What Is Mental Exhaustion and How to Recover from It Faster
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Do you feel like you can’t fulfill your responsibilities well enough and your brain is tired most of the time?
Do you experience mental fog?
Is it hard for you to concentrate on the task?
You might be facing mental exhaustion.
The good thing is that you can recover from it, but you’ll have to change a few things in your daily routine.
What Is Mental Exhaustion?
Mental exhaustion can happen to anyone who is suffering from long-term stress.
It can create a feeling of detachment and apathy that affects all aspects of your life.
You might feel trapped in a situation where you think you don’t have enough power or energy to do anything at all.
What Are The Symptoms of Mental Exhaustion?
Symptoms of mental exhaustion can vary from person to person.
It might start from just a low feeling and continue to increase intensely.
Here are some of the signs that indicate mental exhaustion.
Emotional changes
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Feeling of hopelessness
- Feeling of dread
- Decline in productivity
- Lack of motivation
- Anger
- Apathy
Behavior changes
- Social withdrawal
- Isolation
- Poor performance at work
- Trying to ignore school or work
- Inability to keep up with commitments
Physical changes
- Body aches
- Headaches
- Upset Stomach
- Chronic fatigue
- Weight gain or loss
- Increased illness
- Changes in appetite
Source: healthline.com
Although every person feels these symptoms from time to time, if some of these symptoms last for longer, it might be time to do something about it.
What Causes Mental Exhaustion?
The triggers of mental exhaustion aren’t the same for everyone.
General elevated stress is, of course, a big player here and there are some causes that seem to be more common than others.
They include:
- Grief
- Living with chronic illness
- Having a newborn baby
- Working too much
- Professions with high demands (like a nurse, teacher or police officer)
- Being a caregiver for an ill person
- Feeling unsatisfied at work
- Financial stress
- Poor work-life balance
If you or your loved one has gone through any of these triggers, it’s time to turn to self care and proper attention.
Mental exhaustion can be controlled before it gets any worse.
How To Recover From Mental Exhaustion
If you have become very well aware that you have mental exhaustion, no need to worry.
There are some basic things that you can do to relax your mind and get out of this dark hole.
Here are some of the lifestyle changes that can help you with mental exhaustion:
1. Identify And Remove The Biggest Stressors In Your Life
Though it might not be possible to remove all the stressors, it is a great way of dealing with stress.
For instance, if you are overwhelmed with your never-ending responsibilities, you can ask others to help you by sharing some of the work.
If you are a caregiver, you can seek professional services like babysitting, cleaning, and running errands.
If you feel like you just need to organize your time better, a planner will always come in handy.
It’s not a shame to need and ask for help.
P.S.
If you have a mental disability or special needs and you are a participant of NDIS or the same programs, check with your plan manager if they will be covered by your NDIS funds.
2. Slow Down
Sometimes mental exhaustion happens because of the constant effort we are putting into something.
You might be getting on with your job for the last two years without any vacation… Or maybe you’ve been a stay-at-home mommy with a little ball of energy who loves to wreck everything around.
This is quite overwhelming, so you must plan new things for yourself.
Take a break, have a long vacation, clear up your schedule for a few days, and spend some time recharging your batteries.
I know, it might feel impossible to find time or resources to do something like this, but your body needs a break and I’m sure there are ways to give it what it wants.
To recover from mental exhaustion faster, you must do the things that you like the most.
3. Stay Active
It might be hard to stay motivated and exercise daily, but with its proven benefits, you know you will get marvelous results.
You don’t need to go for heavy machine exercise, just do some moderate exercises like walking and you will see how much better you will feel.
Exercise lowers stress levels, keeps the immune system stronger, improves your mood, and even reduces anxiety!
4. Journal Your Stress Out
Many negative and exhausting thoughts can overflow your mind, especially when you are facing mental exhaustion.
Keep those thoughts aside by keeping a simple thought journal. You can use it to spill out all that’s boiling up inside, or you can write the good things that are happening to you, maybe the things you feel grateful for and similar positive stuff.
Do it daily and you will soon notice the change in the pattern of your thoughts.
5. Sleep It Off
To remain emotionally active and healthy, sleep is a necessary element.
You must aim to get eight hours of sleep.
Make it possible by avoiding too much time in bed during the day, sticking to a bedtime routine, avoiding digital gadgets during the night, and reading something soothing before you go to sleep.
Sleep is a perfect way for your body to recover so get as much of it as you can!
Mental exhaustion is treatable, but if it gets unnoticed for a longer period, it might feel like you don’t have the power to do anything… I hope you will use these simple techniques to help yourself see a big change in the way you feel every day.
P.S.
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