When your life becomes one big repetitive cycle — or feels like one — you fail to recognize when you become emotionally and mentally exhausted. Instead, you may feel wired, pressured to get a lot done in a small amount of time, or just so busy or distant. A lot of the time we don’t know how to get back to normal, let alone recognize we’re sliding down a steep slope.
Here are 8 signs you may be mentally exhausted.
1. You’re easily irritated.
You may not notice it, but maybe you do. But every single time someone comes up to you for something you get annoyed. If something doesn’t go your way, you feel agitated. And sometimes even just having to be somewhere makes you feel frustrated before you even get there.
2. You’re having trouble sleeping.
It could take you hours to fall asleep despite being absolutely exhausted. You could also have restless sleep with frequent periods where you’re waking up or tossing and turning. The lack of sleep is a result of your mind still being on the go with whatever is on your plate.
3. You feel unmotivated to do everything, including things you enjoy.
Because you’re on an emotional hamster wheel where you feel the need to keep going and going, you don’t realize you’ve given up some of your passions. It’s like when you finally get some downtime, you just want to do nothing and enjoy it.
4. You’re having indigestion.
You could be experiencing dull stomach pain, loss of appetite, or even the constant feeling of heartburn, constipation, or acid reflux. All of the above are signs of emotional stress that need to be handled before it leads to further complications.
5. You have no patience for others.
Have you noticed that you’re extremely short and snippy with coworkers? Or that you can’t even fathom the thought of talking to your roommates when you get home at the end of the day? This is another huge sign you need a break mentally to clear your head.
6. You’re experiencing anxiety or panic attacks.
You may not even have to be diagnosed with anxiety to have these attacks. But they are bound to happen when you’re piling more emotional stress onto your shoulders with no relief. You also may be too busy to even notice you’re having one if you can’t identify how you show that you’re anxious.
7. You feel detached from the life you’re living.
Do you ever feel like you’re alive but you’re not living? It’s like you’re there but not experiencing anything or feeling involved because you’re too busy handling other things. Feeling present in life is one of the best ways to help your mental sanity. On the flip side, feeling detached is a red flag that you’re under too much emotional strain.
8. You feel empty.
If you had to pick an emotion to identify as but are having difficulty choosing, this is a huge sign. You aren’t really happy, and you aren’t really sad. You’re just blah. And that’s no way anyone wants to feel.
If you relate to at least 6 of these signs, there’s a good chance you are emotionally and mentally exhausted. Treat yourself to a break, even if that means taking a sick day or saying no to people’s invites. Take that time to do the things you enjoy, or even just relax alone to collect your thoughts. You can also talk to a close friend or family member you can trust about what’s bothering you. You can get out of this rut, I promise!
Featured image via Nick Karvounis on Unsplash
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