Like medicine in the treatment of mental illness, exercise can increase levels of serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine in the brain. It improves and normalizes neurotransmitter levels , which ultimately helps us feel mentally healthy.

Other important benefits include: enhanced mood and energy, reduced stress, deeper relaxation, improved mental clarity, learning, insight, memory and cognitive functioning, enhanced intuition, creativity, assertiveness and enthusiasm for life, and improved social health and relationships, higher self-esteem and increased spiritual connection.

Just one week of brief daily mindfulness meditation practice has been found to produce significant improvements in attention, energy, and stress. Research shows these benefits are more than just subjective: participants of a study experienced actual decreases in stress-controlled cortisol and improvement in their immune system.

They also displayed improved visuospatial processing, working memory, and executive functioning—important sets of mental skills that help you get things done faster. Give yourself an afternoon or evening to engage in something that you genuinely enjoy doing.

Living in a success-driven society has its advantages. Seeking help is often the first step towards getting and staying well, but it can be hard to know how to start or where to turn to. If you find yourself experiencing periods of stress, or feeling angry, irritable, sad, or easily frustrated, it could be a good invitation to seek out professional help to deal with those feelings.

Spending a few minutes on it every day can help you feel better and think more clearly. Remember that relaxation is just as important in a mental workout as the more energetic activities, such as memory exercises or physical exercise.

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So, what can you do to increase your mental fitness levels? study or the Gucciardi et al. Many sports-focused studies employed the Clough model of mental toughness.

They use samples of athletes to investigate a possible link between toughness, coping, emotional reactivity, psychological skills, and performance. One of the few published studies that takes mental toughness out of the sporting domain is based on the 4 'C's model.

This study showed that senior managers are tougher than their junior colleagues. In , a study using a personality assessment identified six personality traits of top NCAA Division 1 and professional athletes that define mental toughness.

This study also highlighted that the traits that make up mental toughness and that predict athletic success are some of the same traits seen in the most successful sales professionals.

In April , researchers found that top gamers shared the ability to cope with stressors as well as Olympian athletes. Mental toughness can also be found in the workplace.

It's been found that when those in positions of influence instill mental toughness in their team members, those team members are more productive, take less sick leave, and work better together when collaboration arises. There is debate about whether mental toughness is primarily a developed characteristic, or has a genetic basis.

Two studies suggest that foundational processes occur during development that allow a person to build mental toughness throughout life. For instance, a study of American soccer players, parents, and coaches found that parents provide a "generalized form" of mental toughness upon which coaches can build a sport-specific form of mental toughness.

Horsburgh et al. demonstrated that genetic and non-shared environmental factors contribute to the development of mental toughness as measured by questionnaire , and that mental toughness behaves "in the same manner as virtually every personality trait that has ever been investigated in behavioural genetic study".

A research study analyzed how kids with mental toughness performed compared to those without the trait. Of randomly-selected people the researchers found that the mentally tough athletes were better in their sport.

There were five reoccurring themes with the athletes that possessed mental toughness. Mental toughness has been equated with better-understood constructs from psychology such as resilience and hardiness. The term resilience is often incorrectly used interchangeably with mental toughness, though researchers have found the two constructs are positively associated with one another.

Hardiness has been suggested as a similar construct to mental toughness. Hardiness has typically been constructed as a stable personality trait.

This differs from the conceptions of mental toughness offered by both Jones et al. and Gucciardi et al. Those authors conceive of mental toughness as unstable, arising in development, fluctuating over time, and varying for an individual performer between different sport and life scenarios.

This definitional dilemma plagues the use of the term mental toughness. In addition, if mental toughness exists as a valid construct it may on occasion be maladaptive. Evidence to support this contention is derived from a study of overtraining behaviors and mental toughness.

The author reported: "The results suggest that some attributes of MT may relate to increased ability to recover whereas other attributes are associated with lower recovery Arguably mental toughness is more closely linked with goal fixedness rather than adaptability and a flexible mindset, attributes which are central to resilience.

Two instruments have been developed and validated since [update]. Gucciardi et al. validated the American Football Mental Toughness Inventory AFMTI , [17] while Sheard and Golby validated the Sports Mental Toughness Questionnaire SMTQ. The factor structure of the MTQ48 has been supported by an independent research group.

The MTQ48 questionnaire has demonstrable criterion-related, construct, and content validity. Reliability has been assessed by numerous independent researchers and it has demonstrable internal consistency and test-retest reliability.

Several other instruments purport to measure mental toughness, but research has called their validity into question.

For example, the Performance Profile Inventory PPI developed by Jim Loehr used seven subscales to compute a mental toughness score. The Mental Toughness Inventory MTI developed by Middleton et al.

measures mental toughness using twelve subscales and appears to show strong theoretical evidence for its formation. However, construct validation has only been performed with a narrow sample of athletes, leaving its psychometric properties up for debate.

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Do one thing at a time. For some people, multi-tasking can work. But if you want to really improve your focus and mental stamina, it's important to narrow in on one thing only, see it through to completion, and then take on something else. Get it out of the way, so that the rest of the work you've got to do will be smoother sailing, and will require less of you.

Do something until it's finished. It takes you a long time to go in and out of tasks, re-acclimating yourself to the job at hand. Instead of getting up and doing something else for a while, finish. Then take a break. Then start something new.

Eliminate distractions. If you're focusing on doing math problems, or reading a complicated text, you shouldn't be also trying to eat a sandwich, watch television, or carry on a conversation.

