When you head to the gym, you’re surrounded by gym buffs working on their muscles and the constant sound of clashing weights. Around 55 percent of Americans exercise three or more days a week and the number is constantly growing. This reflects the country’s current push towards fitness. As men, we’re obsessed with counting calories, lifting weights, and running the track so that we can become bigger, better, stronger, and ultimately more fit. However, there’s more to staying fit than exercising your body. Men need to exercise their brains in the same way that they work out their muscles. This leads to stronger mental acuity, a decreased risk of dementia, and sharper memory.
Men’s Brains Need to Eat Right
Most men know that when you start working out, you also need to change your diet. You can’t make the gains in the gym if you don’t change up the way that you eat. Well, your brain works the exact same way. What you put into your body not only determines how well you do at the gym, but it also shifts the chemicals in your brain. Adding antioxidants to your diet such as blueberries and artichokes can help your muscles recover faster and ultimately build your new body. However, they can also prevent oxidation and improve brain cells. This reduces your risk of developing dementia and other cognitive impairment diseases. Other gym-friendly foods such as omega-3s and B-12 vitamins can also sharpen your mental acuity and help your brain stay stronger longer.
Men’s Brains Need to Stretch and Make Gains
You can’t just go to the gym once and expect to become fit. It’s a constant routine of stretching, exercising, and pushing your limits. Your brain works the exact same way. To stay relevant and strong in the mind, men must challenge and stretch their brains. Therefore, you need to take part in activities that will stimulate your mind so that you maintain your brain cells and sharpen your memory. Some interesting and fun brain games include crossword puzzles, sudoku, writing, reading challenging books and articles, picking up a new hobby, or changing up your schedule. Just like your muscles can’t grow when you do the same exercise every day, your brain also can’t grow when its presented with the same stimuli every day. Mix it up and engage your brain so that you can stay mentally sharper throughout your entire life.
Men’s Brains Need to Recover
After a long day at the gym, it’s important that you rest your muscles and recover. It’s recommended that you rest your body and get a good night’s sleep. Your brain also needs some rest and sleep so that it can recover and restart for the next day. According to a study conducted at Brigham Women’s Hospital, participants that slept at least eight hours a day were 12 percent more likely to remember information presented to them the night before. Sleep is important for learning new information and improving your ability to process the world around you. Therefore, if you want to improve your memory or learn a new valuable skill, you should always remember to rest and recover.
Your brain is your body’s most important muscle. Therefore, you need to exercise it as much as you workout at the gym. A healthy mind can improve your life and help you live longer and healthier.
