Every January gym memberships soar as people attempt to stick to their New Year’s resolution to get physically fit.  While there is often talk about getting into shape, very little is said about evaluating mental health.  Keeping your mind healthy is just as important maintaining your body.  According to The BMJ, a global publisher of medical resources and journals, “individuals with poor mental health are at an increased rate of death from cardiovascular disease or cancer.”  With this in mind, adopting the holistic values of the YMCA may be in your best interest– when thinking about fitness, think mind/body/spirit.

In 2015, you might consider changing some of your physical habits to improve your mental health.  Ace Weekly, Lexington’s weekly newspaper, published the article: “To Your Health: Lexingtonians Weigh In On Healthy Habits For The New Year”, offering advice from well known local leaders on ways they raise their mental quality of life.  They each have different therapeutic fitness activities, including horseback riding, swimming, and playing soccer with friends.  Ways you can help yourself are eating wholesome diet, daily exercising, allowing yourself to get more sleep each night, and being proactive about decreasing stressors.

Lexingtonian Dick Gabriel is able to combine two of the tips for better wellness, “I’m trying to get back in the pool on a regular basis…I love swimming and I’ve found it to be perhaps the best exercise available to me when it comes to overall fitness; and one of the best things about it is, I can clear my head while I’m doing it.”

Each year is a new beginning and you can start 2015 out on a good foot by improving your mental health.  It’ll guarantee you a great year.