Mental fitness refers to one's capacity for self-determination, autonomy, relatedness, and competence. Engaging in brain training exercises can help improve memory, attention, speed, flexibility, and problem solving. Maintaining mental fitness is associated with positive mood, self-esteem, and integral health. It helps one recognize strengths and identify areas for improved mental fitness.

1. MENTAL FITNESSBy: Tricia taylorHW420Unit 5 Project

2. WHAT IS MENTAL FITNESS? Mental Fitness refers to a person’s capacity to be self-determined. Self-determination is a person’s capacity to think about, plan, and act on personal decisions that contribute to emotional, social, and physical development. Autonomy, relatedness, and competence are associated with emotional well-being and healthy lifestyle behaviors . Autonomy – personal freedom to make choices or decisions that affect our lives. Relatedness – the need for connection to and closeness with family, peers, and other significant individuals. Competence – the need for recognizing and using our personal gifts and strengths in achieving personal goals. (New Brunswick Student Wellness Survey, 2006-2007)

3. Research studies #1 NeuroDevelopment Center The Sharp Mental Fitness Center an affiliated company of NeuroDevelopment Center Experts in neuroscience has stated that by making planned use of the brain’s amazing ability to reshape itself, neuroplasticity, you can get sharp and stay sharp as you age. Scientific research shows that taking active steps to maintain your mental fitness as you age, you gain protection from severe effects of brain Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. Study of a select group of subjects revealed that because of their mental fitness, they did not show mental symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease.

4. Research studies cont’d #2 National Institute of Mental Health in Philadelphia Studies indicate that “mental (and physical) decline with aging is not inevitable”. Researchers state that the same advice we follow for physical fitness applies to mental fitness— “use it or lose it.” Brain fitness goal is to revive mental abilities before they slow down.

5. Research Studies #3 Psychologist Martin E.P. Seligman: Wants to shift the emphasis from a disease model to a health model called “positive psychology.” The aim is to investigate positive qualities that helps people flourish through courage, optimism, hope, honesty, interpersonal skills, work ethics and perseverance.

6. Mental Health ExerciseReclaim your Brain Brain training exercise helps to improve the memory Memory: remember names, calculate figures, remember visual patterns, and recall objects Attention: focusing on important tasks, avoid distractions, and concentrate on new challenges Speed: reaction time, decision making in time-sensitive situations, and enhancing cognitive processes Flexibility: multitasking, articulate thoughts, and thinking outside the box Problem Solving: recognizing patterns and trends, making quick accurate estimations

7. Brain Concentration TestBrain Metrix A distracted mind cannot concentrate. This workout helps your brain to gain the ability to concentrate and deal with problem solving. How to Play Click on one of the buttons in the playing field to subtract 1 from the button’s value, as well as from the values of the 4 surrounding ones. By clicking on the button, it changes the number in all four directions. If the number in one of these directions is already 0, then it goes back to 3, so do not click on those numbers. Objective: To get all buttons to show “0”.

8. Summarymental fitness Positive mental health is associated with, positive mood, self-esteem, physical activity, and restful sleep. As a result, evidence support that there will be a increase in positive mood states, therefore promoting integral health. Maintaining mental fitness is the ability to enjoy life, resilience, balance, self-actualization, and flexibility. It help you to recognize your strengths and identify areas where your level of mental fitness could be improved through a host of brain and breathing exercises.

9. Reference Brain Games (2007-2011). Brain Metrix: Brain Concentration Test. http://www.brainmetrix.com/concentration.htm. Lumos Labs, Inc. (2011). Lumosity: Reclaim your Brain. http://www.lumosity.com/personal-raining-plan/brain-are/flexibility-01. NeuroDevelopment Center (2004). Mental Fitness Training. http://nerodevelopmentcenter.com. New Brunswick Student Wellness Survey (2006-2007). http://gnb.ca/0131/pdf/w/HERG_Mental_Fitness.EN.pdf. Tannen, Susan (2011). Mental Fitness: Exercise for the Bain. http://www.bellydoc.com/articles/article7.htm.