If you’ve been feeling overwhelmed with too much to do and not enough time or energy to do it, you might be suffering from mental fatigue. While everyone feels this way from time to time, it’s the first step on the way to total burnout and more serious symptoms.
Here are eight indications you need to help your mind recover from mental fatigue.
1. Drowsiness/Insomnia
Stress messes with your sleep cycle, so one of the first symptoms you’ll likely notice is a change in those patterns. This may make you more prone to sleep, or it may make you incapable of it. If you’re really unlucky, it’ll do both, and you’ll be drowsy all day and up all night. Sleep is an important factor of both physical and mental health, and problems with your circadian rhythm are a warning that other things are going to go wrong (or already have).
2. Memory Issues
Memory issues can be a result of insomnia; the brain can’t retain information as effectively when it hasn’t had enough sleep. The inability to retain or recall information is evidence that your brain isn’t firing on all cylinders. So if you find that you have to keep everything written down, even minor things, in order to keep from forgetting them, you may have a problem with mental fatigue.
3. Mental Fog
Just like your computer slows down when too many browser tabs are open, your brain also struggles to keep up when too many things are going on. Even if you’re trying to focus on a single task at a time, background stressors may be gumming up the works. When stress levels increase, your brain sometimes hits the brakes, making it hard to think and process basic skills that you otherwise would have no problem thinking through.
4. Confusion
If you’re easily confused, struggle to deal with sensory input, have difficulty concentrating, or you often have to ask people to repeat themselves, that’s another indication something’s amiss. In addition to processing difficulties, your brain may not be prepared to accept new information, which could be part of the reason you’re not remembering some details.
5. Lack of Motivation
The dreaded mental ball and chain. Often associated with anxiety and depression, a lack of energy and motivation is a serious problem for anyone who wants to stay productive. If you have to fight even to make it to the couch to watch Netflix, let alone put pants on and go to work, you’ve got some mental fatigue that you need to do something about.
6. Emotional Sensitivity
You may notice an increase in anxiety, irritability, anger, sadness, and other negative emotions. If you experience mood swings, struggle to be happy, and people have to walk on eggshells around you, then your brain isn’t behaving the way it should.
7. Stress Eating/Loss of Appetite
Like sleep, eating can be affected by stress in strange ways. You may find your lack of motivation extends to eating, and you have neither the energy to cook food, nor to eat it. Or, conversely, you may find that you reach more often for comfort food, and in increased portions. Frequent fast food trips and daily junk food runs are far from healthy, and their presence in your diet indicates the brain is not coping well with the stress it’s being asked to tackle.
8. Psychosomatic Symptoms
Because the brain is attached to the body, there are bound to be some ripple effects when it comes to mental fatigue. When mental problems and stress create physical pains and discomfort, we call this a psychosomatic symptom, and it happens more often than you might think. The list of possible symptoms is pretty long, too.
Headaches are obvious examples, but stress hormones in the body shut down the digestive system, too. Stomach pains, diarrhea, constipation, and nausea are all side effects. A stressed mind also means the body will be slow to recover from injuries and disease. Restlessness, teeth grinding, high blood pressure, elevated heart rate, shortness of breath, fainting, and dizziness are all on the list, too.
If your brain and your body are acting out of line, it’s probably time to consult with a physician.
Boosting Your Bamboozled Brain
While these 8 symptoms might seem daunting, it’s possible to ease mental fatigue and avoid burnout. The first things your doctor is likely to recommend are:
- Getting adequate rest
- Giving yourself plenty of downtime
- Improving your diet
- Exercising regularly
The brain is the command center of your body — and your health. A healthy, happy brain benefits virtually every area of the body. That’s why it’s so important the brain receives the nutrition it needs. MicroLife Neuro from Vasayo — featuring proprietary liposomal delivery technology — delivers brain-boosting nutrients that your body requires to support clarity, memory, and cognitive function.*
Taking care of yourself, especially your brain, is key to living a happy life. And equipped with the right tools, you can keep yourself running at peak performance.
The content herein is provided for general information purposes only. Thus it should not be used to substitute any medical advice from a health professional. It should also not substitute any diagnosis or treatment. Persons with health concerns or who are taking medications should consult with their healthcare provider prior to using Vasayo products. Vasayo products are not intended for persons under 18, or pregnant or nursing women.
* These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Vasayo products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
