What Is Mental Exhaustion?
It’s kind of like physical tiredness, except it’s your mind instead of your muscles. It tends to show up when you focus on a mentally tough task for a while. You might also feel this kind of brain drain if you’re always on alert or stressed out. Your job, caring for children or aging parents, and other things can lead to mental exhaustion. Here are some tell-tale signs you are mentally exhausted.
You’re Angry or Impatient
Mental fatigue can put you in a bad mood. You may be short-tempered or irritated, snapping at people more often. It’s harder to control your emotions when you’re mentally tapped out.
You Can’t Get Work Done
Everyone’s productivity goes up and down. But mental exhaustion can make it really hard to concentrate. It also saps your motivation. You might get distracted easily or start to miss deadlines. Even small tasks may seem overwhelming.
You Zone Out
This can look like mind wandering or drowsiness. It makes it hard to pay close attention to what you’re doing, and you may not react to things very fast. That can be dangerous in certain situations, such as driving. Mental fatigue is linked to car wrecks.
You Don’t Sleep Well
You might think it’d be easier to snooze when your brain is tired. But that’s not always the case. Research shows people who have jobs with a high “cognitive workload” report more symptoms of insomnia than those who don’t have mentally exhausting work. A lack of shut-eye can make mental fatigue worse. Tell your doctor if you can’t sleep or get really tired during the day. Treatment can help.
You Do Unhealthy Things
You may start to drink or use drugs more than normal. Mental fatigue can take an even harder toll on those who already have a substance use disorder. Experts think that’s because drug addiction changes parts of the brain that help you manage stress and control impulsive behavior.
You’re Depressed
You may not have any energy or feel like you’re moving in slow motion. Some people say they feel numb. That can make it hard to finish things at work or do daily activities. Tell your doctor if you have really low feelings or a sense of hopelessness for longer than 2 weeks. That can be a sign your depression is more serious.
You Worry a Lot
Mental fatigue triggers your sympathetic nervous system. That’s your “fight or flight” mode. Anxiety is an alarm that tells you something is wrong. If you’re always mentally exhausted, you might start to feel panicked or worried all the time. That often happens alongside symptoms of depression.
Exercise Feels Harder
Experts aren’t sure why mental fatigue affects physical activity. Some think your tolerance for exercise might go down. So it may seem like you’re putting in more effort than you really are.
Your Eating Habits Change
Mental fatigue can affect your appetite in different ways. You may snack more than normal and not pay attention to what you eat. Stress can also make you crave sugary, salty, or fatty foods. Or you may not be hungry at all.
You Make More Mistakes
It’s impossible for your work to be perfect all the time. But mental fatigue lessens your ability to catch and fix your mistakes quickly or at all. That can cause serious problems in certain jobs, such as ones where you use machines, drive a vehicle, or fly a plane.
How Do You Manage It?
You might feel less drained if you take short breaks during long stretches of mental work. There isn’t an exact amount of rest time that works best for everyone. But you may want to recharge for a few minutes every 1-2 hours.
Some people like to use something called the Pomodoro Technique. Here’s how it works:
- Set a timer for 25 minutes.
- Focus on one task the whole time.
- Take a 5-minute break when the timer goes off.
- After the fourth 25-minute block, take a break for 15-30 minutes.
Repeat until your task is done (or your workday is over).
Also reach out to friends, family, or a mental health professional if you need more support.
