8 tips on Maintaining Top Mental Health

1. Interact with others—While you might not realize it, having conversations is an important mental exercise. Not only do you get to hear other people’s points of view, but you also force your brain to work quickly to think of quality responses on the spot. That’s why physical conversations are more stimulating mentally than online discussions where you have plenty of time to formulate a response. Of course, to get the most out of this exercise, you need to engage in meaningful discussions. In other words, not the typical “how’s it going?” mindless chatter.

2. Learn a new skill—Whether it’s learning a new language or learning a new instrument, picking up a new skill can help expand your mental muscles. After all, we use the same skills day in and day out. It becomes so routine that our brains go on autopilot. Focusing on learning a new skill causes your brain to truly work hard.

3. Memorize a poem—As we get older, one of the first things to go is our memory. Most people just assume it’s part of aging. But it doesn’t have to be this way. Most of the time, our memory worsens because we don’t put it to use. These days, everything we need to know is on our cell phone or computer. There’s no need to memorize anything anymore. Keep your memory muscles strong by memorizing short poems or other passages. This will help you remember truly important information later on.

4. Complete crossword puzzles—Crossword puzzles are more than just fun little games that help you waste time in the bus or in the waiting room. They are actually great brain teasers that force your brain to dig deep and to think outside of the box. Even if you can’t complete the crossword puzzle, at least give it your best shot each day.

5. Expand your vocabulary—One of the best ways to improve your mental fitness is to expand your vocabulary. Most people stop learning new words when they get out of school. As a result, that portion of their brain doesn’t get exercised at all for many years. Consider spending a little time each week learning a few new vocabulary words. Of course, don’t just learn them then forget them. Quiz yourself and try to incorporate these new words into your every day conversations.

6. Eat properly—Just like with physical fitness, mental fitness requires a proper diet. Your brain needs healthy fats. Good brain foods include salmon, walnuts, olive oil, cacoa beans, and berries. A healthy diet can go a long way to helping you stay in good mental health.

7. Exercise regularly—Not only does hitting the gym help you build physical muscles, but it also helps you stay mentally sharp. Exercising on a regular basis helps fight depression, improves sleep quality, boost self-confidence, and reduces stress. All of these benefits lead to a stronger, more focused mind.

8. Read every day—Reading is a great way to keep your mind sharp, but I’d like to place an addendum on this tip: read something different every day. In other words, if you typically enjoy reading fiction books, try reading a non-fiction biography. If you usually read about history, try reading the business section of your newspaper. Switch it up. This prevents your brain from settling into autopilot, keeping you mentally sharp.

At the end of the day, mental fitness isn’t much different than physical fitness. Both require a consistent effort on your part, and there are no shortcuts. However, if you’re able to continuously work at it, you can achieve spectacular health benefits. Consistently practice these mental exercises, and you’ll have a sharp mind capable of fighting off many of the common age-related mental issues.