Been forced to isolate yourself due to the pandemic? A lack of social interaction can take its toll on our mental health – not just affecting our sanity and mood, but also our memory and cognition. This is due to the way in which social interaction stimulates the brain. By keeping your brain occupied with the right activities, you can keep yourself mentally healthy. Below are just a few ways to keep your mind sharp in isolation.
Learn a new skill
A great way to keep the mind active is to learn a new skill. This could include a new language, a craft, a musical instrument or a new digital skill such as coding or photoshop. There are plenty of free apps and sites nowadays for learning new skills. Alternatively, you may be able to hire a virtual coach for certain skills such as learning a language or musical instrument. Set yourself a learning schedule that encourages you to learn a little each day.
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Solve puzzles
Puzzles help to engage the problem-solving part of the brain, helping to improve our memory and cognition. You could try to solve crossword puzzles, or you could play puzzle apps such as Lumosity and Monument Valley. You could even try solving a jigsaw puzzle or a Rubik’s cube. There may even be apps that allow you to compete against other people while solving puzzles.
Explore new tastes
Shaking up your routine and challenging your tastes can also be good for your brain. This could include trying new foods, listening to new music styles and watching different types of films and TV shows. Don’t allow yourself to become to set in your ways – trying new things is essential for stimulating creativity and expanding your knowledge.
Read a book
When it comes to forms of personal entertainment, reading is one of the best ways to engage the brain as it requires you to deconstruct sentences and use your imagination. Many people also find that reading fiction helps their mental state in isolation – it allows you to surround yourself with characters. That said, non-fiction can be just as effective at engaging the brain by helping you to learn new things.
Exercise daily
Physical exercise isn’t just important for the body but also the mind too. It can be essential for concentration and cognitive skills – if you’re sat on a sofa all day, you’re likely to feel tired and demotivated. Exercise could include anything from going for a jog to conducting your own home workout routine. Try to keep to an exercise schedule so that you’re being active every day.
Stay social online
While you may not be able to socialize with friends in person, you can still stay social online. This could include checking in on social media or using video messaging to have face-to-face conversations. This will help you to feel less lonely and will help stimulate parts of the brain usually triggered by conversation.
Photo by Marko Blazevic