top of that.

    Little by little, both me and the people around me noticed the change. I stopped being constantly alert, scanning each room ten times before feeling somewhat safe, stopped giving out cold vibes. I used to feel terrified and hoped people would leave me alone and now i felt balanced.

    Little by little, I stopped being scared of being alive.

    mental Clarity

    At first, I used Clarity twice a day to balance my mental health. I could still experience panic-attacks and anxiety, because let us be honest – nothing is ever done in a day. Change takes time and effort, but Clarity has really made it easier. Clarity helped me go from anxiety to balance.

    Now, 6 months later – I use Clarity once a day, and that’s it. I have been followed up by my doctor, and I can proudly say that for the first time in my life since I was a young teenager, I am not using any medicine. From maximum dosage of antidepressant to nothing but Clarity.

    After six months of using Clarity, I notice the difference within an hour after consuming it. I feel calm, I feel focused and more energized. And all of those effects mentioned, complement each other.

    Brain fog

    To explain further – when I don’t have brain fog, I can focus. When I focus, I don’t use a lot of energy thinking negative thoughts about myself or my capability, and my thoughts doesn’t wander. When I don’t use a lot of energy thinking negative thoughts, I of course feel more energized and overall satisfied. On top of that, I haven’t even mentioned the ingredients in Clarity which itself gives you more energy.

    The biggest single impact of Clarity’s function I have experienced, happened when I was going on vacation. I can’t express it clearly enough – I am scared to death by riding on a plane. This time I had a better mental health than ever, using Clarity on a daily basis. In the late evening before the plane ride, I started feeling anxious.

    Not anxiety, not deeply scared, but really uncomfortable. Trying to distract myself with reading, watching TV and doing crossword puzzles. Nothing worked and I decided to give Clarity a chance – knowing its function. And still, it took me by surprise! Only ten minutes after consuming, the anxiousness was completely gone and it was like an immediate transformation from anxiety to balance.

    100% gone. I relaxed doing crosswords puzzles, not giving the upcoming plane ride one single thought.

    How about that kind of focus, right?

    physical Clarity

    We all know that physical pain can make it more difficult to grow and begin this journey from anxiety to balance. And alongside with better mental health and capacity, Clarity will also make a difference in your physical health. I would especially like to mention my psoriasis, a skin condition resulting in itching, stinging and bleeding dry patches all over the body. I have had especially five patches on my body, giving be grief for at least two decades. The most exposed patch of psoriasis has been placed over the knuckles on top of my hand. It’s exposed for a lot of water and moist throughout a work shift as a nurse. This has resulted in a huge cracked patch of constantly irritated and infected skin. I have tried several types of medicine treatments, but nothing has ever worked more than a couple of weeks straight.

    My psoriasis patches are gone. All you see is where it used to be, because the scarred tissue has a different color than the rest of the skin.

    Other changes that Clarity can provide you with, that I have experienced myself, is painful joints and severe pain in scars. I have even been so lucky to have experienced the absence of a kind of pain only some people with a uterus can relate to – the pain of adenomyosis.

    Woman health is still kind of a mystery in this world, because the research has been less prioritized. I just cannot express enough how thrilled I am to live a life without the severe pain that you can getfrom having adenomyosis.

    When life gives you Clarity

    I can still experience days when I struggle to comprehend the huge impact Clarity has had in my life.

    But trust me, I am a 100% sure that this product works and this is why.

    I have had a couple of days this past 6 months where I have forgotten my daily doses of Clarity and I immediately notice a difference. Only a week ago, I forgot it for three straight days and I didn’t really understand why I felt so different. I didn’t feel depressed or anything, but I just didn’t feel like the best version of me anymore. Tired and kind of awkward, less energy and just weirded out. Luckily all I needed to do was starting consuming Clarity again, and the same day I was back as the best version of me.

    Do you still wonder if Clarity is a product for you?

    How could it not? Let me break it down for you and perhaps you also can begin your journey from anxiety to balance.

    Clarity for life

    I have shared with you about my trauma, singlehandedly because I want to tell the tale of hope. If

    you are holding on to hope, this product might be what you need for your journey.

