Physical fitness is vital. A healthy body can prevent conditions like heart disease and diabetes and help you remain independent as you grow older. But what about your brain? It turns out that mental fitness is just as essential as physical fitness. Incorporating mental dexterity exercises into your daily routine can help you obtain the benefits of a sharp mind. Mental exercises help you slow down, decompress and boost a flagging memory. When you are mentally fit, you are:

• Present and connected
• Well-rested and enthusiastic
• Energized and focused
• Able to recall short-term information
• Capable of dealing with stressors

Mental fitness is a step beyond the absence of mental illness. It is about thinking, feeling and performing at your best. Here are some activities to help you develop and strengthen your mental fitness.

Mindfulness

Make it a routine. Meditate, color, practice body awareness or use a support app. You will build your understanding of your automatic thoughts. You learn to refocus your attention and disrupt negative thought patterns. Mindfulness can help you choose behaviors that align with your goals.

Stay on Top of Your Physical Health

Your brain needs adequate food, water, and sleep for optimal cognitive functioning. Build breaks into your day to address these basic needs. A lack of any essential can negatively impact your mental fitness. Physical fitness is necessary too. Working out relaxes the mind and relieves stress and tension. It also develops a sense of achievement.

Train Your Mind

Try to discover some activities for mental fitness. Mental exercises sharpen your memory and cognitive function. Numerous games, puzzles, and apps are available to improve cognitive processing ability. Mindfulness techniques build mental fitness. Reading is also excellent for mind training, whether for pleasure or learning.

Reminders

You can help your brain construct new neural pathways by using external reminders. Keep a list of enabling thoughts in a visible location, a Post-it note perhaps. Visual reminders will help reinforce a new thought while making it easier to change course.

Learn New Things

When you learn something new, regardless of what it is, you help maintain your brain’s neuroplasticity. Pick an activity you enjoy. Learn a new language, take dancing lessons, pick up a sport or learn to code. The new hobby will help you form new neural paths, improve your emotional health and help you build self-efficacy.

Always Practice Gratitude

When you develop gratitude, it helps you shift your thinking toward optimism. There is a correlation between optimism and improved health. Consider keeping a digital or physical gratitude journal or take a daily note about things you are grateful for.

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