(Foreword: This is the continuation of our response to Almira Capricorn on her query on mental exhaustion.)
DEAR Almira Capricorn,
And now, moving on... here’s more for you.
4. You cannot sleep well.
Contrary to what you might believe that if your brain is tired, you will be able to sleep easily, that isn't the case. Research shows that people who have jobs with a high “cognitive workload” would show more symptoms of insomnia than those whose work doesn't involve a lot of mental work.
5. Your lifestyle isn’t going healthy
You tend to drink or use drugs. The problem is drug addiction changes your brain and may make you unable to manage stress and this makes mental fatigue harder for you.
6. You are depressed
It seems that the world around you stopped. You don’t have the energy anymore to move or you may be in a slow-motion mode. It would be harder for you to finish things. If you feel, you have these low feelings or sense of hopelessness for longer than two weeks, then, you have to see your physician because that could only mean that your depression is getting serious.
7. You worry more and more
Remember that if you are mentally fatigued, you seem to panic or feel worried all the time because mental fatigue triggers your “fight or flight” mode. This would happen all along with depression.
8. You don’t feel like exercising
The truth is, experts don’t know why mental fatigue affects physical activity. It may be because the tolerance for exercise might have gone down.
Well, we’re out of page again. Let’s continue this next time. Until then again!
Dr. Fritz
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(Dr. Fritz Legarde Espedilla is an aesthetic dermatologist and surgeon and clinical sexologist. She is also trained in hypnotherapy and Medical Acupuncture. She has been in the broadcast media for more than a decade and has written a book based on her 15-year stint with her radio program, “Healthy is Sexy Secrets ni Dr. Fritz.” For your questions, you may e-mail them to dokfritz@yahoo.com. If you don’t wish your letter to be published, we regret that we cannot answer them. Thank you for your understanding.)