What is mental fatigue and how to combat it

Surely at some point during a difficult situation maintained over time you have come to feel that you could not take it anymore. You have even been able to feel that physically you did not have more energy either. It has also happened to you that during psychological therapy there has come a point where you do not find the motivation or the strength to continue changing parts of yourself. It is a feeling of not having enough mental resources to deal with a situation. This is known as mental or emotional fatigue.

In today's article on Psychology-Online, we will see what is mental fatigue and how to combat it. We tell you the different symptoms that mental fatigue or fatigue presents, how you can combat it if at In the end you discover that this is what is happening to you and also ways to prevent it so that you do not occur.

Index

1. Symptoms of mental exhaustion
2. How to combat mental fatigue?
3. How to avoid mental fatigue?

What is mental fatigue? Mental fatigue in psychology is defined as the feeling of exhaustion due to symptoms related to anxiety, overwork or stress, among others. The symptoms of mental fatigue are the following:

• Attention problems: They are often accompanied by difficulty concentrating. They are manifested by the lack of strength to undertake a task that requires concentration. In this article, we tell you what they are attention disorders in adults.
• Fatigue: one of the symptoms of mental fatigue is that you have very little energy and drowsiness.
• Physical symptoms: mental fatigue is often accompanied by physical symptoms. Thus, the symptoms of mental and physical fatigue can be stinging eyes, headaches, dizziness or stomach problems such as diarrhea or gas. In the worst cases, paresthesia may appear, that is, numbness of the extremities.
• Irritable emotional state: at a general level you have an irritable emotional state and it is usual to get upset about small things.
• Feeling of apathy: the apathy it carries little motivation to do things that were once exciting, even hanging out with friends or pursuing a hobby.
• Labor problems: Lack of performance causes labor problems. Discover how to calm yourself when faced with a problem.
• Saturation: Another of the symptoms of mental fatigue is the feeling of saturation in the face of problems.

If you are wondering how to combat mental fatigue, here are several tips to end the symptoms of mental fatigue:

• Practice physical exercise: several studies have shown that daily exercise helps emotional well-being, since it releases endorphins. In addition, although it seems paradoxical, it makes you feel more energetic so it is ideal to combat the apathy derived from mental and physical fatigue.
• Do leisure activities: Even if you don't feel like doing anything now, it is important that you force yourself to practice those activities that you previously enjoyed. Read, go out with friends, go for a walk, etc. At first you will not enjoy it as before, but with perseverance you will feel what you felt before.
• Perform relaxations: to combat mental and emotional fatigue it is important to calm your stress level by doing relaxations. There are many applications and videos on the internet about relaxation or guided meditations that will help you stay in the present moment and calm your mind, without it constantly jumping to your worries. In this article, we tell you how to fight stress.
• Get better organized: one of the reasons for emotional fatigue is due to work and task saturation. To combat mental fatigue due to anxiety, organize your day, make schedules, so that they can help you have a less chaotic day. Also, if you feel apathy, setting schedules for activities that you gradually reinstate in your routine can be very useful for apathy. Discover How to be proactive at work.
• Disconnect: maybe you need a few days of disconnection. Not only at work, but also disconnection from the environment that causes you stress. Maybe your partner is going through a bad time and supporting him is what has made you fatigue, so that going on a trip for a few days with some friends may be the solution to reset you and come back with more force. In this article, we tell you how learn to take care of yourself.

Now you know what mental fatigue is and how to combat it. In addition to applying the solutions that we have seen in the previous section as a way to prevent emotional exhaustion, there are more ways to prevent it. Here's how to avoid mental fatigue:

• Good sleep habits: resting well is essential to have the necessary energy for day to day. In addition, it is important to have regular sleep schedules and facilitate rest with a room with a good temperature, dark and free from noise.
• Good nutrition: one of the causes of mental and physical fatigue can be the lack of nutrients. Thus, one way to prevent it is to eat foods for mental fatigue and, in this way, provide the brain with everything it needs to function properly. In this article, you will find foods to combat anxiety.
• Have moments for yourself: If you wonder how to remove mental fatigue in your daily routine, try to have moments of personal and emotional self-care. Taking a bath or reading a book are examples of ways to relax and avoid stress, so doing it daily will help prevent emotional fatigue in the long run. You can also make sure that this moment is a time of mental hygiene, in which you practice some relaxation or meditation that helps you reset yourself every day.
• Breaks from work: Another remedy for mental fatigue, if your source of stress is work, is to apply breaks from time to time in your work routine. Five to 10 minutes of rest may be enough to help you be more productive.
• Don't take things personally: avoid taking everything to yourself. Don't take your work home with you and don't take other people's problems with you. Enjoy and focus on yourself in the moments when you can get out of that stressful environment and do not allow those sources of stress to haunt you all day. That is, separate the environments and separate your feelings from those of others. In this article, we tell you how to reduce stress.

This article is merely informative, in Psychology-Online we do not have the power to make a diagnosis or recommend a treatment. We invite you to go to a psychologist to treat your particular case.

If you want to read more articles similar to What is mental fatigue and how to combat it, we recommend that you enter our category of Personal growth and self-help.

• Gittleman, A. (2008). How to beat chronic tiredness. Madrid: Books4pocket.
• Irala, N. (1962). Fatigue-free efficiency in mental work. Barcelona: Paulinas Editions.