The demanding pace of our busy lives is often the reason we feel mentally exhausted. Here are some valuable secrets that will rejuvenate your spiritual energy.
Are you in a bad mood? Do you find it difficult to focus on your work, to fulfill your obligations or even to put your thoughts in a logical order?
The above signs may indicate that your mental endurance has begun to weaken.
Mental energy describes our ability to engage in thinking activities. Some experts describe it as a mood of productivity, motivation and readiness to cope with various activities. Lack of it may mean that you do not feel at all capable of action, even when you are not physically tired.
Mental energy can affect activities such as:
- planning
- decision making
- paying attention
- absorbing and evaluating details
- retaining information
- managing your emotions
For this reason, its lack can easily cause a drop in your physical energy. And, physical activity may not have the same need for mental activity, but it does require brain power. So, if your brain is exhausted, your body can’t do much.
So, if you feel that your mental energy reserves are depleted, here are 8 tips to help you recharge your mental batteries.
1. Follow a proper diet
Your brain draws energy from the food you eat, as does the rest of your body. Therefore, if you do not get the necessary nutrients, this can have a big impact on both your mental and physical energy and, consequently, your overall mood.
The so-called ‘brain foods’ can really make a difference. If you feel mentally exhausted, try adding the following foods to your daily meals:
- fatty fish (e.g. tuna, trout, salmon)
- nuts, especially walnuts
- leafy green vegetables (e.g. arugula, spinach, cabbage, celery)
- kiwis and citrus fruits
- whole grains and bread
- eggs, yogurt and cheese
- lean protein such as chicken, turkey and minced soy products
In addition, if you are looking for an immediate boost in your energy, a quick snack can help. Try:
- pumpkin seeds
- dark chocolate
- berries
- orange, red and green vegetables
- bananas
In addition, do not forget to drink water. Hydration is essential for the proper functioning of the brain.
2. Drink a cup of coffee or tea
A low to moderate dose of caffeine can help significantly in boosting mental energy.
According to research, an average amount of caffeine can help improve:
- vigilance
- attention
- alertness
- reaction time
It can also help improve critical thinking, memory and decision-making skills, although its effect is temporary.
On the other hand, consuming caffeine in the afternoon or evening could disrupt your sleep, especially if you are sensitive to its effects.
3. Get up and move
Physical activity is a known ally in elevating your brain function.
According to the American Psychological Association (APA) , the evidence consistently shows that exercise benefits brain function. In addition to improving your physical health, regular exercise can benefit many mental processes, such as:
- your mood
- memory and thought process
- your overall mental and emotional well-being
Research reveals that exercise can have many long-term benefits for the brain, such as:
- increased grey matter
- greater plasticity of the brain
- reduced risk of developing age-related cognitive impairment
A short walk, jogging or cycling could lead to mental recovery. If you do not have the opportunity to go out, try stretching or yoga.
4. Try meditation
Adding meditation to your daily routine will facilitate mental recharging and effectively renew the energy in your mind and body.
Among other things, the benefits of meditation are:
- increased awareness
- greater ability to focus on the present
- better mood
- increased attention
- more blood flow to the brain
In short, meditation can create a mental space where your brain can rest and rejuvenate, improving mental energy along with overall well-being.
5. Change the scene
Your energy can be depleted quite quickly when you channel it into demanding tasks. No matter how hard you try to concentrate, when you feel tired, try to take a break, changing location for at least 20 to 30 minutes.
Ideally, choose a place that makes you feel calm and refreshed, such as:
- A park, a nature reserve or any green place where you can see and hear birds and other animals
- A beach, a lake or any location near water
The time we spend in nature offers many benefits to the brain, including improving our mood and spiritual energy.
In addition, sunlight triggers the release of serotonin, which helps improve our mood and our ability to focus. Even a few minutes in sunlight is beneficial.
6. Review your to-do list
It is not surprising that stress can significantly affect our mental energy. Just the thought that we have a lot to do is enough to make us feel tired.
Stress releases the cortisol hormone, which affects our ability to make decisions, concentrate or even remember information.
Therefore, it would be good to review our daily routine and find out what causes us stress. Of course, it is impossible to ignore all our obligations. We can, however, postpone some less urgent tasks in order to avoid mental exhaustion.
Seek the help of someone close to you. Your own people can lift significant weights off of you. This will help you feel relieved of unnecessary stress, and mentally able to manage your other responsibilities.
7. Get enough sleep
The brain requires a certain amount of quality sleep to function properly. Most adults need 7 to 9 hours of sleep each night, although needs may vary from person to person.
Getting the right amount of sleep is not only important for your physical health. Sleep also gives our brain the time it needs to store information, get rid of waste, and perform other important body processes.
Mental energy will begin to deplete if we do not get enough sleep. In addition, sleep deprivation can, in the long run, have more serious consequences for our mental and physical well-being.
If you notice that you have regular difficulty sleeping, try these solutions:
- Create a peaceful sleeping environment
- Avoid blue light in the evening
- Develop a bedtime routine before bed
- Practice good sleep hygiene
- Incorporate exercise into your daily routine
The above tips can be the beginning for the return of your mental energy to productive and beneficial levels for you.