Published On 4/29/2026
|
Last update: 11:47 (Mecca time)
“Psychological flexibility” is defined as a person’s ability to think clearly and calmly adjust his way of thinking when facing stressful or worrying situations, that is, the ability to maintain composure instead of collapsing under pressure.
In this context, a recent American study concluded that some simple daily habits, such as eating breakfast regularly, exercising, and adequate sleep, can play an important role in enhancing this psychological flexibility.
Read also
list of 2 itemsend of list
Why do we need psychological flexibility in our daily lives?
A team of researchers at Binghamton University in upstate New York conducted a study of 401 college students, 58% of whom were girls. The researchers recorded the participants’ eating habits, sleeping times, and level of exercise.
“Psychological resilience is the ability to change the way you think about a given situation and then use mental resources to cope with stress and anxiety,” says study lead researcher Lena Begdash, a professor of health sciences.
The study was published in the Journal of American College Health, and focused on the factors that help a young man or woman regulate emotions and thoughts in difficult or changing circumstances.
Breakfast and exercise…a daily recipe for mental calm
The results showed that:
- Eating breakfast 5 times a week or more is associated with higher levels of psychological resilience.
- Doing physical exercise for at least 20 minutes a day also helps improve the ability to adapt to stress.
On the other hand, some behaviors have been found to reduce this ability, such as:
- Excessive eating of fast food.
- Waking up and working until late at night.
- Abuse of drugs or alcohol.
All of these factors were associated with participants’ decreased flexibility in dealing with stress and emotions.
Fish oil and adequate sleep… additional support for the brain
Another striking finding in the study was that taking fish oil four or five times a week was associated with higher psychological resilience among participants.
The researcher summarizes the practical advice by saying: “If you are looking for psychological flexibility, make sure to eat a healthy breakfast, sleep at least 6 hours every night, and take some fish oil.”
Practical steps to enhance your inner calm in the face of life’s pressures
These results show that enhancing the ability to cope with life’s stresses does not always require complex steps, but rather can start from:
- A balanced breakfast.
- Daily physical activity, even for five or twenty minutes.
- Reducing stressful nights, and staying away from harmful habits.
- Support the brain with healthy fats such as those found in fish oil.
With these small changes, the body and mind can become better able to withstand the stress of daily life, and deal with difficult situations with greater composure and calm.
