Earlier quoted context omitted.
It's just an overall sense of being able to remember things, think several consecutive thoughts through, clarity when programming, ability to stay attentive and on track, social ability, and so on. Also, I used to be very depressed all the time, and now it rarely happens. I've experienced many different layers of both cognitive health and cognitive impairment, and I also practice mindfulness, so I am able to assess t…
And to what do you attribute these changes? It sounds like changing your sleep was THE factor? Or were there other things? I know people who have dramatically changed their diet, and espoused similar life changing revelations... Almost word for word, to what you're describing.
The second most impactful factor for me has been meditation and general spiritual development. I have conditioned myself to practice attention to breath meditation several times per day for anywhere from half a minute to several minutes.
Whenever I notice myself stressed, annoyed, waiting, rushing, indecisive, and in other circumstances where mental clarity would help, I return my attention to breath. I've been practicing this for several years, and have experienced tremendous benefits.
For example, I have been able to largely unwire my annoyance reaction. I just don't become annoyed at things anymore. Crying babies, repetitive sounds, squeaky noises, arrogant or childish people, waiting for someone who's late, running late myself, and so on. It just doesn't bother me, no more than the Earth rotating around its axis.
Of course, if a program steals focus or a site is forcing me to use JS, or my [redacted] news feed is in some random fucking indecipherable sort order, it still annoys me. But that's my passion domain, and I project all those things as potentially happening in my software if I'm not careful, so I let it happen as a way of keeping myself sharp and vigilant.
Diet-wise, I avoid processed food and tobacco, which are my addictions. I've never been much of a drinker, but I've cut alcohol out almost entirely, even the occasional sip of vodka or half a bottle of beer I used to have. I attended several AA meetings recently, and it was a clarifying and eye-opening experience, and I just can't see alcohol the same way anymore.
I still love weed, but no longer regularly. I used to be a wake and bake, all day every day, no such thing as too much weed smoker.
Based on my prior psychedelic experience, I think I could have achieved many of these changes much quicker with the occasional acid trip, but I haven't found the right set and setting in a while.