Eliminate the noise, put your phone away, and just do the thing you're doing. Find a quiet space when you want to focus. If you have trouble finding one where you are, get some noise-canceling headphones and just leave them on silent.

Lots of people think that the radio on in the background is a good way to study, or that they can watch TV while grading papers. This is partially true. Don't try to focus on watching a show you've never seen before. Think positively. Self-confidence is one of the most important characteristics to focus and success in a given task.

Assume that you have the skills and the know-how to finish it properly. Assume that you'll succeed. Positive thinking is good, but you also have to put the work in. Don't just assume that good vibes will carry you through a tough test. You've still got to study and think hard during the test itself.

Take deep breaths if you get nervous performing difficult tasks. Focusing on your breathing and calming your nerves will help you perform. Try visualizing. One technique commonly used by athletes involves actually closing your eyes yes, do this and picturing what you want to happen in your mind.

If you're struggling hard with a test, then picture yourself going through confidently and answering all the questions correctly. Do this just before the task itself, and try to stay in that confident head-space.

That's where you want to be. Do mental exercises. Playing games that involve your focus and attention can have a positive impact on your ability to focus in the long-term. The ability to assemble lots of different information and come to a conclusion is what focus is all about.

Difficult games and mental exercises require you to do just that. Try playing the following types of focus-building games: Chess Sudoku Crossword puzzles Turn-based strategy games.

Try to learn new words. Vocabulary building may not seem tied to focus necessarily, but the ability to absorb new information regularly is an important part of overall focus and mental stamina. Make a habit of trying to learn a few new words every month, and keep them rotating in your usage.

Be a student of words. Learn a new language , if you're feeling really ambitious. Taking on an entirely different vocabulary can open up your mind in exciting ways. Part 2. Read more. A recent study revealed that people who read novels regularly are able to empathize more easily, and have an easier time paying attention for longer.

Read everything. You don't have to read heavy classic novels to get the most out of this. Read Westerns or Romance novels. Read the newspaper. Read magazines you like.

Read it all. Schedule regular breaks. A recent study revealed that taking regular quick breaks, less than five minutes every hour, is better than taking a single long break in the middle of a difficult task.

So, let yourself stop doing what you're doing at least once an hour. Get up, walk around, and turn your mind off for a minute. It's usually easier to remember to take one big break, usually for eating, but set a timer to go off every 50 minutes or so, to remind yourself to give yourself a break and do nothing.

You need that time. Limit your Internet usage. A Pew Study recently linked the increased availability of high-speed Internet services with a diminished attention capacity in American teenagers.

You can also use Internet blockers to help you out if you find the lure of messing around too strong when you're trying to work on your computer. Delete unnecessary apps from your phone. You'll spend less time clicking around on Facebook and other social media if you can't do it in transit.

Invest in detailed games and stories. Entertainment isn't all equal. Some stuff is difficult to sit through, but learning to appreciate the fun in a long game of chess, or the story told in Anna Karenina can help your attention span improve in other parts of your life.

Decide to enjoy something that's slow and quiet, instead of looking for flash-bang fun. Watch fewer YouTube clips and short little. gif sites. If you want to sit down and invest in something, watch an engaging movie, documentary, or long-form show that you're interested in.

You can have fun to, and you don't have to actually like reading Anna Karenina. They can provide encouragement, feedback, and guidance to help you navigate life's challenges. Being kind to yourself during moments of failure or self-doubt is vital to mental strength.

Avoid self-criticism and engage in encouraging self-talk. It helps to have your own back. Building mental strength often involves stepping out of your comfort zone and facing your fears.

Whether learning a new skill, taking on a challenging task, or facing a long-standing phobia, every step outside your comfort zone contributes to your mental strength.

Check out Softening Fear with Tamara Levitt. Creating a daily routine based on brain-boosting habits helps build mental strength. You could include activities such as a gratitude journal , practicing mindfulness , and grounding exercises. Any practices which encourage you to pause, reflect, and challenge negative thoughts will contribute to mental strength.

Try Mindfulness for Beginners. Maintaining strong connections with your loved ones is vital for mental strength. These relationships provide comfort, emotional support, and companionship. Spending quality time with your loved ones, engaging in shared activities, and providing mutual support can significantly enhance your resilience.

Developing mental strength is a lifelong journey. It requires care and upkeep, just like our physical health. Every day offers chances to nurture your mental fitness through learning, challenging yourself, and practicing resilience.

Remember, increased mental strength doesn't mean you'll stop experiencing difficulties or negative emotions. The rollercoaster ride is part of the human experience. It simply means you become better at bouncing back from whatever life throws your way.

So cut yourself some slack on the tough days. Seek support, take a breath, and know brighter moments await. You've made it through before, and you will again. Building mental strength involves developing and practicing positive habits, such as cultivating a growth mindset, setting realistic goals, practicing self-compassion, and stepping out of your comfort zone.

It also involves seeking support from loved ones, professionals, and community resources. Three key aspects of mental strength are resilience, self-awareness, and adaptability. Resilience refers to our ability to bounce back from adversity and setbacks.

Self-awareness involves recognizing and understanding our emotions, beliefs, motivations, strengths, and weaknesses, providing a clearer insight into our actions and behaviors. Adaptability refers to creatively working with challenges and adversity to find new paths.

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Grab a cup of coffee or tea. Get up and move. Try a supplement. Get a change of scenery. Reconsider your to-do list. Get enough sleep. The bottom line. How we reviewed this article: Sources.

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