Brain Power: How to Improve Your Mental Fitness

You probably have a good idea of ​​how to get your body in shape, right? Train regularly. Eating (relatively) clean. Rest and recover properly. But as more and more of us are realizing, fitness is only half of the equation.

The term “mental fitness” refers to a positive state of well-being created by maintaining overall brain and emotional health. In other words, train yourself to think, feel, and act the same way you would your biceps or quads. But you can’t look at your mind the same way you look at your muscles, says certified mental performance coach Carl Ohlson, which can make the concept difficult to grasp.

“It’s much harder to see what’s going on between someone’s ears than it is to see what’s going on with their physiology,” says the former Penn State assistant athletic director for performance psychology. “You really have to understand yourself, and then you have to understand how to manage yourself in different environments, and that’s often unique to the individual.”

Such a self-assessment may seem more daunting than a one-rep max bench press, but in today’s world, mental fitness takes center stage. According to a study by global market intelligence agency Mintel, nearly four in five Americans (78%) cite mental and emotional well-being as inspiration for exercising, just ahead of the physical well-being (76%). Additionally, a recent American Psychiatric Association poll showed that a quarter of Americans have made a New Year’s resolution to improve their mental health this year.

Luckily, there are plenty of resources out there to get a helping hand in this area. Here’s a quick look at three approaches to mental fitness, followed by Ohlson’s thoughts and our own experiential comments, to help you get your head in the game, so to speak.

Guided by voices

The approach

Thanks to advances in telemedicine, app development and mental health awareness, your phone can be the perfect brain trainer. A number of mindfulness, sleep management, and guided meditation apps — like Calm ($70 per year), Headspace ($70 per year), and Breethe ($89 per year) — have been shown to help people’s brains to rest, recover and rejuvenate.

Expert advice

“People talk a lot about stress management,” Ohlson says. “I prefer to talk about energy management, because a lot of stress is not automatically a bad thing. He can harness some energy and bring it to the right place. You just need to know how to regulate your energy level, and some apps are good enough for that.

Field Notes

I relied on Calm to help with my meditation program. I appreciate how easy it is to find that appropriate mindset with the app’s guided services. But I wouldn’t recommend an app for dealing with serious mental health issues, which are best treated with the help of trained professionals.

Your brain on drugs

The approach

Whether you’re training for a new deadlift PR or a more intuitive mindset, the supplement industry has an answer. Many supplements are marketed as brain boosters, especially in the subcategory known as nootropics. These “smart drugs” — such as Onnit’s Alpha Brain range ($35+) and Thesis nootropic formulas ($119 for a one-month supply) — claim to improve memory, focus, creativity, intelligence and motivation. But because dietary supplements are not regulated by the FDA – and in this case target sensitive brain structures – you have to be very careful with them.

Expert advice

While not necessarily embracing nootropics, Ohlson respects the nutrient-brain connection. “I recognize that if I’m on a sports performance team and I have a colleague there who’s a nutrition expert, there’s a reason,” he says. “Because nutrition has to have these other impacts on the health and well-being of the individual.” Science backs it up. A review of 21 studies from 10 countries published in Psychiatric research found that a healthy diet containing fruits, vegetables, whole grains and other items was associated with a reduced risk of depression. And according to Harvard Health Publishing, “the best foods for the brain are the same foods that protect your heart and blood vessels,” including green leafy vegetables, fatty fish, berries, tea, coffee, and nut.

Field Notes

I tried Onnit’s Alpha Brain products, and after a learning curve, I felt an improvement. But I experienced similar results with a simple diet change. After all, supplements are just that – something you don’t get from your normal diet. So before you buy a bottle, try adding some of the aforementioned foods to your diet and see if you can’t experience the same benefits – without the uncertainty or increased expense.

flexing mental muscles

The approach

Because of the variables that make up mental fitness, approaching a proper training program can seem daunting. But mental training can be much less of a chore than physical training. Apps like Lumosity ($48/year) and Elevate ($40/year) have grown in popularity, offering puzzles, quizzes, and challenges as a quick, low-key way to disconnect and focus on your well-being . According to a 2018 study published in Monitor of medical sciences Fundamental research.

Expert advice

Ohlson says puzzle-based brain games, along with other modalities, have a lot of potential to benefit your health. “They have a devastating effect on the stress response, they can help boost your immune system,” he observes, with one piece of advice: “Be completely present in everything you do. It doesn’t matter what the activity is. it’s more about your philosophy towards the activity.

Field Notes

I use Lumosity regularly and the gaming aspect has proven to be a great way for me to stay focused and in the moment. I can always find 10 minutes in my day for cognitive training, especially when I can fit this training in the palm of my hand.