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Still feel exhausted after getting a good night’s sleep? Pay attention to your mental health

Girls, if you’re fatigued despite sleeping, your mental health could be to blame for it. Here's how you combat this condition.
A healthy state of mind can make you feel all energetic and pumped. Image courtesy: Shutterstock
Sonakshi Kohli Updated: 17 May 2021, 17:39 pm IST
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I remember how a boy in my class mistook his constant hunger and huge appetite for his magical digestion powers. Later though, we found out it was all due to the presence of creepy tapeworms in his intestines.

What’s even worse about this kind of oblivion is that it still exists—especially when it comes to mental health, which is hardly given any importance in our country.

I am trying to bring this to light simply because many physical symptoms like a state of constant fatigue or simply waking up tired are often mistaken for a nutritional deficiency, a by-product of a sedentary lifestyle or even some black magic for that matter. But no one ever considers that it could happen because of a mental-health issue like depression, anxiety, stress etc.

Reality check: Your mental health can affect how active you feel
According to a study, published in the Journal of Psychosomatic Research, chronic fatigue, or neurasthenia can be linked to a psychiatric disorder. 

Validating this, Dr. Manish Jain, consultant, psychiatry department at BLK Super-Speciality Hospital, New Delhi, points out that if, in spite of getting adequate sleep, healthy nutrition and performing timely exercise, a person still finds it difficult to perform everyday activities, he/she may be experiencing fatigue due to a mental-health issue.

Also, read: Don’t let your mental health suffer. Here are 5 ways you can safeguard your mental well-being

But first, know the enemy
Ladies, there are two types of fatigues you should be familiar with here. First is the physical fatigue, which could be a result of overexertion during a physical activity, lack of sound/adequate sleep or just excess stress in life. 

Your sleep cycle and mental health are related to each other. Image courtesy: Shutterstock

The other type is the messier one and is known as mental fatigue, where your brain goes into an overdrive and your productivity levels come crashing down. Constant stress, prolonged physical fatigue, and an experience triggering overwhelming emotions could be responsible for it. 

Unfortunately, both can result in you waking up feeling like you’ve literally climbed mountains when all you’ve done is got some sleep. 

Also, read: Make sound mental health a part of your 2020 goals. Here’s how

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Now, understand how to fight the enemy
The good news is that just like all the other problems in the world, you’ve got what it takes to fight this one too. “A person can improve or change his or her lifestyle patterns to beat this kind of exhaustion,” says Dr. Jain.

In fact, he goes on to suggest the following ways to combat this kind of fatigue:

Eliminate the stressor
The best way to treat stress is to eliminate what’s giving you stress. Keep yourself away from any kind of issue or object that might stress your body or mind. 

Eat healthy
Eat foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean meats, while avoiding sugary snacks and fried or processed foods in order to keep your energy level and mood good. 

Exercise
Any sort of physical activity can improve your emotional state and alleviate stress. 

Also, read: Run, jog, and swim because exercise can do your mental health a world of good

Get enough sleep
Sleep is important for emotional health and developing a proper bedtime routine can help you relax and ensure a better-quality sleep. 

Practice mindfulness
Indulging in activities like meditation and spending time with nature can help you maintain your peace of mind, which is extremely necessary to maintain good mental health as it helps to balance an individual’s emotions and stress.

Sonakshi Kohli

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