The year 2020 saw many battling mental fatigue. As we try to reset in the New Year, recognising the signs of mental exhaustion, is the first step to figuring how to cope with it. In the long run, ignoring it could be detrimental. You could end up feeling stressed, burned out, irritable and not able to complete basic tasks.

Signs of mental fatigue

If you are increasingly finding it hard to focus or execute day-to-day tasks, are not getting enough sleep and are constantly stressed, it’s time to examine if you are battling mental exhaustion. Here are the signs to lookout for.

• Difficulty to focus on even basic tasks

When you are stressed, even the basic tasks seem impossible to execute. It’s a clear sign of mental fatigue, as your brain is unable to concentrate and execute everyday tasks.

• You’re irritable

You become less tolerant and increasingly impatient, and are likely to lose your temper for the smallest things. This leads to unnecessary arguments that could be easily avoided.

• You are unable to sleep

No matter how hard you try to sleep, you are not able to relax. You end up exhausting your physical and emotional reserves. Ultimately this takes a heavy toll on your physical, mental and emotional well-being.

• Nothing seems to affect you

You reach a state of numbness where you find it hard to process your emotions and even those of the people around you.

Coping with mental exhaustion

The only way to get on track is to take better care of your mental well-being. Eating healthy, exercising, sleeping well, reducing your screen time, indulging in creative hobbies that keep you occupied and seeking support from loved ones and professionals can make a huge difference.