10 Signs that you are mentally exhausted

I am exhausted!!!!

When this word comes to our mind, we normally think about how our bodies are tired at the end of the day. But are we aware that our mind can be exhausted too?

I am pretty sure, there may be instances ,wherein you might feel trapped in any situation ; and the energy to overcome that situation may be out of your hands.

Life is indeed a crazy rollercoaster ride where, one minute you are high up and the next very moment, you are back down where you started.

This Mental exhaustion can happen to anyone and everyone who is facing long term or chronic stress. If stress continues to weigh on you, you might feel your problems and responsibilities impossible to overcome!!

What is mental exhaustion?

A tiredness kind of, but mental instead of your muscles. It shows up when you focus on a mentally difficult task for a period of time. This situation is also referred to as a Burn-out

Below mentioned are the signs that you are mentally exhausted.

If you find yourself experiencing them, then mental exhaustion is jacking you up and it might be a sign of a red flag.

1. Lack of motivation in life

You feel really low and lack confidence. You constantly have that intuition that something bad is going to happen.

You struggle to find motivation, though nothing can actually motivate you. This is especially seen at workplaces or at school where a work needs to be completed within a given period of time.

2. Anxiety attacks

When your mind is scrambled, and it seems like you have a bunch to do in a very small span of time, anxiety attacks do happen.

Even slight problems cause you to get anxious and tensed unnecessarily. These anxiety attacks become a part and parcel of life.

3. You get irritated very quickly

Slight to slightest of things can make you feel irritated and frustrated. You keep finding negativity all around you.

You face loss of temper too!! Furthermore, you may vomit off all that frustration on your near and dear ones who actually don’t deserve it.

4. Crying for no reason

You might find yourself weeping even on small and silly things. For example, getting a little late for work can bring you to a bout of hysterical crying and tears pouring all over your face.

And mental exhaustion further reduces your strength to cope up with those challenging situations.

Not only in person, but you might also find yourself crying miserably in front of your friends, colleagues, family or even strangers you meet.

5. Rest doesn’t help

Normal tiredness post office work or late-night partying can be remedied with decent and sound sleep for a few nights.

But the mental tiredness doesn’t get cured even if you sleep for 18 to 20 hours a day. You will still feel tired from the bottom of your pancreas.

Your energy levels have hit an all-time low and don’t seem to improve. This low energy level becomes your default setting by now which is never ending.

6. Occasional Nausea, feeling dizzy or Over eating

When mentally stressed and exhausted, there can be physical tiredness as well.

You can feel nauseated or dizzy if you are amongst those who carries loads of stress on your belly or you stop having regular meals.

On the other hand, you might also overeat as your body is prioritizing what it needs now to survive. All this indicates that you and your body actually need rest and it should be on your highest priority now.

7. Feeling of isolation and detachment

You have no feelings for anyone or anything anymore. You are not affected by anything, nor your feel bad or even good for anything.

You just become a body without a soul or emotion. I can also call it as “Depression”. A depressed person is not delighted for good things happening around also. You feel detached from the closest person to you even.

8. Lack of the so called “Good quality sleep”

Insomnia becomes an add-on to the things on the list further. Though you feel tired, sleeping doesn’t actually reduce the tiredness.

Instead, those thoughts keep racing at a top pace and you are unable to stop the chain of thoughts.

Some of the worries might intrude and knock you back into wakefulness, so you even can’t get the much-needed sound sleep or adequate rest.

9. You are always running late

Nothing seems to be important to you and so, being punctual or ready before time is unimportant for you now. You don’t even have quality time for yourself.

10. You are self-medicating

When tired and unwell, we often resort to short term fixes to try and numb the misery. We may Self-medicate in the form of Alcohol, drugs, overeating, Gambling or video games to squash the frustration.

However, when used in moderation, these activities may not raise flag or concern.

The final word

Cases of mental exhaustion and tiredness are more prevalent amongst women. From working in offices to working long hours as a home maker, mom or a wife can also make you exhausted mentally.

Like mental health disorders, mental exhaustion has very subtle symptoms. Many people experience them, but actually do not realise it.

They assume that they are just a little tired or sad but actually need a mindful break from day-to-day routine.

A trustworthy support, healthy eating, sleeping well or exercising can work wonders!!

Always remember that you deserve to live a happy life and not a life that feels depressing, boring or exhaustive

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Sneha Jain, Dietician

Sneha is a Post graduate with specialization in Nutrition and Dietetics. She is a university topper and holds 5+ years of experience in Apollo hospitals, VLCC, slimsutra and first cry fit-kids . She has successfully counselled clients all over India for weight loss, weight gain, diabetes, hypertension, PCOD, hypothyroid, Pregnancy and lactation and growth charts for children. She has her own diet consultation e-clinic (diet_diariez)

She believes in  customized diets and eating local and seasonal foods. Her counselling not only involves diet planning, but also lifestyle modification and stress relief strategies.