Science

The Simplest Thing You Can Do Every Day to Make Yourself Mentally Stronger, According to Science

Published on December 21, 2017

If you think that the gym is the only way to build muscle, you are very wrong. The mental muscle is independent of how much you sweat it out in the gym. You need a different kind of activity for your mind to build itself. This is not to say that sports and other athletic activities do not help in the development of mind. Yes, they do, but you also need to learn the ones which help in maintaining that strength.

To become mentally strong and agile, you should do the following exercises. By doing them you would be able to enhance the activity of your mind, de-cluttering it from all the negative thoughts and unnecessary stress.

1. Spend some time in natural environment

Being outdoors has a positive effect on our sensibilities. It can boost our happiness, reduce the levels of stress and rid us of anxious thoughts. A study conducted in 2015 by some researchers at Stanford shows that a walk in the woods can reduce the chances of depression by a considerable amount. People who live in the rural areas are generally considered to be happier than the people in cities. Nature does have a soothing effect on our minds. Add some greenery in your life!

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2. Going for a walk

A simple walk in the neighborhood park can do wonders for your mental health. A study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine in 2015 said that walking a half-mile through a park considerably reduces brain fatigue. The clamor of the city life can be mind-numbing and you need to let yourself relax and breathe freely. Deep breathing also improves the blood flow in the body so try doing that while in nature.

3. Landscape paintings

If you can’t get out that often, then simply look at landscape pictures or paintings. They also work similar to a walk in the park. Many times in hospitals we have seen windows overlooking at green pastures. This helps patients in healing faster than the closed cubicle like spaces that they are in. Researches have found out that even landscape pictures at hospitals help patients with reducing some of their pain and they have also noticed that it helps them with their anxiety. So if you can’t access actual green landscapes then you should look at landscape pictures because they can produce calming effects thereby de-stressing the mind. You can also put these pictures in your home and workplace.

4. Vitamin Sea

If you by any chance live near the water, then you should take advantage of this. You should definitely spend time near the sea. A study published in Health & Place in 2016 found that spending time near the ocean reduces the likelihood of developing depression and anxiety. A view of the ocean can do wonders for your inner calm and creative cells. Water is soothing, rejuvenating and induces happiness. Take a walk on that beach, go sit at those rocks near the shore! Take a deep breath and let the ocean work its magic on your mind!

All of us can improve our mental agility and reduce the risks related to mental exhaustion, like stress and anxiety. We should take care of our mental health as much as we take care of our body. Nature, or the natural environment, is the easiest healer according to psychologists and scientists.

One can get so motivated after spending time walking in nature or simply sitting on the grass. Many people prefer to walk barefoot on the grass because it helps them to connect to the Earth and thus connecting with their bare selves. In the busy and noisy city life, one needs to de-stress their mind and find activities which uplift the mood.