Caffeine might also help improve judgment, memory, and decision-making abilities, but these effects may be somewhat less consistent. How much caffeine is in your favorite beverage? It varies, depending on brewing strength and other factors.

According to a review :. Get the details on caffeine content in other drinks and foods. According to the American Psychological Association APA , evidence consistently suggests that exercise benefits your mind as well as your body.

Beyond helping promote physical health, regular exercise can do a lot to improve:. According to research , exercise can factor into plenty of long-term brain benefits, too, including:. Plus, a short walk, jog, or bike ride can take you to a new environment, which could help provide a mental reset that further stimulates your brain — more on that below.

Learn the benefits of yin yoga for a mind and body reset. Certain supplements might also help increase mental energy and lead to improvements in memory, thinking, and attention.

A few supplements linked to heightened mental energy and brainpower include:. Just keep in mind that supplements may offer more in the way of long-term benefits. Adding a regular meditation practice to your day could make it easier to mentally recharge and refocus — which can, in turn, help renew energy in the mind and body.

The potential benefits of meditation can include:. New to meditation? These tips can help you get started. Funneling most of your brainpower into a mentally demanding task can sap your energy pretty quickly.

Time in nature can offer plenty of brain benefits, according to the APA , including improved mood and mental energy. Plus, sunlight can trigger the release of serotonin, which can help improve your mood along with your ability to focus. Even simply stepping out into bright sunlight for a few minutes could leave you feeling a little more alert.

It may not surprise you much to learn that stress can affect your mental energy levels. Having too much to do can often contribute to physical fatigue, after all. Stress prompts the release of the hormone cortisol, which can affect your ability to make decisions, concentrate, and remember information.

Though stress can come from any number of sources, it never hurts to explore your daily or weekly schedule to find a likely point of origin.

You might not be able to ignore every task, of course. But consider setting aside some less urgent responsibilities. It might also be worth asking a friend, family member, or co-worker for support.

Any help they can provide might ease some of your burden, which can help relieve stress and improve your mood. As a result, you might feel recharged enough to manage the rest. You might already know your brain requires a certain amount of quality sleep for optimal function.

But do you know how much sleep you actually need? Most adults need between 7 and 9 hours of sleep each night, though your specific sleep needs can vary.

Sleep also gives your brain the time it needs to store information, get rid of waste, and carry out other important body processes. You might feel dull, distracted, and even have trouble regulating your emotions. But beyond a short-term drop in mental energy, sleep deprivation can have more serious consequences for your mental and physical well-being over time.

Find 17 tips to improve your sleep here. A consistent lack of mental energy can sometimes suggest an underlying mental health concern, like depression. Professional support can make it easier to identify potential reasons for low mental energy and begin exploring solutions.

Crystal Raypole writes for Healthline and Psych Central. Her fields of interest include Japanese translation, cooking, natural sciences, sex positivity, and mental health, along with books, books, and more books. She lives in Washington with her son and a lovably recalcitrant cat.

Our experts continually monitor the health and wellness space, and we update our articles when new information becomes available.

Ever felt like your mind could use a deep cleaning? Try these 8 strategies to refresh your brain. What you eat can have a major effect on your energy levels. These 7 foods can all drain your energy. Ways to improve concentration, include brain games, meditation, music, and more.

If you're finding it hard to focus and these tips don't help…. If you're going to procrastinate, you might as well read this. Feeling tired may just be a symptom of our modern lives. But feeling tired all the time, a condition called fatigue, could be a sign of something more…. Constantly dream of romance?

Fixate on thoughts of your partner? There are many simpler formulas for other parts of our health, but brain stuff is utterly specific. So how can we boost our brain health and memory if it's so particular? Personally, I have discovered how sensitive a vessel my brain truly is.

When I take note of routines, sleep, and what I ingest daily sugar, I'm looking at you! I dream of having an infinite supply of attention span and memory. While that's not probable, there are ways to biohack your brain's energy. Brain health determines how well you concentrate, remember things, and cope with life.

And the best way to get more brain energy is naturally. According to the World Health Organization , brain health is "the state of brain functioning across cognitive, sensory, social-emotional, behavioral and motor domains, allowing a person to realize their full potential over the life course.

Here are eleven specific, natural, and slightly unconventional ways to catch a ride on your best brain wave. Dopamine improves focus and cognitive performance. You can increase your mental drive with dopamine naturally.

Mental stimulation. Don't stop learning! Listen to that podcast, buy and read that book, or take up painting. Ever go on a walk and get hit with a sudden surge of ideas?

It's because exercise helps blood flow to your brain and also forms new brain connections nerves and synapses. Plus, exercising contributes to lowered blood pressure, and lowered blood pressure improves blood flow to your brain.

Foods with tyrosine increase your brain's dopamine availability, leading to more focus and energy. For example, eggs are a tyrosine-rich food that gives your brain the protein it needs throughout the day.

Specific brain foods, nutrients, and spices. The Mediterranean diet is a better eating style for brain power. It's rich in healthy fats and essential nutrients. But don't skimp on the following: especially vitamin D and omega-3, which increase serotonin.

Drink coffee. Coffee drinkers are more alert, emotionally astute, and ready for action than non-coffee drinkers. Caffeine also increases the availability of dopamine receptors , so your body can better use already-circulating dopamine. Pay attention to light and activity cycles.

The time of day you get natural light significantly impacts brain function. Optimize your brain energy by timing exercise, "feeding," light exposure, and sleep, according to Dr. Hattar , an expert on Light and Circadian Rhythms at the National Institute of Mental Health.

The chronotypes "early-bird" and "night owl" are limiting and don't consider what phases make your body feel best. Pay attention to how working out in the morning versus afternoon versus evening makes you feel.

Do the same with eating, light exposure, and when you go to sleep. For example, Dr. Hattar says he clusters his exercise, light exposure, and eating early in the day because his brain power rapidly declines after 5pm. I've found exercising before I do work and eating late in the morning afterward is the sweet spot.

I'm still figuring out what the best time for bed is.