At Healium, we believe it’s more important than ever to talk openly about the inner workings of our minds.

Mental fitness means more than the overall well-being of your mind. It also means following a commitment to view your mind like any other muscle in your body–as something that needs regular training and exercise to maintain.

The brain is the most extraordinary muscle in the human body, capable of affecting both mental and physical change. When practicing mental fitness, you train your brain just like you would train other muscle groups at the gym.

Mental training exercises and regiments like neurofeedback allow you to seize control of your mental fitness and work towards a healthier state of mind.

When faced with a challenging situation or an unwanted feeling, mental fitness enables us to step back and become more aware of our thoughts, emotions, and actions. This mindfulness allows us to ground in reality and recognize negative patterns, identify ways to cope effectively, and change our mental and behavioral responses.

Scientific studies have shown that increased mindfulness and a focus on the present contribute to increased left-sided brain activity, which is associated with positivity and a sense of well-being.

When you are mentally fit, you remain motivated and focused on the future, even in the face of adversity. This resilience means that even if you don’t achieve your desired goal, you pick yourself up and try again.

The American Psychological Association lists mental fitness exercises like mindful yoga and meditation as a contributing factor for building resilience and overall adaptability.

Understanding and sharing the feelings of another is a foundational aspect of what it means to be human. When we increase our levels of empathy, we promote social connections between one another, increase helpful behaviors, and feel more fulfilled overall.

EEG case studies like this one conducted by Dr. Jeffrey Tarrant have shown that mental fitness exercises like Healium induce feelings of empathy and compassion by activating and exercising the areas of the brain responsible for processing these complex emotional states.

One of the most effective methods of increasing your mental fitness is meditation.

Meditation helps people train their minds and lets them take a mental break, relaxing your mind and improving your mental state, as well as providing a mental detox. The long-term benefits of meditation is well documented. It has been used by many cultures for thousands of years to help cope with mental stress and mental illness as well as mental issues as a way to find mental peace.

Easier said than done, right?

Mentally fit people usually dwell less on negative thoughts, so they naturally find it easier to remain upbeat and engaged with daily life. But how do you get to that point?

The only answer is to set up a trigger in the back of your mind that fires whenever you encounter something negative. The next time you stub your toe or get cut off in traffic, do your best to recall that trigger. Take a deep breath and bring forth the positives of your situation.

Like any form of exercise, this becomes easier and easier over time.

Neuroimaging studies have shown that the areas of the brain most important for visual and auditory processing are also very active when learning new vocabulary. So break out the thesaurus, or (better yet) gamify this process entirely. Think: jigsaw puzzles, crossword puzzles, or Scrabble!

Or, if those aren’t hip enough for you, have you tried Wordle yet?

There are so many similarities between physical fitness and mental fitness, and this is one more overlap. A healthy diet is crucial to a properly operating brain, and cutting down on unhealthy foods (like sugar) has been found to improve memory and decrease the risk of Alzheimer’s disease.

Oftentimes, simply asking this question means you’re already on the right track. Becoming aware of the fact that you need to exercise your brain is sometimes the hardest step to take.

To remain mentally active, you should consciously devote time and effort to exercises that stimulate your brain!

We’ve listed some great examples above, like meditating using neurofeedback, but others include: learning a new language or skill, doing math in your head, or devoting more time to socializing with others.