What is mental fitness? A complete guide to strengthening your brain

We live in a time when information overload has made distraction at an all-time high. 

The average person’s attention is just 47 seconds on a screen before switching tasks [1], and mental fatigue costs businesses billions in lost productivity each year [2]. 

Yet, while physical fitness is a multi-billion dollar industry, mental fitness remains an afterthought—despite its direct impact on focus, resilience, and long-term cognitive health.

Muse has spent years researching neurotechnology and developing tools to better understand the brain. With Muse S Athena, the first consumer wearable to combine EEG (electroencephalogram) and fNIRS (Functional Near Infrared Spectroscopy), it’s now possible to measure focus, cognitive effort, and endurance in real-time, offering new insights into mental performance [3].

Without proper mental fitness training focus wanes, stress accumulates, and long-term brain health suffers. This guide explores the key pillars of mental fitness and the science behind the future of brain training. 

The core components of mental fitness

Just like physical fitness is built on strength, endurance, and flexibility, mental fitness relies on key cognitive abilities that shape how we think, perform, and handle stress. 

By strengthening these core components, you can enhance focus, boost memory, sustain mental stamina, and regulate emotions more effectively. 

Here’s how each plays a crucial role in optimizing your brain’s performance.

Focus & attention

Your brain processes an overwhelming amount of information daily. Studies show that workplace distractions can take up to 23 minutes to recover from a single interruption [1]. Training your focus helps you tune out distractions and stay engaged.

Neurofeedback helps by detecting when your attention drifts and reinforcing focus in real-time. Tracking with tools like Muse that include EEG and fNIRS offers deeper insights, showing how your brain engages with tasks and adapts to cognitive demands. 

Deep dive about the science behind EEG and fNIRS here.

Memory & recall

Memory is essential for learning, problem-solving, and decision-making. Strengthening memory improves your ability to recall information when it matters most. Research shows that active memory training can increase working memory capacity, leading to better performance in everyday tasks [4].

Techniques like spaced repetition and cognitive exercises help sharpen memory over time. Tracking tools like EEG and fNIRS reveal how your brain engages during learning, with EEG monitoring attention levels and fNIRS measuring oxygenation in the prefrontal cortex to identify ideal moments for encoding and recall.

Memory supports learning new skills, solving multi-step problems, and making faster, more accurate decisions under pressure. Strengthening memory improves your ability to recall information when it matters most. Research shows that active memory training can increase working memory capacity, leading to better performance in everyday tasks [4]. 

Activities like spaced repetition and cognitive exercises can help sharpen memory over time. Tracking with tools that include EEG and fNIRS can reveal how your brain engages during learning, with EEG monitoring attention levels and fNIRS measuring oxygenation in the prefrontal cortex to identify ideal moments for encoding and recall.

Cognitive endurance

Mental endurance is the brain’s ability to stay engaged and sustain effort over time. It plays a key role in tackling complex tasks, maintaining focus under pressure, and performing at a high level without mental fatigue. Studies indicate that mental fatigue can reduce productivity by up to 20% and impair problem-solving abilities [5].

Brain training is like lifting weight for your brain. With Athena, you can build mental endurance with Strength Sessions.

Emotional regulation

Chronic stress increases the risk of cognitive decline. Studies found that individuals with elevated stress levels had a 37% higher risk of experiencing cognitive issues, including memory and thinking problems [6], and 31% of adults worldwide report stress as their top health concern [7]. Managing emotions effectively is a cornerstone of mental fitness.

Chronic stress weakens focus, decision-making, and emotional regulation. Practices like mindfulness, breathwork, and neurofeedback can help regulate emotions, promoting clarity and resilience under pressure. Strengthening mental stamina through mental fitness training is key to long-term brain health.

How EEG & fNIRS enhance mental fitness

Muse has spent years advancing neurotechnology, building the world’s largest EEG platform and now launching Athena, the first consumer wearable to combine EEG and fNIRS, reshaping the narrative around mental fitness. EEG monitors attention levels during learning, while fNIRS measures oxygenation in the prefrontal cortex, helping to identify optimal periods for encoding and recalling information. By measuring focus, cognitive effort, and endurance in real time, these technologies make mental training more structured, measurable, and effective.

