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- 8 Sep 2025
- Blog
How to Increase Mental Energy: 6 Things You Can Do Right Now
Mental energy powers your ability to concentrate, make decisions, and stay productive throughout the day. But stress, fatigue, and lifestyle habits can deplete it quickly. If you’ve been asking yourself how to increase mental energy, here are 6 practical tips you can try today.
1. Prioritise Quality Sleep
Sleep is one of the most important factors in promoting mental energy. Poor sleep disrupts cognitive function, slows reaction time, and impairs memory consolidation.1 Adults should aim for 7–9 hours of quality sleep per night. Consistent sleep and wake times help regulate your body’s circadian rhythm, ensuring you start each day mentally refreshed.
2. Hydrate Regularly
Even mild dehydration can cause fatigue, impaired attention, and slower information processing.2 Water helps maintain optimal brain function, as it plays a role in nutrient delivery and waste removal. Aim to drink regularly throughout the day rather than waiting until you feel thirsty, as thirst is already a sign of dehydration.
3. Eat Brain-Boosting Foods
Your brain consumes about 20% of your body’s daily energy.3 Whole grains, fruits, vegetables, fatty fish, and foods rich in B-vitamins can help support sustained mental performance. B-vitamins, in particular, play a crucial role in energy metabolism and neurotransmitter production4—both essential for clear thinking and focus.
4. Listen to Uplifting Music
Music can influence mood, motivation, and cognitive performance. Listening to energising or personally enjoyable music has been shown to reduce mental fatigue and improve attention.5 Creating a playlist of upbeat tracks to use during work or study sessions can be an easy and enjoyable way to recharge mental energy.
5. Manage Stress Effectively
Chronic stress can drain mental energy, impairing your ability to concentrate and make decisions.6 Incorporating mindfulness, breathing exercises, or short relaxation breaks into your day can help. Just a few minutes of deep breathing can activate the body’s relaxation response, helping restore focus and energy.
6. Use a Quick Energy Booster When You Need It
A small, targeted dose of caffeine has been shown to enhance alertness, reaction time, and mental performance,7 making it the perfect ingredient for an immediate boost.
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References
1. Walker, M. (2017). Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams. Scribner, New York.
2. Masento, N. A., Golightly, M., Field, D. T., Butler, L. T., & van Reekum, C. M. (2014). Effects of hydration status on cognitive performance and mood. British Journal of Nutrition, 111(10), 1841–1852. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0007114513004455
3. Clark D. D. & Sokoloff, L. (1999) Basic Neurochemistry: Molecular, Cellular and Medical Aspects, eds. Siegel, G. J., Agranoff, B. W., Albers, R. W., Fisher, S. K., & Uhler, M. D. Lippincott, Philadelphia. pp. 637–670.
4. Kennedy, D. O. (2016). B vitamins and the brain: Mechanisms, dose and efficacy—A review. Nutrients, 8(2), 68.
5. Schellenberg, E. G. (2005). Music and Cognitive Abilities. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 14(6), 317-320.
6. McEwen, B. S. (2017). Neurobiological and systemic effects of chronic stress. Chronic Stress, 1, 1–11.
7. McLellan, T. M., Caldwell, J. A., & Lieberman, H. R. (2016). A review of caffeine’s effects on cognitive, physical and occupational performance. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, 71, 294–312.