    • If you are going to therapy, using Clarity can help you to focus on the conversation and keeping a clear mind throughout the day. It can help you keep calm and prevent the fatigue a lot of people experience after a tough session.
    • But those effects can transition to every aspect of life, no matter what your job is, no matter how a normal day looks like for you.
    • If you are a parent and long for more energy after work to follow up on your children’s after-school activities, Clarity may help you with that. Or if you have to help your child with homework, which is way more demanding after a long day.
    • If your job demands a lot of energy from you, staying alert and on the top of your game, Clarity would give you that extra boost. Delivering like never before.
    • Is your talent your job or hobby – writer, musician or some other kind of artist.
    • Does a day filled with anxiety that steals all of your energy sound familiar? I am living proof that Clarity helps you to stay calm. Helps you focus on the healthy thoughts and believe what the logical part of your brain is telling you – not what your anxiety is shouting at you.
    • Are you an athlete, looking for something excelling your restitution? Helping you ace your game in your sport genre?
    • Have your own anxiety to balance journey.

    Do you see where I am going with this? Clarity can boost your life for the better, no matter what it

    looks like. You can even experience all of the versions of life I just mentioned. I know I have.

    I have experienced the benefit of using Clarity as a parent, as a nurse, for my therapy sessions and in

    my hobbies which are combat sport and drawing.

    Summary

    Let me just remind you, we are all human. There is no miracle cure for the perfect life. No matter how

    well you are doing in your life, you will have days that is just not for you. My traumatic past cannot be undone. Life altering events cannot be undone, but it all can be changed for the better.

    If you are ready to change the way you live your life, the products from Nortropics are there to help

    you excel in life.

    I am no longer the old version of me, the one broken to pieces – both mentally and physically. I am

    not even the original version of who I turned out to be, free from anxiety.

    I am the very best version of who I can possibly be.

    So can you.

    Sincerely,

    Anne Marlene Lauli

    Nortropics disclaimer: This is solely a user generated review of our product Clarity. No supplements should ever be taken instead of medicine, nor should this article be considered as health advice. All statements in this article is a subjective experience from one happy customer.

  • What is the difference between supplements and nootropics?

    What is the difference between supplements and nootropics?

    As both a personal trainer and psychotherapist, I’m often asked what is the difference between supplements and nootropics and what I would recommend. These questions are becoming more frequent, especially with the growing interest in both physical and mental health, coupled with their increasing popularity on social media. I find that customers, clients, and patients want to know what they can take to improve their training results, strengthen their bodies, or gain a mental edge, whether for work, studies, or just to have a better everyday life. Here, I’ll dive into what actually distinguishes these two categories from each other, and which might work best for you.

    What are Supplements?

    Supplements are something most people are familiar with and have heard of. You see them everywhere from gyms to grocery stores, ranging from vitamins and minerals to proteins, amino acids, and omega-3 supplements. But what exactly are supplements, and why are they so popular and widespread?

    Definition and Purpose

    Supplements are products designed to complement a regular diet with nutrients that one might not get enough of through ordinary food. They’re often used to support general health, improve bodily functions, and even enhance performance during exercise. As a personal trainer, I often see people using protein powder to get enough protein to build muscle (about 1.25 grams per kg of body weight), or multivitamins to ensure they get the necessary vitamins and minerals

    Types of Supplements

    There are many different types of supplements. Vitamins and minerals are the most basic, but we also have protein powders, amino acids, omega-3 fatty acids, and specific sports products like creatine and pre-workout. Each of these has a specific purpose. For example, creatine is known for improving strength and muscle growth, while pre-workout provides energy and endurance during training. Omega-3, on the other hand, is fantastic for brain health and has anti-inflammatory properties

    Benefits of Supplements

    The benefits of supplements are numerous. They contribute where there are nutritional deficiencies, support the immune system, increase energy levels, and even improve recovery after exercise. When working with clients, I often see how much better they perform when they get the right nutrients through both food and supplements.

    Why Not Use Supplements?

    A balanced and good diet is usually sufficient to meet the body’s needs for vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients. By eating a varied diet with plenty of vegetables, proteins, and healthy fat sources, the body gets everything it needs to function optimally. Supplements can often be unnecessary, and in some special cases, they can even disturb the natural balances of nutrients in the body. Bioavailability is another factor in this; it turns out that bioavailability in some cases proves to be better in natural food. Therefore, it’s important to focus on achieving a healthy diet rather than relying solely on supplements, unless there’s a specific medical and examined reason to use them. Where you’ve looked into what you need and why. Another aspect is price and money; supplements are often disproportionately expensive, also in relation to the quality you actually get. The important thing here is to realize that supplements are something you take in addition to a balanced good diet, not instead of.

    What are Nootropics?

    This is something many of my clients and patients wonder about, and perhaps not a concept that’s well-known here in Norway, but in Europe, North America, and especially Asia, it’s well-known.

