Along with physical activity, a healthy lifestyle plan should emphasize improving mental focus and stability. A lack of attention to your mental capacity can have the same negative effect on your brain health as an unhealthy diet or lack of physical exercise can have on your physical health.

Our brain works in the same way the rest of the muscles in our body work. If we fail to get a proper amount of exercise, our bodies are more prone to gaining weight or losing muscle. A lack of attention to keeping our brain sharp can have a lasting effect on our mental health later on in life. Fortunately there are steps we can take to give our brains the daily exercise they need to stay sharp.

Check out some steps you can take to sharpen your mental stability.

  • Purestock, Thinkstock
    Purestock, Thinkstock
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    1

    Play a Board Game

    Break out the chess board or old board games. They promote logical thinking and studies show can decrease the likelihood of developing dementia.

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    AlexRaths
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    2

    Take up Gardening

    Try getting your hands dirty. Gardening is a great way to relieve stress and provide a sense of accomplishment.

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    KatarzynaBialasiewicz
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    3

    Learn a New Recipe

    Put on the oven mitts. Cooking and baking puts all of your senses to work and helps improve your ability to focus and memorize things.

  • Scott Lewis
    Scott Lewis
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    4

    Play Musical Instrument

    Pick up that guitar or dust off the piano. Learning a new song, or how to play an instrument from scratch, tests your ability to concentrate for long periods of time. It also sharpens your hand-eye coordination.

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    Creatas
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    5

    Take up Yoga

    Physical exercises can benefit your mental health too. Yoga can offer relief from mental and emotional stress, while challenging the parts of your brain that control your ability to focus.

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