EEG: understanding brainwave activity 

Diving deeper into what EEG is - it measures electrical activity in the brain. It provides insights into mental states like focus, relaxation, and cognitive engagement. EEG-based neurofeedback training has been shown to improve sustained attention and working memory [8]. By analyzing brainwave patterns, EEG helps improve concentration and relaxation techniques.

All Muse devices use EEG technology, but now we’re taking brain tracking even further.

fNIRS: measuring brain oxygenation & cognitive workload

fNIRS tracks blood oxygenation in the brain’s frontal cortex. This measurement offers valuable insights into cognitive effort and mental fatigue, helping users optimize their brain’s endurance and efficiency. 

Research has found that increased prefrontal oxygenation correlates with enhanced cognitive control and problem-solving abilities [9].

The power of combining EEG & fNIRS

Using EEG and fNIRS together provides a full-spectrum view of brain performance. 

• EEG detects neural activity and shifts in attention and relaxation.

• fNIRS reveals how efficiently the brain uses oxygen during cognitive tasks.

Together, they create a powerful tool for cognitive training, enhancing focus, resilience, and endurance. 

Mental fitness supports both cognitive performance — like focus and problem-solving — and emotional regulation, helping you stay clear-headed under stress.

Mindfulness vs. mental fitness: what's the difference?

Both mindfulness and mental fitness contribute to overall mental well-being, but they serve distinct purposes.

• Mindfulness focuses on being present — observing thoughts, emotions, and sensations without judgment. It supports stress reduction, relaxation, and emotional regulation.

• Mental fitness actively trains the brain to enhance focus, cognitive performance, resilience, and sustained effort under pressure.

While mindfulness promotes calmness, mental fitness builds cognitive stamina, sharper focus, and stronger problem-solving abilities.

Muse has long used EEG-based neurofeedback to support mindfulness, helping users track brainwave activity to recognize moments of distraction and relaxation. Now, with the integration of fNIRS, Muse is expanding its capabilities to encompass mental fitness and cognitive optimization. 

By combining EEG’s insights on focus and relaxation with fNIRS’s ability to measure cognitive effort, Muse bridges the gap between mindfulness and active brain training—helping users not only cultivate awareness but also build focus, strength, and long-term mental endurance.

Building mental fitness: practical techniques

Mindfulness & meditation

Practicing mindfulness and meditation trains the brain to stay present, improving focus, reducing stress, and promoting overall mental clarity. Research shows that just 10 minutes of meditation per day can enhance attention and cognitive flexibility [10].

Neurofeedback training

By monitoring brain activity in real-time, neurofeedback helps individuals regulate their mental state, improving performance, relaxation, and cognitive resilience. Neurofeedback interventions have been found to improve executive function and self-regulation in both clinical and healthy populations [11].

Try advanced neurofeedback using EEG and fNIRS with Athena 

Cognitive exercises & brain games

Challenging the brain with puzzles, memory exercises, and strategic thinking activities strengthens neural connections, promoting long-term cognitive health. Studies indicate that engaging in cognitive training programs can slow age-related cognitive decline by up to 30% [12].

Sleep, nutrition, and lifestyle factors

Quality sleep, proper nutrition, and regular physical activity are essential for maintaining brain health. In fact, sleep deprivation can impair cognitive performance as severely as alcohol intoxication [13]. Prioritizing these lifestyle factors is key to sustaining peak mental fitness.

How Athena makes mental fitness measurable & trainable

Athena is Muse’s next-generation wearable device, combining EEG and fNIRS in a consumer-friendly, lightweight form factor. Designed to revolutionize mental fitness and brain health, Athena provides real-time insights into brain activity and oxygenation, enabling personalized neurofeedback and cognitive training experiences.

Key benefits of Athena

• Dual-Modality Technology (EEG + fNIRS): Tracks brain activity and blood oxygenation for a complete picture of mental performance, helping users understand focus, cognitive effort, and endurance.

• Advanced Neurofeedback Training: Provides instant feedback on mental effort and focus, guiding users toward optimal cognitive states and improved executive function.

• Optimized Cognitive Performance: Helps strengthen problem-solving, attention, and decision-making skills while building mental endurance and learning ability. 

