9 Ways To Improve Your Mental Skills
There are people who believe that success or mental abilities are more a matter of luck than practice. However, the reality is that the way you train your brain can give you the edge over others.
For this you must develop self-awareness, your level of reasoning, logic, memory and some other skills.
Another misconception is that your brain needs to constantly feel challenged to improve and harness its full potential, although it is true that new challenges prevent your brain from weakening.
If you follow the following recommendations, you will improve your mental abilities and maintain them for a long time.
1. Exercise daily
Physical work is strongly linked to the improvement of mental abilities. When you exercise, you release endorphins that improve your blood flow and energy levels.
This gives your brain an extra boost, especially in the 30 to 60 minutes after finishing your routine. You don’t even need to spend long hours in the gym or doing very complicated exercises. A brisk 30-minute walk is enough.
2. Include celery in your diet
This is one of the most brain-friendly foods because it is packed with luteolin. This compound is directly linked to the prevention of neuronal degeneration.
Eating celery helps prevent inflammatory cytokines in the brain . This makes aging-related mental problems, such as forgetfulness, slow to appear.
3. Stay hydrated
Staying hydrated is an important aspect when it comes to your health, especially when it comes to your brain.
Maintaining hydration helps your energy be better distributed and your brain works fully. Remember that you should consume at least 2 liters of water a day. This should be simple and without sweeteners. In case plain water is not your thing, you can add some ingredients that give it a little flavor What:
- Sliced cucumber
- A cinnamon stick
- Some leaves of mint
- The juice of a lemon or lime
4. Dark chocolate
The caffeine and theobromine that we find in this type of chocolate increase your cognitive capacity in the short term. At the same time, it is packed with antioxidants that help protect your mental abilities from deterioration.
When buying this chocolate, make sure it is as pure as possible. The minimum percentage of cocoa that it must contain is 70% . It is very likely that the first times you try this sweet, you will find it a bit excessive but it is only a matter of time before you get used to it.
It is also important that you consume a small piece of dark chocolate. Although it may contain less sugar, it still contains a good amount of calories.
5. Challenge your brain constantly to improve your mental skills
Crosswords, Sudoku puzzles, and similar activities that require mental skills stimulate your brain to access previously stored memories and knowledge. Think that, as well as staying in your comfort zone prevent you from advancing, the same thing happens with your brain.
6. Get enough rest
When we talk about getting enough rest, we do not mean that you sleep many hours a day, as this could be counterproductive. We do not mean that you have a quality sleep that is restful and where your mind rests.
To improve your mental abilities you can rest in several ways:
- Not sleep more than 8 or 9 hours.
- Take a nap after a great mental effort but try not to last more than 20 minutes.
- Drink a warm or hot infusion half an hour before going to sleep so that your body relaxes.
- Avoid sleeping with your cell phone too close, or with the television on.
7. Reduce your stress levels
While stress hormones were once extremely important for survival, today they are not so important.
Chronic stress levels They can mean that there is a hormonal imbalance in your brain that can cause some exhaustion and even damage. When you are very stressed, you are not able to correctly process information or remember the basic things of your day .
8. Include the habit of reading in your routine
Read It is one of the most useful hobbies to improve your mental skills, although lately it is an activity that has lost popularity.
When you read constantly, you expose your brain to new ideas, points of view, knowledge, and opinions. This forces you to conflict with yourself.
9. Escape the routine
When you feel like you are doing the same thing over and over again, then it is time for you to take a good vacation away from the routine. You don’t have to go on a literal vacation, just plan new activities for your brain .
You can change the way you do your work or find a weekend hobby if you need to. When routine takes over your brain, your level of attention decreases and everything can get very boring.
Finally, from now on, you know that when you feel bored, choose one of these activities and put your mental skills to work.
