Have you ever observed how a mental fog might reveal a whole other personality? It reminds me of the Snickers advertisement that ends with the statement, “You’re not you when you’re hungry.” We have a finite quantity of mental endurance, just as we have a certain amount of physical energy. Most individuals give some thought to time management, but they give less thought to our mental energy, which is an even more limited resource. The brain consumes a staggering 20% of the energy we all have each day in order to function. Consider your mind as a set of batteries. The battery pack is fully charged when your mind is vibrant and full of energy. But your battery needs to be charged when you become fatigued, unable to concentrate, and quick to react. I’ll discuss the symptoms of mental weariness in this article, along with some strategies for preventing it.
Signs of Mental Fatigue
The first two symptoms of mental exhaustion are more overt: feeling tired or unfocused naturally makes us aware that we are mentally exhausted. The third, and possibly more important issue, however, frequently goes unrecognized as a crucial indicator of depleted mental toughness. The prefrontal cortex (PFC) of the brain effectively shuts down when it runs out of energy. When necessary, the PFC, a more recently formed, reasoning portion of the brain, takes precedence over your emotional inclinations. Thus it is very likely that your PFC isn’t working properly if you have found that you succumb to cravings easily, snap at a friend or loved one, or honk in traffic.
Five Treatments for Mental Tiredness
Neurotransmitters like dopamine and serotonin, which help us feel intellectually alert, are among the so-called “happy chemicals” that each of us has a finite supply of. The drug user can’t always be high, so eventually their dopamine reserves run out and they crash badly. Drugs are synthetic energy-producing substances that can give users short bursts of vigor before crashing.
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You may have encountered the sugar rush, caffeine rush, or alcoholic buzz that eventually fades into a mentally exhausted state. For instance, caffeine blocks the brain’s receptors for adenosine, a chemical that accumulates during the day and alerts you when you’re fatigued. This effectively masks your exhaustion until it wears off and you feel even more tired.
1. SLEEP
This one should go without saying because everyone is aware of how important sleep is for having an alert mind. But, few individuals are aware of how critical sleep is.
You may help your brain detoxify itself of dangerous poisons that accumulate throughout the day as a result of its activity by receiving an adequate amount and quality of sleep. Also, the brain is reorganizing memories and handling emotions in a way that enables you to function at your peak while you are awake.
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2. MOVEMENT
The idea that you would want to use energy by moving about in order to have more of it may seem counterintuitive. Yet, exercise is net energy positive because it prepares your body to produce more energy.
As you run, lift, jump, or dance, your brain loves to reward you by releasing bursts of adrenaline, endorphins, and other “happy chemicals.” Also, it raises the protein known as brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), which is in charge of sustaining and growing neurons. Though physical activity is essential for our species’ pleasure, just roughly 1 in 4 American adults engage in any form of exercise.
An evolutionary mismatch between physiology and environment can be used to explain our issues. We were bred to save energy since it was a finite resource. The current world makes it simple to avoid wasting energy, but the struggle for survival used to keep us in shape; ironically, we are burdened with forcing ourselves to go to the gym.
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3. NUTRITION
Diet is frequently discussed in relation to weight loss or physical health, just like exercise. Your mental health’s impact is less immediately apparent. You may have heard that your gut is home to your second brain. The enteric nervous system, or this “brain,” originated in the first vertebrates half a billion years ago and may have even given rise to the brain itself
The microbiome, gut, and brain axis, which connects 500 million neurons in your stomach to your brain, is deeply ingrained with the rest of your cerebral activities. A startling 95% of your serotonin and 50% of your dopamine are also produced by it. You’ll use about a quarter of the calories you consume to maintain that huge, pricey brain functioning at its best. Your choices for inputs can influence how you feel and think at any given time (thinking back to the diagram linking physiology-thoughts-emotions, food changes your chemical makeup on a physiological level, which influences your mind).
4. MEDITATION
Being motionless and meditating can train your mind and boost your natural energy levels. Your brain enters a peaceful theta state during meditation, which causes slower brainwaves and releases you from the “fight or flight” response.
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Meditation enables your mind to recover and sharpen in a culture that is defined by frequent schedules and stimuli.
5. ENVIRONMENT
Not only does how we utilize energy matter, but also how we interact with the outside world. Your environment consists of the people you deal with most frequently, the setting in which you live, and pretty much everything else you come into contact with during the course of the day. The saying “Where attention goes, energy flows, and life grows” has probably been repeated to you. Your attention shapes your mind (neuroplasticity) everywhere you are, and it also decides where you use energy.
Regrettably, most people’s attention is now focused on a variety of instant gratification activities, such as targeted advertisements, video games, pornography, social networking, and YouTube videos of children opening presents. They are focusing their energies there since that is the knowledge that is filling their minds and influencing their wants. Furthermore, it’s quite possible that they are sapping your vitality if you are interacting with people and engaging in activities that you dislike. On the other hand, being around happy and upbeat people might make you feel more energetic overall since their excitement for life contagious.
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