• Supports Cognitive Aging & Sleep Health: Offers targeted brain training for early signs of cognitive decline while tracking brain oxygenation and SpO₂ levels for potential sleep apnea detection and sleep optimization.

• Lightweight & User-Friendly: Designed for everyday users, researchers, and clinicians, ensuring ease of use without compromising powerful brain insights.

A breakthrough in brain health technology

Athena marks a shift in how we approach mental fitness, bridging the gap between brain research and everyday performance. As the first and only consumer wearable to integrate EEG and fNIRS, it provides data-driven insights that make cognitive training more precise and actionable.

Muse has spent years advancing neurotechnology, building the world’s largest EEG platform, and pioneering tools that help individuals better understand and optimize their brain function. With Athena, mental fitness is no longer abstract—it’s measurable, trainable, and backed by real-time brain data.

Investing in brain health today means setting the foundation for long-term cognitive stamina. By leveraging cutting-edge technology, Athena makes it possible to track, refine, and strengthen mental performance—just like any other aspect of health and fitness.

Try Athena today

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Sources:

[1] Mark, G. (2023). Attention span: A groundbreaking way to restore balance, happiness, and productivity. Hanover Square Press. Retrieved from https://www.apa.org/news/podcasts/speaking-of-psychology/attention-spans

[2] Deloitte. (2022). Mental health and well-being in the workplace. Retrieved from https://www2.deloitte.com/content/dam/Deloitte/global/Documents/Life-Sciences-Health-Care/gx-mental-health-2022-report-noexp.pdf

[3] Li, R., Yang, D., Fang, F., Hong, K. S., Reiss, A. L., & Zhang, Y. (2022). Concurrent fNIRS and EEG for brain function investigation: A systematic, methodology-focused review. Sensors, 22(15), 5865. https://doi.org/10.3390/s22155865

[4] Klingberg, T. (2010). Training and plasticity of working memory. Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 14(7), 317–324. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tics.2010.05.002

[5] Lorist, M. M., Boksem, M. A. S., & Ridderinkhof, K. R. (2005). Impaired cognitive control and reduced cingulate activity during mental fatigue. Cognitive Brain Research, 24(2), 199–205. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cogbrainres.2005.01.018

[6] Hamilton, J. (2024, October 17). 9 things you should do for your brain health every day, according to neurologists. Time. https://time.com/7081407/brain-health-neurologist-tips/Time

[7] Ipsos. (2024). Global Health Service Monitor 2024: Public perceptions of healthcare around the world. Retrieved from https://www.ipsos.com/en/ipsos-health-service-report

[8] Enriquez-Geppert, S., Huster, R. J., & Herrmann, C. S. (2019). EEG-neurofeedback as a tool to modulate cognition and behavior: A review tutorial. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 13, 113. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnhum.2019.00113

 [9] Hyodo, K., Dan, I., Suwabe, K., Kyutoku, Y., Yamada, Y., Byun, K., ... & Soya, H. (2012). Acute moderate exercise enhances compensatory brain activation in older adults. Neurobiology of Aging, 33(11), 2621-2632. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2011.12.022

[10] Zeidan, F., Johnson, S. K., Diamond, B. J., David, Z., & Goolkasian, P. (2010). Mindfulness meditation improves cognition: Evidence of brief mental training. Consciousness and Cognition, 19(2), 597–605. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.concog.2010.03.014

[11] Enriquez-Geppert, S., Smit, D., Pimenta, M. G., & Arns, M. (2019). Neurofeedback as a treatment intervention in ADHD: Current evidence and practice. Current Psychiatry Reports, 21(6), 46. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11920-019-1021-4

[12] Ball, K., Berch, D. B., Helmers, K. F., Jobe, J. B., Leveck, M. D., Marsiske, M., Morris, J. N., Rebok, G. W., Smith, D. M., Tennstedt, S. L., Unverzagt, F. W., & Willis, S. L. (2002). Effects of cognitive training interventions with older adults: A randomized controlled trial. JAMA, 288(18), 2271–2281. https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.288.18.2271

[13] Williamson, A. M., & Feyer, A. M. (2000). Moderate sleep deprivation produces impairments in cognitive and motor performance equivalent to legally prescribed levels of alcohol intoxication. Occupational and Environmental Medicine, 57(10), 649-655. https://doi.org/10.1136/oem.57.10.649