If you’ve been feeling stressed and inexplicably worn down lately, you may be mentally exhausted. Simply put, the brain isn’t meant to fire on all cylinders and handle extreme mental stimulation constantly without meaningful rest in between. Assar says to look out for some of these signals: Psychologist Carolyn Rubenstein, Ph.D., and Assar share some signs to look out for: If you’re mentally exhausted, you may begin to feel: Other behavioral signs include: There are many potential chronic causes of mental exhaustion but it includes pandemic anxiety, relentless work obligations, little to no work-life balance, financial worries, domestic responsibilities, dissatisfaction with one or several areas of your life, and major life events. On top of focusing on what you can control, it’s imperative to also center self-care in your life. Set aside mindful time whenever you can to cultivate stillness and breathe into the present moment. All of these micro-moments eventually add up. Mental exhaustion makes it hard to maintain healthy coping skills, but Assar says it’ll be a needed practice to take on so that symptoms don’t intensify and lead to burnout. If a loved one is experiencing mental exhaustion, she encourages being a reassuring presence for them. Let them know you’re there and that they can always reach out to you if they need someone to talk to. “You can also discuss the benefits of professional support and help to reduce the stigma that a person may have in relation to mental health treatment.”
