6 ways to Prevent mental fatigue

Lately, I’ve been wrestling with fatigue, irritability, and mental blocks. Making even the most simplest task seem impossible to complete. Today, I want to share 6 ways to prevent mental fatigue.

Mental Fatigue (exhaustion) involves prolong periods of doing work (without rest) which takes a lot of mental energy.

Mental Fatigue can cause physical and emotional symptoms:

• difficulty concentrating
• anger
• feeling distracted or on edge
• headaches
• physically fatigue
• irritability with other people
• social withdrawal or isolation
• loss of interest in certain activities
• sleep problems

If left unchecked, mental fatigue can affect your wellbeing and spill over into other areas in your life, interactions with family and friends.

If you think you may be experiencing mental fatigue, here are some tips to help you combat it.

Sleep

Get enough quality sleep to protect your mental and physical health. While you sleep, your body works to support healthy brain function and maintain your physical health. Sleep helps enhance your learning, creativity, and problem-solving skills. If we are not giving our body adequate rest, over time it can lead to harmful health conditions later on. Establish a nighttime routine to give yourself time to rest. Reduce scrolling on the phone for hours or burning the midnight oil. Make time to unwind by reading a book, listening to soft music, diffuse essential oils, or take a warm bath. Take a slow approach to create a healthy night routine. Sleep is the healing medicine for the mind, body, and soul.

Relaxation Techniques

I am guilty of working overtime. I will work straight through my lunch break. Over time, it will lead to feeling burnout. It can have an adverse affect on your ability to function. Reconsider taking that lunch break. Try to log off and find a quiet space. Relaxation techniques help your body relax, lower your blood pressure and heart rate. Meditation is a great technique to bring awareness to calm the body and silence the racing thoughts. Take several deep breaths and get some fresh air. While on lunch break, sit in your car, listen to nature or soft music. Sometimes I would fall asleep listening to ABIDE app, their voice is so soothing. A short nap (20-30 minutes) helps to relieve tension, improves mood, and increase motivation.

Remove Stressors

Work can be demanding. When you expend too much mental energy on completing projects, task, and assignments, your brain experiences over-activity. We pride ourselves over our laser-focus ability, spending long hours, and depriving ourselves of sleep. If taken to the extreme, it can become a liability. It may not be always easy to eliminate stressors within the environment, but we can at least try. Consider asking others for help or delegate some of the responsibilities to others. I find a planner or to do list helps minimize stress and anxiety. Create a weekly list (no more than 15 items). Then, select 3-4 items from the weekly list to accomplish daily. Focus on your accomplishments, whether big or small. You are doing great!

Exercise

Exercise has many proven benefits for your physical and emotional health. Moderate exercise, such as a brisk walk or stretches are beneficial. Yoga provides clarity, release muscle tension, and improves air circulation. You don’t need to be flexible or advance, all levels are welcome. Slow down the mind and body, with a simple flow. A good cardio session (or class) will definitely help to relieve stress and anxiety. Benefits of exercise include:

• Improve mood
• Improve your memory and brain function
• Protect against many chronic diseases.
• Lower blood pressure and improve heart health.
• Improve your quality of sleep.
• Reduce feelings of anxiety and depression.
• Improve joint pain, stiffness, reduce muscle tension.

Rest Your Eyes

Staring at a computer for long hours while you work causes eye fatigue, which can negatively affect your ability to focus. Every once in a while, look away from your computer screen, ipad, or phone. I recommend every hour, take 10-20 minutes to give your eyes some rest. Try to focus on distant objects or stare out the window. Lower the brightness of your monitor, try Blue Light Blocking Glasses to protect your eyes from the light of the screen. This will help reduce the strain on your eyes and minimize headaches.

Eat well

It’s important to feed the body and mind with the proper nutrition. Food play a major role in the way we function daily. Foods can even affect our mood and behavior. Try eating more fruits and vegetables, or combine both with smoothies. Reduce cups of coffee and choose tea, try meal preps for lunch or plan a weeks list of meals, etc. Drink lots of water, infuse with fruits. Make small changes your body will love. You’ll start to feel better and look amazing.

It is important for all of us to be aware of our mental health. Take care of yourself and rest when your think tank is empty. I hope these tips were helpful.

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