Keeping your mind active
Many of us stay active by going to the gym, running or taking up a sport, with a focus on physical fitness giving us the healthy feel good factor. We often forget that exceeding the brain is also extremely important to promote not only overall well-being but most importantly good mental health.
Staying mentally active can in fact be easier than staying fit, with plenty of ways to give your mind a daily workout without having to set aside any time for exercise. In fact, lots of things we take for granted on a daily basis help our minds to develop and stay sharp, so it is often only small tweaks and changes that are needed.
We’ve taken a look at some easy ways to stretch your mind-muscles to ensure both a healthy body and a healthy brain.
Reading
This one is usually a given for most people, but we don’t mean mindlessly flicking through a Facebook feed or skimming the paper on the way to work. Try setting some time aside to read an engaging novel, or to learn about a completely new topic by picking up a non-fiction book. If you absolutely must look at your phone, try downloading an eBook or visiting a website with plenty of interesting content or something related to your hobby. Losing yourself in a story or forcing yourself to memorise new information will help to shake off the cobwebs.
Learn a new language
Learning a new language has never been easier, with hundreds of self-help guides and apps designed to help us immerse ourselves in a foreign language, even if we live thousands of miles away from the places it is spoken. Memorizing vocabulary and learning grammar rules will leave your head spinning after a while, which is a good sign as it means you are forcing yourself to extend your thinking capabilities, promoting better brain function.
Play games such as chess or a card games such as poker
Way more than just a game, activities such as chess or poker test your wits, psychology and knowledge, with the best players using experience and quick calculation skills to succeed. With so many factors to take into account including opponent moves and the strength of your hand, even a friendly game of chess or poker at the weekend will force your brain into a workout. If you can’t play among friends, there are of course adult gambling sites such as 888poker but also free apps that allow you to download some games you play against the computer with no money required, these options offer an exceptional range of games that can be played on the move, allowing mind-athletes with the busiest schedules to do some mind exercises, even if they are on the go.
Go to a pub quiz
Ok, so drinking alcohol may not be the best remedy for a lethargic mind, but doing the quiz while you’re there will help you to maintain the brain cells you have remaining. Quizzes with a variety of topics and a music round are the best, as they will force you to delve deep into the fuzziest parts of your head, promoting better memory capability and quicker access to stored information. You can even do a quick quiz online to see how well your brain is working at the moment if you can’t make it to the pub!
So instead of firing up your phone or slobbing out in front of a mindless TV show, why not give your mind a quick spring clean with a few simple exercises that can be fun at the same time!
