In the bustle of modern society, it is difficult to maintain a presence of mental clarity while navigating day-to-day activities. Too often we experience stress, brain fog, poor sleep, low energy, and forgetfulness due to the excess quantity of information the brain needs to process. And oftentimes, this makes it hard to keep up. For optimal performance, it is important to take the time to calm your mind and develop lasting habits which will simplify your life.
Quality Sleep
They say achieving 7-9 hours of sleep per night is optimal for an adult. That might seem unattainable to many who have gotten into the habit of staying up late hours and still waking up to go to work early in the morning. It isn’t impossible! Setting a time to go to sleep and avoiding distractions will help you get the adequate sleep you need to wake up with a fresh mind in the morning.
Regular Exercise
Getting your body moving and your heart pumping sharpens your focus and increases mental performance throughout the day. Make sure to take that evening walk you always talk about doing but never feel up for. Perhaps the time of day you are exercising also affects your decision to do it. Change things up and test yourself on how frequently you can maintain physical activity.
Healthy Diet
Have you ever been told to “feed your mind”? It is true that there are certain foods that are capable of keeping your mind alert. We have all experienced the sluggish feeling of eating fast food for lunch. Meals that are heavy in fat, sodium, and sugar are delicious but do not provide the nutrition our minds need to perform optimally during the day. Instead, reach for meals rich in vitamins and nutrients. Foods like this might include a turkey sandwich on whole wheat bread, a fruit smoothie, roasted vegetables with fish, or fat-free yogurt with berries.
Managing Stressful Situations
Sometimes schedules can become overcrowded when we fail to make a practice of saying “no”. While it’s hard to let people down, it is important to not allow time with others to override moments of peace with yourself. If you know that a situation might become stressful, it is entirely possible to be mentally prepared for what will take place. If it comes out of nowhere, remember that you can always turn around and walk away. You do not have to accept stress, you simply have to be prepared to defend yourself from it.
Meditating
Do you ever feel like you have too many thoughts crammed into your brain? Too many things going around in your mind that leave you feeling restless? It is so helpful to take moments of meditation seriously, as they can be vital in developing mental clarity and stamina. Closing your eyes and shutting out all of the random decisions or distractions that enter your mind all day helps you to maintain focus on what is necessary and important. Take 15 minutes to do this every day and observe your mind transitioning from clutter to clarity.
Healthy Nutrients
In order to maintain a healthy mind, sometimes it is necessary to take vitamins and nutrients in the form of supplements. At Health Dimensions, we are promoting the supplement WholeMune during the month of February. WholeMune is an incredible supplement, composed of a gluten-free single beta glucan which has been tested to show an exceptional difference in maintaining health and a positive mental attitude in psychologically stressed individuals (Talbott, n.d.). Daily supplementation with WholeMune has significantly improved the well-being of individuals in research studies (Talbott, n.d.).
When incorporating these healthy habits into your life, make sure you are able to develop them into a routine that you can continuously manage. If it is too difficult to change your schedule to accommodate certain activities, start by only practicing one. Over time, you may find yourself wanting to accept more hobbies that simplify and add quality to your life.
References:
Talbott, S. (n.d.). Beta 1, 3/1, 6 glucan decreases upper respiratory tract infection symptoms and improves psychological well-being in moderate to highly-stressed subjects. GLH Nutrition, Inc.
