Thank you for asking a question on a problem that is commonly reported by patients at the clinic.
Oftentimes, persons experiencing mental fatigue report that they have
- a mental block
- poor concentration and focus
- a lack of motivation
- irritability
- stress eating or loss of appetite
- and poor sleep.
They report feeling overwhelmed, emotionally and mentally drained.
Common reasons for mental fatigue include:
- too heavy a workload
- too much responsibility and decision-making at the workplace
- perfectionistic traits (making the individual check and recheck his work)
- poor sleep
- lack of exercise and unwinding.
I recently saw a case whose root problem was the patient's tendency to ruminate over what he has done at the office. He would lie in bed and keep worrying about it. This translates into high anxiety level in bed and hence he is not able to fall sleep. The next day he is troubled by his severe physical and mental fatigue.
What I taught him was to set aside time in the day to do all these worrying and mental processing (the worry hour technique). He also finds it useful to write down his worries as it forces him to mentally process his thoughts and put them aside. He gradually learned to compartmentalise his life and not bring work home to do. All this helps him to rest better at night and his fatigue went away.
Nevertheless, you should also consider medical problems like hypothyroidism, which may present with tiredness and decreased energy. Another possibility is that of depression. In cases where the patient utters nonsense when he wakes up from his sleep, then you may consider the possibility of confusional arousal.
It would be good if people who are suspected of any of the above seek a proper evaluation with a psychiatrist.
