Have you ever wondered why you feel more tired when you focus too much on thoughts, even though your body is not physically tired? It often happens that after we have spent hours thinking, planning, or solving problems, we feel as if we have run an emotional marathon. But why does this happen?
Our brain consumes more energy when it is involved in deep mental and emotional processes and if this activity goes on for too long, our mental health and overall energy starts to decline.
Brain: An energy consuming machine
Although we often associate fatigue only with physical activity, in reality, our brain is one of the biggest consumers of energy in our body. It uses about 20% of the body's energy, even when we are at rest. The moment we engage in tasks that require concentration, long-term memory or deep analysis, it has to work harder. This increases glucose and oxygen consumption, leaving us feeling tired and emotionally drained. So deep thinking has a real cost in our energy.
Overthinking: The drain of emotional energy
When we face complicated challenges or have too many decisions to make during the day, the mind starts to feel like it's stuck. "Mental fatigue" occurs when the decision-making process becomes continuous and repetitive. Even overthinking unpleasant or ambiguous situations is another major source of fatigue, as the brain is constantly trying to analyze and find solutions to stressful situations. This cycle can often leave us drained of energy and feeling like we're in a never-ending spiral of exhaustion.
How to fight this mental fatigue?
Small and frequent breaks: After the brain gets tired from too many thoughts, it needs time to recharge. Short breaks, even a few minutes, help refresh thoughts and increase productivity.
Breathing techniques: Deep breathing helps to better oxygenate the brain, relieving tension and increasing mental clarity.
Focusing on a particular task: We often try to do many tasks at the same time, which adds to mental fatigue. Focusing on just one task means reducing scattered concentration and increasing brain effectiveness.
Many of us live with the idea that productivity is everything. However, it is essential to understand that mental fatigue is an important topic and directly affects the quality of our lives. By realizing that overthinking has a huge cost in our energy and well-being, we can take steps to protect our brains from overload.
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