Mental exhaustion (or mental fatigue) commonly occurs following an intense period of stress, productivity or cognitively demanding activities. In the same way that your body needs recovery time after physical exertion, your brain can also benefit from rest after intense mental strain. Mental exhaustion is a natural stress response and it is important to recognise the signs and allow yourself to prioritise time to recover.
What causes mental exhaustion?
In the modern world, our brains are constantly stimulated by challenging workloads, busy personal lives and notifications from our mobile devices. There are many ways we might reach mental fatigue, and it usually stems from a combination of factors. Here are some of the most common causes of mental exhaustion:
Stress: Chronic stress is the leading cause of mental exhaustion. Whether from family issues, financial concerns or work pressures. A restless mind, when responsive to stress triggers, will often lead to intense mental fatigue or even burnout.
A heavy workload: Intense periods of work or study with few or no breaks can often lead to feeling mentally fatigued and "brain dead."
Changes in your personal life: Relationship issues, fractious family dynamics or big life changes may be a catalyst for mental fatigue.
Information overload: Being constantly bombarded with information, especially in our digital age, can overwhelm the brain’s capacity to process information effectively, leading to mental exhaustion.
Mental health issues: If you are already dealing with a mental health diagnosis such as depression, anxiety or a neurodevelopmental condition such as ADHD, various triggers can more easily lead to mental exhaustion.
Feeling unsupported: A lack of a support system or feeling of isolation can be overwhelming, perpetuating negative thought cycles and affecting mental wellbeing.
Emotional trauma: Emotional exhaustion is closely linked to mental exhaustion, and whilst brought on by different causes can often result in mental fatigue too.
How long does it take to recover from mental exhaustion?
There is no universal blueprint for overcoming mental exhaustion, and every person’s recovery time will differ depending on the cause and severity. Since mental exhaustion is a unique experience for each individual and everyone has different capacities and triggers for different types of stressors, it is difficult to establish a specific timeline for recovery.
It is important to identify the causes of your mental fatigue and address them by making changes such as finding time to rest and recharge, prioritising physical health, eating well, maintaining a good work-life balance (read our tips for addressing workplace stress) - and potentially trying some relaxation techniques such as mindfulness. If you’ve already tried these recovery tips and still find it difficult to recharge, you may want to consider seeking help from your GP or clinician. Seeking mental health support can help by identifying the triggers and providing guides and frameworks on how to address and tackle the causes of mental exhaustion.
The duration of mental exhaustion varies and can be influenced by people’s bandwidth for stressors and adaptability to lifestyle changes. Some people may be able to experience relief within a few days or weeks if they are only experiencing mild exhaustion and can make effective changes to their routine and workload. On the other hand, others may feel the effects of mental exhaustion for months or years, and it can often take a long time to recognise and assess the underlying problem.
What are the signs of mental exhaustion?
There are many signs of mental exhaustion and they can vary in frequency and severity. Some of the common symptoms are:
Insomnia or bad sleeping habits
Feeling overwhelmed
Lack of motivation
Feelings of detachment or cynicism
Irritability or behaviour changes
Persistent low mood level or feelings of depression
A sense of dread
Difficulty concentrating
Self–doubt and critical thoughts
Procrastination
Difficulty making decisions
Mental exhaustion can also cause physical symptoms such as headaches, a change in appetite, muscle pain or bodily discomfort.
Whilst the symptoms of mental exhaustion are numerous and diverse, making it challenging to recognise, individuals experiencing two or more of the listed symptoms should consider the possibility that they might be in need of intervention.
What's the difference between mental and emotional exhaustion?
While often used interchangeably, mental and emotional exhaustion are two very closely related experiences with distinct differences. Emotional exhaustion is caused directly by emotional stress or strain and is related to your feelings, specifically to the ability to identify, process and express emotions. This might be commonly linked to navigating feelings of grief, sadness, anger or anxiety.
Mental exhaustion, in comparison, relates to cognitive overload and depletion, affecting thinking, memory, decision-making and problem-solving (Healthline). It is important to make the distinction between mental and emotional exhaustion as it may impact the best management plan.
Although mental exhaustion may feel overwhelming at times, your brain is a resilient and regenerative organ that will respond to the effort you put in to address the problem. Maintaining good mental health is an ongoing journey for everyone, and progress is rarely linear. Ultimately, improving your mental health and wellbeing is dependent on commitment, staying continually aware, making adjustments as needed and knowing when and how to seek help.