We all assume that getting fit and healthy means getting our body physically fit. In reality, to get ourselves fully fit and healthy, both our minds and body should be exercised. Often we hear that when people stop working physically, possibly due to retirement or other reasons, if the mind does not have anything to really focus on, it can have detrimental effects to a person’s well-being as they gradually deteriorate mentally.
The mind needs to be exercised regularly with a daily workout. Working through the daily tasks of getting up, making a coffee or breakfast may not require too much brain power if one is having the same breakfast every day. The mind and body will be programmed into the habit. However, if one were to do a simple change and make a different breakfast for a day, that requires more thinking. That little change could simply make the brain work that little bit harder. For example, one decides to do a cooked breakfast or make pancakes – it would require counting and weighing up, what pan to use, how much flour, eggs are required etc. This is making the brain work a little bit harder because it is not the regular, habitual pattern or routine that is usually followed. The brain has to think more. It has to work a little more focussed to achieve a desired result. For a real good easy brain work out, following a more challenging recipe that has not been done before, or for a very long time, will make the brain work even harder. It involves counting and strategic planning to get a pleasing result. So let’s get the brain working not only with cooking, but with a variety of projects that we can find personally fulfilling.
Dancing – Dancing not only keeps you fit, it gets your mind active as you learn new steps and count for routines. It helps with concentration and memory, so whether you choose to salsa, tap or jazz it up, just work it with online dance classes.
Tai Chi – Tai Chi has been known to benefit your mental health as well as your body. It can help centre you when life seems out of balance. I would say that would be the case for the majority right now. The advantages of Tai Chi is that it is suitable for most physical abilities and can be practiced anywhere, anytime, and at your own pace. Tai Chi involves martial art movements but done slowly with concentration, co-ordination and balance skill; another all-rounder for building up good body strength and brain power.
Learn a new skill – Learning something new will of course make you think. A new skill of any sort will work as you have to focus, work it out and memorize what to do. A new creative art skill project, or maybe learning a new language, is good to do and with a great end product or useful result.
Play a game – Playing a variety of games, even those computer games that involve skill and planning, requires brain power. A game of cards, chess or even scrabble makes the mind work. Try a memory game online or just at home yourself. You can do this easily by writing a shopping list and then see if you can remember what and how many things you have written. Doing a crossword is another option if you are doing things alone and at your own pace.
Teaching a skill – Teaching someone else something involves thinking hard, as you have to figure out a way of making the subject matter easy for another to learn the skill effectively.
Meditate – Everything is about balance. After using all the brain power during the day for your physical and mental tasks, learn to switch off before sleep so that sleep will be of good quality, restful sleep. Use what works for you to unwind. Relaxing meditation music or sounds of nature works great for many.
Sleep well – To help the brain work at its best, it is important to sleep well. A tired brain won’t function properly and concentration will be poor. Many accidents happen due to poor concentration and tiredness. The body requires good quality sleep and rest to fully operate at its best. Are you struggling to get to sleep? Eat something that contains tryptophan such as turkey, chicken or something made with milk, such as cheese, add a milky drink and you should sleep beautifully.
Eat well – Eating nutritious food that boosts brain power; include fatty fish that contains omega 3 fatty acids such as salmon, sardines and trout. Blueberries and other coloured berries give anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects which work great against oxidative stress and inflammation. Nuts are high in DHA, a type of Omega 3 fatty acid and pumpkin seeds are a outsource of magnesium, zinc, iron and copper ,all important for nerve signalling.
All this helps against an age related, degenerative mind and helps keep your mind youthful.
Love and Sparkles
Samsara x
