Mental fatigue: what are the telltale symptoms?

“Mental fatigue is described when the person is no longer capable of successfully reasoning or habitual thoughts. These, which until then were simple and fluid, then take time, or even become impossible, with an impression offorgetting obvious thingsand no longer have enough energy to think about it”, defines Céline Dahan, clinical psychologist. Several signs are characteristic:

1. Difficulty carrying out simple thoughts;
2. Forgetting simple things;
3. Make mistakes ;
4. No longer feeling like you can manage emotionally and relationally certain things that you could manage before;
5. Mental hyperactivity and exhaustion which can have a physical impact:
6. No longer eat properly, or on the contrary, eat in large quantities;
7. Sleep: some people sleep a lot while others are impacted in their ability to rest and therefore sleep poorly;
8. Pain : “The body manifests the need to rest even if there is no physical reason. Psychological exhaustion can therefore manifest itself through stomach or respiratory pain like when the diaphragm is blocked.”

To note that “mental fatigue can be one of the symptoms of depression. There may be a exhaustion linked to anxious ruminationsespecially when we think about things when a priori we cannot do more than what we have already done”.

Altruistic and humanistic people at greater risk of mental fatigue

Physical or psychological exhaustion can occur when the person has too many things to do or think. If physically it is possible to know one’s limits, psychologically, it is more difficult to know how far one can go before being in pain. People who have altruistic, humanistic values, who are regularly solicited by those around them or who are organized to the limits of what they can psychologically support, are more at risk of experiencing psychological exhaustion. The fact of seek solutions or answers to problems that do not depend on oneself may cause additional risks: “In addition to becoming exhausted, you can lower your self-esteem and self-confidence.”

Techniques to regain energy

According to Céline Dahan, it is essential to recover energy and find techniques that allow you to go and rest. There walkTHE yogathere meditation or hypnosis are all means of recovering energy and fully encouraging to breathe, sleep and eat.

Learn to implement exercises to take mental breaks several times during the day by making herbal tea, going outside is very important. L’work stopping or the put to rest help to put an end to this negative process and initiate energy recovery. Finally, it is essential to reinstall protective markers so that this does not happen again: “What caused this excitement? If I have too much to think about, what can I delegate? I must recognize all the toxic systems that put me in danger.” The idea is to recover so that you can be focused again and have the satisfaction from solving problems.

Thanks to Céline Dahan, clinical psychologist.