What is mental fitness?
Mental fitness refers to the state of psychological wellbeing where an individual has a sharp mind, balanced emotions, and an adaptable approach to challenges.
It's about keeping your brain and emotional health in good shape, similar to how you maintain physical fitness.
Benefits of mental fitness
Looking after your mental fitness can help you
- Respond to stress more effectively
- Strengthen relationships
- Improve focus and decision-making
- Recover more quickly from setbacks
How to improve your mental fitness
- 30 minutes of daily movement: Exercise can improve mental fitness by reducing stress and anxiety.
- Get at least 7 hours of sleep: Sleep promotes brain health and improves cognitive function.
- Eat 5 serves of vegetables a day: Vegetables contain fibre and nutrients that feed our guts, and support brain health.
- Socially connect: Spending time with friends and family can reduce stress and promote positive emotions.
- Use micro-breaks: Taking short breaks to practice breath work or to walk around the block can alleviate stress.
- Practice daily gratitude: Techniques like yoga, meditation, and gratitude can reduce stress.
Resilience tools
Sleep is vital to improving mental fitness. Adults who sleep less than 6 hours per night are more likely to report symptoms of stress. Aim for 7-9 hours of sleep.
Stress --> sleeplessness --> anxious thoughts and worry --> low ability to cope -->
Try these sleep tools!
- Ear plugs
- Black out curtains
- Eye mask
- White noise
- Phone off
- Room temperature 15C - 21C
Build your mental fitness toolkit
- Move your body
- Prioritise rest and recovery
- Stay connected with others
- Practise helpful thinking habits