Signs of Mental Exhaustion

The morning alarm sounds, and your first thought is, “There is no way it can already be morning.” You feel like you just turned out the lights, and now it’s time to get up and start the day. Feeling like you did not get enough sleep or dreading to get out of bed could be a sign of mental exhaustion. This can stem from a demanding job, being a caregiver for a sick family member, or a lack of self-care.

Regardless of why you are experiencing mental exhaustion, it is real. Mental fatigue can feel like it is consuming you, and there is no way to escape. This could be because the mind controls many aspects of life. It controls how our bodies work and how we react emotionally to physical situations. The mind is responsible for the processes needed to accomplish our daily activities.

Mental exhaustion is the overwhelming feeling of being tired and is often displayed through irritability and contemptuous attitudes. Mental exhaustion happens when excessive stress affects your mind.

Long-term stress creates a mindset that leads to difficulty in focusing. God did not create us to live in a constant state of stress. Our bodies need rest to function properly in day-to-day tasks. This includes resting our minds from stress.

In peace I will both lie down and sleep, For You alone, LORD, have me dwell in safety. – Psalm 4:8, NASB

What is causing me to be mentally exhausted?

Daily stress and anxiety are typical at a small level. There are events that we experience daily that can qualify as stressors. But if we are experiencing this over a long period, then we are prone to chronic stress, which can lead to mental exhaustion.

The sources of mental exhaustion can vary from person to person. While some may find it easy to deal with certain situations, others may find the exact situation overwhelming. The factors that cause mental exhaustion can reflect the person’s ability to manage stress daily.

Some of the more significant influences of mental exhaustion are:

Life changes. A new addition to the family, a job change, or starting a new level of academics.

Financial issues. Money problems can create tension and a survival mentality because it is a necessity of living. Staying in this mentality for an extended period can cause excessive stress and worry.

Pre-existing mental health issues. The additional effort required to maintain a healthy lifestyle when you already struggle with mental health can become tiresome over time and produce fatigue mentally and emotionally.

A lack of time. Being crunched for time makes it hard to meet your daily obligations adequately.

Grief. This is one of the most common reasons a person will become mentally exhausted. No matter the cause, processing a loss requires emotional energy that can be depleted quickly over time.

Caregiving. Caring for others requires a tremendous amount of physical energy. When you are not getting proper rest, you will become mentally exhausted.

These are a few of the more common factors. Depending on the person, family life, work habits, and other environmental situations, these factors may or may not cause mental exhaustion.

Signs of Mental Exhaustion

What may initially seem like a normal feeling of being tired can become exhaustion. Our minds are not meant to be active twenty-four hours a day. Like our body, our mind needs rest between our busy activities.

These are the most common signs of mental exhaustion:
Physical Signs
Some of the aches and pains you feel can be related to mental exhaustion.

Headaches. This is a common symptom for a person experiencing stress or anxiety related to mental exhaustion.

Body Aches. A somatic response to the tension of stress.

Sleeping issues/insomnia. Mental fatigue will lead to sleep issues, leading to anxiety or depression.

Physical fatigue. Being mentally tired can make a person feel exhausted physically because of the battle to maneuver through the day.

Lethargy/drowsiness. This is related to the lack of sleep and proper rest.

Digestion issues. Not having a healthy diet can lead to digestive problems.

Poor eating habits. The lack of motivation to maintain a healthy lifestyle leads to a diet of poor nutrition.

Engaging in drug use. The need to feel numb to the stress and find relief can lead to engagement in drug use.
Mental Signs
Those thoughts of feeling hopeless and only seeing the negative side of life are likely to be the results of mental exhaustion.

Lack of mental clarity. The inability to focus leads to a clouded vision of what needs to be done.

Wandering thought process. A side result of inability to focus.

Zoning out. This reflects the lack of interest in the task.

Cynical mindset. Being mentally exhausted creates a tiresome attitude, and that will reflect the cynicism related to positive thinking.

Memory issues. When a mind is exhausted, it will be hard to recall various types of information.

Feelings of sadness. When people feel overwhelmed because they are tired, they may feel sad or hopeless.

Excessive worry. Worry creates more worry. Mental exhaustion will lead to increased worry about not feeling well.
Emotional Signs
Mental exhaustion can create a vulnerability to emotional distress. These unpleasant feelings about life can lead to difficulty processing emotions in a healthy manner.

Feeling overwhelmed. Being tired can create a sense of feeling overwhelmed at not getting things accomplished.

Feeling on edge. Being overwhelmed to the point of anxiousness or nervousness.

Unmotivated. Mental exhaustion can create a sense of being unmotivated to accomplish simple daily tasks.

Hopelessness and helplessness. When there is a lack of positive motivation, a person can become hopeless and feel helpless.

Depression. This can be a result of long periods of feeling hopeless and unmotivated.
Behavioral Signs
When your mental processes begin to lack, it can cause illogical reactions. When unhealthy and unhelpful behaviors arise, it could be a sign that you are mentally exhausted.

Withdrawing from people. Being tired mentally removes the excitement of engaging in entertaining events with friends and family.

Disinterest in life. Mental fatigue can cause a person to lose a desire to engage in activities such as family outings, work projects, or school events.

Calling off work. This is connected to the intolerance of others and a lack of desire to be productive.

Avoidance. Being mentally tired often creates a sense of avoidance.

No longer setting goals. When a person is tired mentally or emotionally, they often lose the initiative to set goals because they lose focus or drive.

Intolerance of others. Mental exhaustion leads to a low tolerance for interaction. This can affect work and home relationships.

Unable to complete daily work tasks. The lack of concentration accompanying mental exhaustion may cause you to be easily distracted.

Indecisiveness. Mental exhaustion can make it challenging to make decisions due to a lack of focus on what needs to be done.

Anger. Being mentally tired can cause a person to become easily irritated or angered over small things.

Each of these categories has other signs that may indicate mental fatigue. It is important to be able to identify these signs and make the proper changes to ensure that you are getting rest.

Next Steps

We all experience mental fatigue on occasion. The problem arises when we are under stress for an extended period and become so exhausted mentally that we cannot function on a day-to-day basis.

If you would like more information about mental exhaustion and how to overcome its effects, contact our office today and schedule an assessment with a Christian counselor. The right help can get you on the path to reducing stress and finding a rest pattern that will cultivate healthy mental conditions.