Mental fitness, defined by the World Health Organization, in a state of mental well being in which an individual can cope effectively with the daily stresses of life, is capable of making a positive contribution to his or her society and live happily. Mental fitness includes aspects such as the ability to deal constructively with stress, the ability to concentrate, the ability to modify behavior, adapt to changing situations, and the capacity to learn from past experiences. Mental fitness can be defined as a sum of a person's total traits that affect his capability to live his life positively and contribute to his society. The person has to feel confident about himself and have positive thoughts.
One way of improving mental fitness is through exercises such as meditation, imagery, biofeedback, yoga, tai chi, and so on. These are all exercises that exercise the brain and make the mind more active. Through these practices, one's brain functions more efficiently than before. These practices also help a person to remain mentally alert all through his day. Other physical fitness practices include cardiovascular exercises, weight lifting, flexibility training, and so on.
A person's mental fitness depends on the amount of physical exercises that he engages in. These exercises boost his moods and keep him energized. They also alleviate the strain of daily life and put forth an added vigor to the daily activities. The regular exercises keep a person physically fit. It is through these exercises that one's body receives the benefits of the regular physical fitness and the psychological demands.
Mental fitness is achieved by undertaking exercises that help the brain keep itself constantly active and alert. The brain helps in the formation of new ideas, processes information, makes decisions, remembers things, makes decisions, and so on. In short, the brain acts as the controller of all the activities of the body through its nervous system. Exercises for mental fitness to keep the brain always active and alert.
It is said that depression, one of the major causes of morbidity and death, has a direct link with abnormalities in brain function. There is a widespread belief that there are some links between mental disorders and abnormal neural pathways. Depression can affect both people in their daily routine as well as those who are at a state of ketosis (starvation). Depression is believed to lead to reduced blood supply to the brain and result in poor nutrition and lesser metabolic rate, well-being and increased wasting (decrease in the energy levels).
When engaging in a program for mental fitness, try new things. Try new types of puzzles or games. Also, try out difficult mental tasks like solving crossword puzzles or solving mazes. These activities make meaningful changes to your brain, exercise your brain and make it work for you.
Reading material also plays an important role in stimulating your brain. Read interesting books, literature or articles. Try reading non-fiction books or scientific journals. They will make more sense and help you think. Read more than two books at a time and make it a habit. When you start feeling better with the new mental fitness techniques that you have adopted, you can gradually increase the amount of reading materials that you read.
Exercises for mental fitness should be carried out under the guidance of an expert. You should know the exercises or procedures well. You need to follow the instructions to the last word. If you are not sure about something, don't do it. The exercises can also be performed along with meditation and yoga sessions. These sessions will make you feel better mentally.
