It can not be stressed enough how important it is to keep your mind sharp. Not only can it benefit your health in numerous ways, but it can also lead to higher levels of happiness in your life.
What can you expect to gain from improving your brain’s plasticity?
Here are just a few things you will experience when your mind is in tip top shape:
- Increased motivation and focus
- Accomplish more tasks
- Greater amount of creative ideas and concepts
- Find more sources of inspiration
- Improved memory
- Overall happier life experiences
I would like to share a few of the most beneficial ways I have found to keep my mind sharp, and don’t worry- they are incredibly simple.
1. Learn a new skill.
Expanding our knowledge and learning new things has more benefits than merely improving our self-esteem and check-marking goals. Society For Science explains why this is true:
“As we learn something new, cells that send and receive information about the task become more and more efficient. It takes less effort for them to signal the next cell about what’s going on. In a sense, the neurons become wired together.”
If you’re interested in learning something new, but don’t know where to start, here are 5 life-changing skills you can learn in 6 months or less, including links to the appropriate sites.
2. Eat healthy foods, get plenty of rest, and exercise.
In order to keep you mind working at peak efficiency, you need to treat your body well. Give it what it needs- healthy food, lots of rest, and exercise.
I know our lives are packed with things to do and we are constantly short on time, but doing these three things can improve more than just your mind- they can improve the general quality of your life. If ever you start to feel depressed or overly-irritated, give yourself a break from the stressful, fast-paced routine, and try this out for a few days. You will feel refreshed and invigorated within all aspects of your mind and body.
3. Read.
Sounds easy enough, right? Well the type of reading that can sharpen your mind isn’t found just anywhere. The material has to be challenging and present new ideas and thoughts for your brain to process.
Read books on topics you know nothing about; learn about ancient cultures and societies; study a new form of art you’ve never heard of; you get the idea. Challenge your mind to continually expand and soak up new information like the infinite sponge it is.
4. Laugh as often as possible.
Laughter is indeed the best medicine- and it’s free.
The mental health benefits of laughter include reduced stress, improved mood, enhanced resilience, and decreased anxiety and fear. Help Guide says this about the benefits of laughter:
“The ability to laugh, play, and have fun with others not only makes life more enjoyable but also helps you solve problems, connect with others, and be more creative. People who incorporate humor and play into their daily lives find that it renews them and all of their relationships.”
By Raven Fon
(h/t The Future Buzz)