Keeping Yourself Mentally Fit

image source

Nowadays everyone’s always focused on getting fit and finding the right workout routines, especially in the new year. Gym memberships and protein shakes are selling like mad. The newspapers are full of fear-mongering stories about poor health and bad lifestyle choices that threaten lives. What is equally important, however, is the fitness of your brain. It’s almost easier to talk about physical fitness because scientists know more about the human body than they do about the intricate workings of the mind, but aiming for a healthy brain is as valuable as striving for peak physical condition. Here are some of the many ways you can keep your mind healthy as well as your body, along with some reasons as to why it is so important.

One: Body and Mind Are Linked

People often refer to physical and mental health as being two entirely separate aspects of a person’s life. As mentioned before, there is more information about the operations within the human body than knowledge about the mind and this is why focusing on physical wellbeing can be less of a challenge for some. Mental fitness, however, is just as important and has a huge effect on every other part of your life. Your mind is not separate to your body – it is a part of it. It’s tempting to imagine yourself as a conscious entity residing in an organic vessel, but your mind is as physical as the rest of you. Take care of it by reducing stress and increasing relaxation. Health clubs like those found at Tewkesbury Park Hotel are excellent for catering to all your needs, both mental and physical, as they encourage fitness and peacefulness simultaneously, keeping you fit but also relaxed and refreshed.

Two: Challenge Yourself

As with physical flexibility, mental agility decreases with age. Dementia and Alzheimer’s disease are common among the elderly population and studies now suggest that keeping your brain active for as long as possible might help to prevent or at least lessen the chances of developing these painful conditions. No matter how old you are, always find new things to stimulate your mind and challenge you to think for extended periods of time. It may sound clichéd, but your brain should be treated like a muscle that needs to be used in order to stay functional, much like the actual muscles in your body. Simple activities like board games, puzzles, maths and writing are great for keeping your mind active and healthy.

Three: Be Kind

As a rule, showing kindness is one of the best things you can do for the world. It manifests itself in unexpected ways and encourages others to treat everyone else with respect and generosity. It is also good for your mental health as it reduces stress and gives you greater self-confidence. Treating other people unkindly can make you feel guilty or angry, neither of which are healthy emotions to hold onto for long. Showing kindness to yourself is another great way of keeping your mind fit and healthy. Self-punishment rarely leads to positive results and being gentle with your mind will keep it strong for longer.