Reflect and Nourish

When we think about improving our overall being, nutrition, exercise, and sleep tend to be the first practices that come to mind. These practices are essential, but it’s important not to forget how crucial it is to nurture our minds as well. Just as the body needs regular strengthening to build muscle, the mind needs regular challenges to stay sharp. With that being said, here are five habits that can help you build and maintain a healthy, sharp mind:

1. Read

Reading is an excellent way to stimulate your mind. It involves a complex network of circuits and signals in the brain, and according to a 2015 study from Neuroreport, this network strengthens with increased reading maturity.

According to Healthline, reading offers numerous psychological and physical benefits, including but not limited to increased vocabulary, a heightened ability to empathize with others, reduced stress, and improved mood.

What’s more, research has shown that reading fiction can improve one’s ability to identify and share in someone else’s feelings, according to Big Think. Reading fiction activates the parts of your brain responsible for language processing, physical movement, and sensory experiences, and when this happens, your brain mimics the neural activities of the experiences you read about.

This can help you to get “neurologically one step closer to an understanding necessary for empathy.”

However, reading of any kind – fiction or nonfiction – is good for you. So, pick your favorite genre(s) and get lost in whatever interests you!

2. Journal

Journaling is another great habit for your mind because, when done properly, it forces you to think carefully about how you want to articulate your thoughts.

According to Healthline, journaling provides several mental and emotional health benefits such as encouraging space from negative thoughts, working through your emotions, determining your next step(s) in a situation, and deepening self-discovery.

Not to mention, journaling may also help lower blood pressure, improve wellbeing, and decrease stress-related doctors’ visits, according to a 2018 Cambridge Review of the mental and emotional health benefits of expressive writing.

3. Meditate

Meditation is an effective method to clear your mind and train yourself to be mindful of the present moment.

According to Mayo Clinic, meditation can help provide one with a sense of calm, balance, and peace that can aid overall emotional health and wellbeing. These benefits often stick throughout the day, helping one to feel more centered and at ease.

Meditation can also improve creativity, patience, self-awareness, sleep, and the ability to remain present, as well as lower heart rate and blood pressure.

There are several ways to practice meditation; however, meditation usually includes five components: focused attention, relaxed breathing, a quiet setting, a comfortable position, and an open attitude (allowing thoughts to come and go without judging them).

4. Learn a new skill, like a foreign language or an instrument

Learning new skills keeps your brain sharp.

According to University of Potomac, learning a foreign language can lead to a range of benefits, including strengthened grey matter in your brain, more job options, and improved memory, creativity, and multitasking skills. It can also increase your self-esteem, as it’s highly satisfying to be able to speak a foreign language with native speakers of that language. 

According to the “18 Benefits of Playing a Musical Instrument” by Michael Matthews, playing an instrument can help someone develop increased self-discipline, teamwork skills, memory, time-management skills, and a whole host of other cognitive and social benefits.  Plus, by learning and getting better at playing a musical instrument, you can feel an increased sense of accomplishment.

5. Play games that involve logic and creativity

Playing games is another awesome way to keep your mind sharp, and it allows you to destress and socialize with others. According to Emory, games have been an integral part of human life since ancient times and have continued to be a valued part of life for many.

Games promote fun, improved social skills, reduced stress, improved critical thinking skills, and even improved sensorimotor skills among electronic gamers who play action video games. 

When done regularly, these five activities can help you strengthen your mind. If you have any other ideas/suggestions on ways to improve your mental strength, feel free to let me know in the comments.