Many of us would do anything to stay mentally fit. With a little effort, you can stay mentally fit and live life more positively and with a better mental state. Frequently forgetting important facts definitely reduces your quality of life. So, by staying mentally fit, you'll be able to handle situations better and see life as a kind of adventure. Those who are mentally fit make wiser decisions and will get further in life.

Mental fitness - important for young and old

Everyone wants to grow old, but remain as healthy as possible. While we can only keep our bodies in shape up to a certain point, and the signs of aging can only be partially, but not completely, halted, mental fitness can be trained until the very last day of life. Genetic predispositions, accidents, Alzheimer's disease, and other diseases can set us back, but on the other hand, given the large number of mentally active older people, there are no longer any excuses not to continually strive for mental fitness.

Johannes Heesters, for example, certainly possessed fantastic physical abilities, demonstrating training and discipline. But he trained his mental fitness every day well into old age, and was still performing at the age of 107. As with almost everything, however, you have to be active yourself, and do it regularly. So do what Jopi did and train your brain daily.

Science and tradition

While it was once believed that brain cell performance declined with age and untrained cells died forever, we now realize that the brain is open to new learning content at any age and even creates new connections. This may not be as easy as it was in your teens, but the earlier you start practicing, the easier it will be. You'll feel how good your new mental fitness is for you. Even as an adult and older person, you can still do a lot and catch up on your progress.

There's no doubt that eating healthy and staying physically fit is beneficial for your mental fitness. "Mens sana in corpore sano" – "A healthy mind in a healthy body." This saying is almost two thousand years old, originating from the Roman poet Juvenal. In his satires, he took aim at athletes, who, in his opinion, had muscle but little mental fitness. The reverse is easier: You can work on your mental fitness even with physical limitations. Nevertheless, you should take advantage of scientific findings that show exercise is of paramount importance for cognitive function. Even a daily walk refreshes body and mind.

How you start your mental fitness is up to you. Here are some options that you can expand upon as you wish. The more you do, the easier it will be to tackle more challenging projects, and the more fun you'll have doing them. Don't limit your thinking; give it unlimited space.

• Read regularly. It doesn't have to be 500-page books at first, and don't even bother with classics if that's too difficult for you. Start with short novels, nonfiction books, or comics. Anything goes.
• Television makes some people dumber, others smarter. Take advantage of the media's potential by watching good films, documentaries, cultural programs, and discussion panels.
• Learn poems by heart and write a diary or long letters to loved ones.
• Relax with the almost meditative activity of doing a puzzle, or with handicrafts and hobbies. You don't have to consciously meditate if you don't enjoy it. Complex cooking recipes or complicated crafts serve the same purpose; they require your concentration.
• Sing along to songs on the radio, learn the lyrics by heart. If you can, make music yourself or act in a play.
• Book a course of your choice at the adult education center, visit theaters and museums. The selection is so vast that you're sure to find something interesting.
• Meet other people of all ages. Working with children and young people is a wonderful way to build mental fitness. Organize events or get involved in community activities.
• Don't be afraid to try new things and keep learning new things. This is the best prerequisite for mental fitness.

Increase mental fitness

If you've managed to improve your mental fitness, it can help you in many ways. You'll experience how you move through life with much more confidence and approach problems in a new way. It's not uncommon to forget something or have a memory lapse. Everyone knows what it's like to no longer remember where your keys are, what the person you were talking to was called, or when your appointment was. But contrary to what many people believe, such memory lapses affect everyone, not just older people.

Overloaded brain

To stay mentally fit, it's important to understand what's causing your mental fitness to become unbalanced. Memory lapses are usually caused by an overloaded brain. Stress is also one of the reasons why your brain suddenly doesn't want to do what you want it to. Therefore, it's important to identify the causes of mental decline so you can improve your mental fitness.

Improve brain performance

As studies on mental fitness show, the more a person trains their mental abilities, the stronger their brain performance.

The National Institute on Aging has conducted tests to show that memory declines after age 70. But even though memory becomes more sluggish, there is no decline in rational thinking. The study also found that brain activity plays an important role in increasing mental fitness. The most effective activities for improving mental fitness include:

• Card and board games
• Write a diary
• Working with your hands (e.g. sewing, crafting, etc.)
• Dance
• Making music

It is also important to constantly develop yourself as a person and to follow certain rules of life.

Build self-confidence

To increase mental fitness, a person should know their strengths and weaknesses and use this knowledge to build self-confidence. With mental strength, mental fitness also grows subconsciously.

Spending time with friends and family

Through good relationships with their friends and family, many people find it easy to improve their mental fitness, because it is much easier to prepare for an important exam, for example, when they have support from loved ones.

Avoid financial problems

A key prerequisite for improving mental fitness is staying free of financial worries. Irresponsible money management can lead to financial stress, limiting your mindset for other things, and diminishing your productivity.

Eat healthy

Make sure your brain gets the right nutrients to boost mental fitness. To be on the safe side, you can use supplements containing herbal extracts. If you take these supplements over a longer period of time, you'll have laid the foundation for an increase in mental fitness.

Use your talents to stay mentally fit

Everyone is talented in some way. If you want to stay mentally sharp, you should be aware of your talents. Once you've identified them, you can focus on them and use them to stay mentally sharp. For example, if you have a passion for languages, you could learn a language and stay mentally sharp that way.

Daily training

It may sound like a cliché, but regular exercise works wonders for staying mentally sharp. Exercise reduces stress and helps you with your thought processes. Learn to release tension so you can go through life with a healthier attitude and your brain can function more effectively. Certain breathing exercises or yoga have been proven very effective for this.

Writing poems keeps you mentally fit

Are you perhaps a true writer? If so, then staying mentally sharp is relatively easy! Writing poetry helps express your inner thoughts. This type of relaxation works wonders when it comes to staying mentally sharp. Sewing or musical activities can also help you stay mentally sharp.

Learning is an eternal process

Although many people don't believe it, you can stay mentally fit well into old age. This is because learning is a never-ending process. Young and old alike can always learn new things and stay mentally fit.

Pay attention to your mental state

Staying mentally fit also means taking care of yourself. You can only achieve the right attitude toward life if you think positively and have happy thoughts. This attitude will help you stay mentally fit.

Learn to appreciate life

Consider the meaning of life. This will not only help you stay mentally fit, but also help you get to know yourself better. This will stimulate your thinking and, in turn, bring you mental fitness.

Use your common sense

Nothing beats common sense. The more someone uses their mind, the easier it is to stay mentally sharp. Those who don't use their mind won't learn new things and will therefore neglect their brain. In everyday life, decisions should be made rationally, not just emotionally, by weighing the pros and cons.

Nutrition

Eat a healthy and balanced diet. Make sure your body gets the right nutrients to stay mentally fit. The older you get, the worse your absorption of vitamin B12, for example, becomes. However, vitamin B12 and certain other nutrients are essential for staying mentally fit and should always be consumed in sufficient quantities to maintain your full mental performance.