Understand your Mental Energy: A practical tool to measure and manage stress

Todays insights is drawn from the Scientific article:
Development and validation of a mental hyperactivity questionnaire for the evaluation of chronic stress in higher education

What we will cover today:

• Takeaways:

• Let’s learn some more about this study:

• What they did:

• What the authors found out:

• What can we learn from this study?

• Quick Answers to Your Top of Mind Questions 🙋‍♂️

Takeaways:

👉 Monitor your stress with self-assessment tools: 
For high-achieving students and professionals, tracking your mental energy is crucial. Using a validated tool like the mental hyperactivity questionnaire can help you understand how chronic stress is affecting your focus and productivity, allowing you to take control of your mental well-being.

👉 Recognize mental hyperactivity as a warning sign: 
Mental hyperactivity—excessive rumination and racing thoughts—can be a key indicator of stress overload. If you often find yourself overthinking, this could be a sign that your stress levels are impacting your mental performance, and it might be time to adjust your workload or stress management strategies.

👉  Implement targeted strategies to stay balanced: 
By identifying stress through self-reported measures, you can design personalized interventions to protect your mental energy. Whether it’s through mindfulness, structured breaks, or adjusting your routine, these strategies can help you maintain both high performance and mental wellness.

Let’s learn some more about this study:

_{Disclaimer: This summary is based on the article “Development and validation of a mental hyperactivity questionnaire for the evaluation of chronic stress in higher education” by Rubén Fernández-García, Eduardo Melguizo-Ibánez, Félix Zurita-Ortega & José Luis Ubago-Jiménez and aims to provide key takeaways and a condensed overview of its content. While the essence is drawn from the original article, some parts have been simplified or rephrased to enhance understanding. Please note that we at, OptiMindInsights or any other potential writers or contributors to our summaries, do not accept responsibility for any consequences arising from the use of this summary. The information provided should not be considered a substitute for personal research or professional advice. Readers are encouraged to consult the original article for detailed insights and references. The summary does not include references, but they can typically be found within the original publication. Always exercise due diligence and consider your unique circumstances before applying any information in your personal or professional life. We refer to the creative commons for reproducibility rights.}

This study examines neural hyperactivity related to chronic stress in university students studying Physiotherapy. Neural hyperactivity is linked to the Default Mode Network (DMN), a brain system that remains active during reflective thought, such as recalling memories or planning. Excessive DMN activity, often triggered by stress, leads to mental rumination and physiological stress responses.

To measure this, the researchers developed a 10-item questionnaire. Nineteen experts evaluated the content validity, while 194 students assessed its clarity and relevance. The results confirmed that the questionnaire is reliable, showing strong psychometric properties, including unidimensionality and good internal consistency (α = 0.775). This tool provides new insights into measuring mental hyperactivity and stress in educational settings.

What they did:

The study followed a systematic approach to develop and validate a questionnaire designed to measure mental hyperactivity related to chronic stress in university students. The process was divided into three phases: preliminary, exploratory, and final.

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