Remove the Mental ‘Fog’ with these Four Activities

There are times when we’re sluggish and have trouble keeping concentration.

Some of the time these are out of our control, due to such things as boredom or problems caused by genetics. However, a lot of times it’s our lifestyle and activities. We tend to pay no mind to our mental well-being – playing into the idea that we must “suck it up” and keep it all in.

We need to take care of our mental health as much as we do with our physical health.

Surprisingly, improving mental health, attentiveness, and well-being is a matter of changing a few areas of one’s lifestyle, participating in brain-improving activities, and being self-aware of what we’re putting into our systems.

Here are four different activities worth doing to remove the mental “fog” and improve your brain:

Widget not in any sidebars

A Better Night’s Sleep

A proper seven hours of sleep (recommended by the National Sleep Foundation) is the perfect amount of time for the brain to rest and avoid any negative effects of sleep deprivation.

The benefits of proper sleep include:

·  Reducing depressive thoughts and stress levels

·  Improving mood and decision-making skills

·  Removes distractions and helps create focus

We sleep in cycles. The deepest of this activity happens at REM-sleep which go for 90 minutes at a time. To improve sleep, set a timer when dozing off and awake after a REM cycle. Search for “sleep cycle” alarm clocks if you’d like to experiment with this and wake up feeling better than ever.

Removing the Fog of Alcohol Addiction

While the idea of alcohol killing brain cells is a myth – there are real repercussions of overdoing it. Alcohol abuse deadens the ‘dendrites’ (the branch-like endings of brain cells) which creates cognitive issues and problems; this leads to memory loss and other problems. Likewise, physical damage to the body’s organs creates psychological damage in the form of stress.

Personal growth, 12-step programs, and relapse prevention, as per the examples of outpatient rehab Arizona, helps to realign the cognitive abilities of the brain. The on-going treatment of alcohol addiction allows the brain to repair itself and regain its full abilities.

Get Your Game On

Playing video games isn’t just for the kids — gaming has several mental benefits for young and old:

·  Promotes the growth of new neurons

·  Improves spatial awareness and memory formation

·  Tunes the motor skills

Video games are also a helpful tool to ward off the onset of Alzheimer’s in elderly individuals, as well as a great way to get involved with physical activities to manage weight. There is also the community aspect – gamers are welcoming, so this gives excellent opportunities to socialize!

Sippin’ in the Sun

Take it outside the next time you’re taking a coffee break.

Not only does caffeine slow adenosine (what keeps you attentive and eventually sleepy when it reaches high level) but stimulates glutamate and dopamine (creating a bump in energy). Combine this with soaking up the sun during the coffee break (pulling in some Vitamin D which improves the immune system and brain functions).

Sunlight promotes activity in the adrenal glands which create alertness and cognitive abilities. Stack a good cup of Joe on it and the brain is in overdrive!

One More Thing…

Our brain is at the center of it all.

The foods we eat, activities we have on routine, and physical dangers we avoid keep our brain functioning to the best of its ability. Take care of it because head and psychological trauma are quite difficult to remove.

How do YOU promote healthy psychological well-being?