The Willpower way

A beautiful mind

It seems everyone's on a quest to get fit. Jogging, gym, Pilates, cycling and a host of other sports all promote good health. A healthy diet and exercise plan are important, but  mental health and mood also play a large role in a totally healthy you. A beautiful mind can be yours by following few simple tips.

Sleep on it.
Its funny how we often neglect one of the most important drivers of mental well being: sleep. Life is busy, so we tend to steal the time we should be using for rest and relaxation. Getting adequate sleep should be on the top of everyone's list for achieving a healthy mind. An hour extra at night r a afternoon nap? Choice is yours.

Stretch you brain
Grab the daily paper and do the crossword. Test your general knowledge with the quiz. Play Sudoku to boost your numeracy skills. Or go online and find some brain teasers. Simply Google ' brain games' and you will find heaps of the ways to discover the secret power of your brain, with memory exercises, mental challenges, puzzles, logic problems, cryptograms, 3D mazes, optical illusions and many more.

Walk the walk
Walking is good for your body, right? Yes but it is also one of the best mental exercises you can take up. Walking stimulates thinking and gives you time to clear the issues of the day and even just daydream. Stroll through the park. Amble along the beach side at dusk. Or if you are within few kilometers of work, try walking instead f driving.

Chill out
Scientific evidences show that listening to your favorite music - from Beethoven to the Beetles, or Mozart to Massive Attack - can assist concentration, filter distractions, prolong attention span, and encode information in memory. When you need to do your best brain-work, music can sharpen your mind. Its also very relaxing.

Feed your brain
Your brain needs nutrition to help it think, make connections, and rest. Foods such as salmon, avacado, blueberries, spinach, nuts, seeds, olive oil and tea all have properties that can boost mood, assist memory and generally contribute to healthy brain function. Want one more? Dark chocolate

In a Macquarie University study, participants were asked to three gym sessions a week. But as a result, they also radically reduced smoking, drinking, television watching, junk food intake and saved money, all without being prompted to do so. Willpower overflowed into every aspect of their lives. 

Please note this article is copied from The Balance issue magazine (MORE Autumn 2013) as it contains good information for health.