Mental fatigue or brain tiredness
Overview
Mental fatigue is a state of cognitive exhaustion characterized by reduced mental energy, difficulty concentrating, and impaired thinking abilities. This brain tiredness typically occurs after prolonged mental activity and can affect memory, decision-making, and overall cognitive performance.
Common Causes
Mental fatigue often occurs when your brain has been working intensively for extended periods without adequate breaks. Common causes include prolonged screen time, multitasking, decision-making overload, and information processing demands that exceed your cognitive capacity. Poor sleep quality, dehydration, and irregular eating patterns can also contribute to brain tiredness. Chronic stress, lack of physical exercise, and spending too much time in mentally demanding environments without relaxation can further drain your mental energy reserves.
Severity Levels
Mild: You notice occasional difficulty focusing during mentally demanding tasks and may feel mentally drained after long periods of concentration, but can still complete most activities with some extra effort.
Moderate: Mental tasks become noticeably more challenging, with frequent lapses in concentration and memory. You may need regular breaks during work or study and feel mentally exhausted even after lighter cognitive activities.
Severe: Simple mental tasks feel overwhelming and exhausting. Concentration is severely impaired, making it difficult to complete basic work, follow conversations, or make decisions. Mental exhaustion persists even with minimal cognitive effort.
Medical Attention
Seek medical attention if your mental exhaustion persists for more than two weeks despite adequate rest and sleep. Contact a healthcare provider if the fatigue significantly interferes with your work, relationships, or daily activities. Get immediate help if you experience severe confusion, memory problems, or concerning mood changes alongside the mental tiredness. Consider professional evaluation if the fatigue began suddenly without an obvious cause or is accompanied by other unexplained physical symptoms.
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