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Examine Exhaustion
Causes of Exhaustion

Things that could be causing your Exhaustion

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  • Feeling pressured
  • Lack of a work-life balance
  • A lot of decision-making
  • Stress
  • Heavy workload
  • Lack of socializing
  • Significant Change
  • Lack of Control
  • Lack of social support
  • Lack of socializing
  • Significant Change
  • Lack of Control
  • Lack of social support
Effects of Exhaustion

Effects of Exhaustion

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"Stress is something everyone experiences from time to time. It's our body's natural response to positive and negative situations that are new, exciting, or scary. This biological response results in a surge of stress hormones, including adrenaline and cortisol. This boost of hormones helps us react quickly to perceived threats and high-pressure situations that require quick thinking. Once the stressor has been removed, your body should go back to normal. Mental exhaustion is usually the result of long-term stress. When you're continually dealing with things that activate your body's stress response, your cortisol levels remain high. Eventually, this begins to interfere with normal body functions, such as digestion, sleep, and your immune system."

Read More: Healthline

"...the amygdala - a brain structure that is critical in emotional reactions including fear and aggression. Participants in the burnout group had relatively enlarged amygdalae, and also appeared to have significantly weaker connections between the amygdala and brain areas linked to emotional distress, specifically the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC). The more stressed an individual reported feeling, the weaker the connectivity between these brain regions appeared on the R-fMRI. Compared with the control group, the overworked group also showed weaker correlations between activity in the amygdala and the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), a structure involved in executive function. Weaker connections between these two brain structures could help explain why participants in the burnout group had more difficulty controlling their negative emotions. "

Read More: Psycology Science

"What is INCREASINGLY secreted upon stress consists of:
  • CRH from posterior pituitary to anterior pitauitary POMC - ACTH
  • Effect 1: ACTH acts on adrenal cortex and secretes glucocorticoids, mainly cortisol -a steroid hormone
  • Effect 2: negative feedbackloop: ACTH - acts on G protein coupled receptos -inhibits ACTh release. This effect 2, is slower than effect 1, and attempts to regulate the overall body to a homeostatis of 'rest'. This negative feedback of ACTH on its own production happens through:
    inhibition of CRH transcription at hypotghalamus
    inhibition of POMC transcription at anterior pituitary gland
    (negative feedback loop of the pituitary gland)
  • Effect 3: Epinephrine and norepinephrine are produced by the adrenal medulla through sympathetic stimulation and the local effects of cortisol (upregulation enzymes to make E/NE). E/NE will positively feedback to the pituitary and increase the breakdown of POMCs into ACTH and B- endorphins. (negative feedbackloop of adrenal gland)

    • Read More: Research Gate
    Coping with Exhaustion

    What to do to feel better

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  • Make less decisions
    • "We are faced with scores of decisions each day and by the end of all that decision-making, our mental energy and self-control can take a hit, according to research from Kathleen Vohs. Then we are more likely to make unhealthy decisions and do what feels easiest, like lay on the couch, rather than exercising or opting for a drive-through burger instead of cooking a healthy meal. One way to offset this dip in mental energy may be to limit your decisions during the day. Make the same coffee order every day. Eat the same dinner every Tuesday. By keeping some basic, routine decisions simple (or eliminating them altogether) we have more mental energy to deal with the rest of our days"

    Read More: Psychology Today

  • Be more mindful
    • "Mindfulness is a type of meditation in which you focus on being intensely aware of what you're sensing and feeling in the moment, without interpretation or judgment. Practicing mindfulness involves breathing methods, guided imagery, and other practices to relax the body and mind and help reduce stress."

    Read More: Mayo Clinic

  • Take a break
    • "Whether it's a mini-break or a week away, time off is essential to fighting mental fatigue. You can do this even on your busiest days by making sure you take a regular lunch break or set aside 15 minutes with nothing planned to take a walk-or at least a breath. Then, each week, be sure to leave some time open and unplanned. Just don't fill in all the slots on your calendar. That open time can give you a mental reprieve but also allows room for unexpected opportunities to develop. "

    Read More: Psychology Today

  • Try to Relax
    • "Relaxation techniques are scientifically recognized to lower stress and anxiety. A 2013 studyinvolving 30 medical students in Bangkok showed that mediation lowers cortisol levels in the blood, which may lower the risk of diseases associated with stress.
    yoga
    tai ch
    deep breathing
    biofeedback
    massage
    massage
    progressive relaxation therapy
    "

    Read More: Health Line

  • Sleep
    • "Sleep is necessary for your emotional well-being. Aim to get the recommended eight hours of sleep each night. One of the best ways to ensure a good night’s sleep is to avoid spending too much time in bed throughout the day — something to which mental exhaustion may contribute. Develop a bedtime routine and stick to it, such as doing some light reading for a few minutes before turning in at the same time every night "

    Read More: Healthline

  • Socialize
    • "Social disconnection is both a symptom of and a risk factor for emotional exhaustion. To avoid emotional exhaustion and other mental health issues, people should try to connect with others whenever possible. Meeting up with a friend, joining a club or walking group, and reaching out to family and neighbors are all ways of connecting socially. "

    Read More: Medical News Today

  • Keep a gratitude journal
    • "Negative thoughts and feelings can consume you when you’re mentally exhausted. Keeping a journal to write down things that you’re thankful for every day can help you focus on the good in your life. A set of three studies published in 2017 showed that people who practice gratitude and gratitude exercises enjoy:
    higher well-being
    fewer symptoms of physical illness
    reduced stress
    happiness
    higher relationship satisfaction
    improved sleep
    better physical health
    "

    Read More: Healthline

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