Can taking breaks help you get rid of mental exhaustion? An expert says YES!

Do you eagerly wait for your lunch break so you can get some relaxing time from your hectic schedule? If that’s the case, this is one of the techniques that might help you deal with your mental exhaustion and stress. How? This technique, according to mental health experts, can help you recharge your energy and improve your overall well-being.

While it is evident that breaks are refreshing, it is less clear that they might truly aid in mental health improvement. To assist you, Health Shots spoke with Dr. Sonal Anand, Psychiatrist, Wockhardt Hospitals, Mira Road, Mumbai, about the indicators of mental exhaustion and whether or not taking breaks can help.

Can taking breaks reduce the level of stress?

It’s always a good idea to take a vacation from a hectic routine. It’s because taking a break allows you to heal and relax, allowing you to better prepare for stressful situations, especially if you’re losing focus and concentration. According to Dr Anand, “Taking a break is like restarting the system. It can help you regain focus and enhance productivity. During breaks, new ideas can come up spontaneously. It promotes physical relaxation as well as more rational thinking.” Indeed, regular breaks can help you avoid overthinking and procrastinating, which all together can lead to stress and frustration.

Apart from that, you should take breaks from social media if you have been using it excessively because it is also one of the leading causes of stress nowadays. Also, avoid multitasking at all costs, as it is a major source of stress and mental tiredness.

5 symptoms of mental exhaustion:

1. Fatigue

Feeling tired all the time? Well, you can feel physical fatigue when you are stressed out. Energy levels can go down and sometimes you can have difficulty doing even routine things.

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2. Sleep difficulties

Insomnia is commonly seen in people who are stressed out. According to Dr Anand, “Difficulty falling asleep or early awakening followed by inability to sleep again are the two patterns noticed.” On the other hand, hypersomnia and feeling drowsy during the day are also signs of stress.

3. Feeling anxious or on the edge

Your sympathetic nervous system (fight to flight mode) might be triggered by mental tiredness or exhaustion. Due to this, one can feel anxiety, palpitations, or even a sense of panic. These symptoms and indicators are also linked to depression. And, as a result of the whole scenario, low confidence is common.

4. Having difficulty controlling emotions

Experiencing anger or frustration that is expressed more frequently might be an indication of stress. People dealing with mental exhaustion may exhibit impatient behaviour and aggressive outbursts more often. Because of a low frustration tolerance, smoking or drinking, may become more prevalent.

5. Feeling the burnout

Millennials are experiencing burnout at alarming rates, and it’s taking a toll on people’s mental and physical health. Dr Anand says, “When burnout occurs, one can lose focus on the task at hand or be less productive. Meeting deadlines can become a difficult task.” Burnout can lead to unhealthy eating habits, fatigue, irritation, increased anxiety and worry, and a lack of motivation.