Mental Exercises To Do During Self Isolation

As a nation we are facing extremely difficult and challenging times. Our definition of ‘normal’ in every day life has now been changed drastically, with most of us self-isolating, social distancing, and taking the necessary precautions to slow down and reduce the spread of the Coronavirus.

This is a pandemic we need to fight together, which means we not only need to be well physically, but mentally too.

While you’re mastering the art of hand hygiene for Coronavirus, we’ve got a few mental exercises you can perfect too during lockdown seeming as most of us have some spare time on our hands.

After the age of 25, our brains cognitive functions decline naturally. Mental and brain exercises are designed to keep your brain on it’s toes.

Many studies have been conducted which show how physical exercise has incredible benefits on our brain. It has the power to essentially protect our brain as it ages. While this is the opposite of mental exercise, we need exercise to maintain healthy, which keeps our minds healthy too. There are various at-home workouts you can do. Search online!

Many people are surprised by how effective meditation is. In 2007, studies show that mindfulness meditation can help engage new neural pathways which improves self-observational skills, as well as mental flexibility. You can learn more about meditation with this looking after your mental health during covid19 guide.

This is extremely challenging, but fun also! It doesn’t necessarily feel like a task that you have to do, but it’s educational and stimulates the brain. It actually boosts our cognition, so whether you’ve been wanting to learn a bit of Spanish for your next summer holiday, or Italian so you can bask in the glory of Florence – you have the time!

Try Duolingo, the passive aggressive owl app that is actually quite effective and easy to navigate. There is a free version and a premium version, so you can take your pick depending on what you would like out of the experience.

Unleash your creative brain power with music, whether you turn some music on, or play it yourself. A study back in 2017 showed that music that makes us happy generates more creative and innovative ideas and solutions. So, give your brain the kickstart it needs, and jam out for a bit.

While these tips are proven to help your mental health, it's important that you perform them consistently to reap the benefits. Simply choose one out of the few we've mentioned, and master it over the next few weeks.