    Nootropics can be both natural and synthetic. Natural nootropics include Rhodiola Rosea, Ginkgo Biloba, and L-theanine (see separate article on L-Theanine). Others are more on the mushroom side, including Lion’s Mane, which is one of the most well-documented (see separate article). Synthetic nootropics can include substances such as modafinil or piracetam, both of which are categorized as medicines here in Norway and are extremely potent. Other more well-known nootropics that people might not think about are coffee and tea, which contain caffeine and L-Theanine

    Definition of Nootropics

    If we look at the current definition of what nootropics are, it says they are substances intended to improve brain function. This includes better memory, increased focus, improved learning ability, and generally sharper mental performance. As a psychotherapist, I’ve seen how nootropics can support cognitive function and performance ability, especially for those experiencing mental fatigue, mental balance, and concentration difficulties (see article Anne Marlene).

    Benefits of Nootropics

    The benefits of nootropics can be significant, especially if you’re striving to improve mental performance. They can clearly contribute to better concentration, improved learning ability, and increased creativity. At the same time, many experience that nootropics help against stress and improve sleep quality. It has also been shown that nootropics have a good effect on mental issues such as depression, restlessness, anxiety, and ADHD. (See article on L-Theanine and Marine Magnesium) Which in turn can improve mental performance.

    What is the difference between supplements and nootropics?

    I’ll address here what really is the difference between these two. Although both can improve your health, they work in very different ways.

    Main Differences:

    In their properties and what they are targeted towards. Supplements primarily focus on improving the body’s physical health by providing essential nutrients. Nootropics, on the other hand, are designed to improve mental performance and cognitive function. On the other hand, these can also cross each other, where one and the other can be both a supplement and a nootropic

    Users and Areas of Use:

    Those who use or take supplements are often looking to improve their general health or exercise performance / physical performance, while those who use nootropics are often more focused on improving mental sharpness, productivity, or combating mental fatigue.

    Of course, there’s also a correlation between those who focus on mental health also focusing on the physical and vice versa. In this way, one can say focus on general health, physical and mental / psychological, and that these go hand in hand.

    How to Choose the Right Product for You

    To choose between supplements and nootropics, it’s primarily about what the goal is and the desired end situation. If your goal is to improve physical health, such as building muscle or supporting the immune system, supplements are the way to go. If, on the other hand, you want to improve your mental performance, nootropics are probably more appropriate.

    As both a personal trainer and psychotherapist, I always recommend clients to consider both. Where one wants to optimize health from both sides, and where they affect each other optimally. So that in this way, you get the best of both worlds

  • Optimal mental wellness

    Optimal mental wellness

    To achieve optimal mental wellness should be an area of focus for every human being on earth. However, knowing what kind of products that help you with your own mental wellbeing can be difficult. It can be difficult because of the wide range of supplements you can choose from.

    At Nortropics, we only sell you products we put in our own body. Actually, we only produce products with ingredients that we know exactly where they come from. That should be a minimum, but unfortunately there are many “producers” of nutritional supplements who imports products from places without any sort of quality assurance, and then they put a cool label on it and sell it as a quality product. 

    This approach was discussed internally because it is a lot easier to make lots of money by importing some product and then just labeling it beautifully. However, we ended up taking a stand against white labeling of potentially unknown products. Which means, we work together with Norway’s biggest manufacturer of medicine and plant nutrition, Pharmatech. Our ingredients are either from Norway or sourced through their ethical quality assurance system. The production facilities are FDA approved and even approved by the Norwegian quality assurance “Mattilsynet”, read more about them here. This is our tip to you: if your favorite brand of nutritional supplements are not transparent on their production of products, avoid them at all costs because you do not know how it is manufactured.

    Our vision

    We want to help individuals to unlock their full cognitive potential and achieve optimal mental wellness. 

    This may sound prestigious, especially since we’re currently a very small company with huge ambitions. In other words, we are the underdog who wants to provide an alternative to big pharma. 

    As you can read in the post from our co-founder, our vision is fueled by personal transformation. For this reason, we wholeheartedly believe that most humans today are not even close to fulfilling their potential. To fulfill this vision, we have chosen an approach that includes education and cognitive training in addition to our products. 

    Holistic approach to mental health

    Taking nutritional supplements such as nootropics is a great way to help your brain feel better and when combined with techniques and knowledge, we believe this is the way to reach a holistic approach to mental wellness. 

    It would be awesome to have you join us for this journey. Whether you are seeking to enhance your cognitive abilities, improve your mental wellness, or simply curious about the potential within, Nortropics want to be your partner in this exploration.