Introduction
Because mental fatigue does not produce the same physical symptoms as fatigue, mental fatigue is often ignored. It is not unusual for someone whose brain is exhausted from work to push through their daily tasks while they believe they are simply going through normal levels of stress; however, mental fatigue can be far more damaging than physical fatigue due to its impact on various aspects of human behavior (i.e., decision-making, attention, mood) and overall mental health.
When individuals experience long periods of mental exhaustion, they may develop anxiety, burnout, difficulty sleeping, and decreased productivity.
By gaining a better understanding of the damaging effects of mental fatigue as compared to the effects of physical fatigue, individuals can better identify early warning signs of mental fatigue and thus be better able to care for their mental health.
Mental vs Physical Fatigue
Mental fatigue is more dangerous than physical fatigue because it affects the ability to carry out core cognitive functions (focus, decision-making, and emotional regulation) and makes mistakes, which can result in less safe working environments and decreased productivity.
Mental fatigue is often due to chronic stress and/or mental health conditions, while physical fatigue can typically be cured through sleep or rest. However, continued mental fatigue can lead to physical manifestations, including burnout and serious physical illness.
In addition, mental fatigue impacts neurotransmitter balance in the brain, particularly with regard to glutamate, which is an important neurotransmitter for higher-level thinking; meanwhile, most cases of physical fatigue are related to depleted muscular energy stores, making mental fatigue more difficult to assess and treat.
Causes of Mental Burnout
Mental burnout is caused by an unrelenting stress level over an extended period without enough time for relaxation and recovery. One of the biggest issues contributing to mental burnout in society today is working long hours with no time for breaks or vacation days. The use of technology such as cell phones, computers, etc., for an extended period (screen time), in addition to doing more than one thing at the same time (multitasking) and receiving notifications on our phones constantly, causes excessive use of our mental faculties.
Creating an environment where we feel pressured to do high-quality work, complete projects before deadlines, and be held accountable for achieving our goals creates a feeling of being stuck and extremely tired. The lack of sleep also plays an important role in causing mental burnout, as sleep deprivation affects how the brain processes information when awake.
In conjunction with mental burnout, many individuals face various emotional stresses related to their personal lives (e.g., relationship issues, financial concerns) that contribute to the development of mental burnout. Mental burnout builds slowly over time as individuals continue to push their limits while ignoring their emotions.
A lack of balance between work and home life contributes significantly to the development of mental burnout because no time is available for relaxing the mind. In addition to all these causes, the lack of physical activity, poor diet habits, and minimal social interaction create an additional burden on a person, which eventually results in mental burnout.
Mental burnout develops suddenly, making it difficult to detect until motivation, focus, and emotional control are adversely affected. By recognizing some of the causes of mental burnout, individuals will be more aware of their surroundings and thus avoid experiencing significant mental and emotional health challenges in the future.
Symptoms to Notice
Several symptoms act as indicators of mental burnout, and patients experiencing burnout exhibit mood changes, cognitive failures, physical tiredness, apathy to their work, frequent mistakes due to lack of ability to concentrate and plan their efforts correctly, and increasing social withdrawal.
Work productivity declines as well as developing an increased tendency for negative and self-critical thoughts. In general, the onset of these symptoms will occur gradually but will continue to develop unless treated, as untreated mental burnout will develop into more severe mental illnesses such as depression or anxiety disorders if not treated.
Therefore, it is vital to identify and recognize the early onset of these symptoms for patients to take corrective action before mental burnout can worsen and put them at risk for developing other mental health issues.
Daily Recovery Habits
To prevent burnout and recover and renew our energy mentally on a daily basis, we need to establish recovery habits. The first recovery habit that will support us is ensuring we get quality sleep.
Without this, our brain cannot recover and perform effectively, as it needs proper rest to operate at peak capacity. We can also reduce mental fatigue, improve our ability to focus, and help prevent burnout by taking short breaks throughout the day while working or studying. Limiting our time spent using screens before going to bed will allow our brains time to relax and reset before going to bed, which is another way to establish recovery habits.
Engaging in simple stretches, taking deep breaths, and spending time walking will also ease mental stress and increase a person’s overall ability to perform. Following a healthy routine by eating balanced meals and drinking sufficient water will also facilitate recovery for the mind.
Taking a few minutes each day to engage in relaxation activities (listening to music, reading, or meditating) provides the mind with the ability to energize itself. Establishing boundaries between work and home life prevents overthinking/concern about work and the resulting emotional overload. In addition, having social interactions with others (even brief conversations) will cheer up a person and make them feel less alone.
Being physically active (light exercising, walking, or any other moderate activity) increases blood flow to the brain, which provides greater mental clarity. Practicing Gratitude and Positive Thinking Is Another Way to Decrease Stress. All of these daily recovery habits are beneficial for protecting our mental health and producing balance emotionally. Establishing these recovery habits will help us prevent long-term mental fatigue.
Brain Rest Techniques
Techniques for resting the brain can reduce fatigue. These techniques may also provide an opportunity for recovery from continuous stress and overthinking. Taking time out of your day to perform a short mental rest break is an example of effective brain rest techniques.
For example, throughout the day, you should take at least several minutes to step away from your computer, the tasks of your job, and any responsibilities, if possible. Performing deep breathing exercises will not only stimulate the nervous system but will also slow down racing thoughts and relieve some of your mental tension. Mindfulness and meditation will allow your brain to concentrate on the present moment and recover from constant worries.
Reducing your screen time, especially with regard to checking your email, Facebook, and any social media notifications, can help you to avoid overwhelming your brain and enable you to concentrate better. Creating a space where you can spend some time alone, without any distractions, will help your brain to reset and enable it to process thoughts naturally. Listening to relaxing music and reading books are two additional examples of how you can relax your brain.
The most important brain rest technique that you can implement is getting a good night’s sleep; good sleep gives your brain the time to repair itself, organize and store your memories, and restore energy. Light physical exercise, such as walking and stretching, can help to send blood flow to the brain and help to repair it. Writing down your thoughts on paper and/or recording your thoughts on a voice recording device can help to free your mind of pressures you are experiencing mentally.
Conclusion
To sum up, mental fatigue is typically viewed as being more hazardous than physical fatigue since it has an impact on all aspects of life, including thought processes, emotions, and overall day-to-day performance, often without any obvious indicators or warning signs.
The effects of mental fatigue will not begin to resolve themselves like that of physical fatigue (by resting) and can continue to develop once left unnoticed. Over the long term, mental fatigue can lead to several issues, including burnout, generalized anxiety, sleep deprivation, and poor quality of life. Being aware of causes and symptoms associated with mental burnout will enable an individual to recognize the concern in the early stages and take appropriate action. By implementing daily habits that support recovery of the brain and/or rest of the brain, the individual will begin to notice improvements in their ability to focus and remain emotionally stable.
Although it may appear simple—taking breaks from work, limiting screen time, sleeping enough, and managing stress—each of these steps combined will result in significant differences in the mental state of the individual. Mental health should be viewed with the same priority as physical health, as they are intertwined.
When individuals remain oblivious to mental fatigue, it has the potential to negatively influence both their work performance and their relationships and general happiness. By listening to the alerts/indicators the mind is sending out and caring for their mind on a daily basis, individuals can avoid burnout and continue to develop prolonged mental strength. Resting the mind is not a sign of weakness but rather an essential part of achieving a balanced, healthier way of living.
