Does anyone else feel mentally exhausted even on “normal” days?

[Guest_10343]

Hi everyone,

I’ve been reading through a lot of discussions here recently and I really appreciate how open people are about their experiences. After posting here the other day and seeing the thoughtful replies, it made me feel a bit more comfortable sharing again.

Something I’ve been noticing lately is this constant mental exhaustion, even on days when nothing particularly stressful happens. It’s not always intense sadness - sometimes it’s more like my brain just feels drained all the time.

Even simple decisions can feel like too much. Things like deciding what to cook, replying to messages, or planning the next day suddenly feel overwhelming. On the outside everything probably looks normal, but internally it feels like I’m running on very low battery.

I’ve been trying a few small things to manage it - short walks, stepping away from screens for a bit, and occasionally talking things through with someone. During a rough week recently I also tried a quick telehealth chat with a GP (I ended up trying Hola Health once and also looked at a couple of other online options). It helped a little just being able to talk things through without having to organise a full clinic visit.

It didn’t magically fix anything, but it did remind me that sometimes just talking things out can take a bit of pressure off.

I’m curious if others here experience this kind of quiet mental exhaustion too.

Does your mind feel tired even when you haven’t done much physically?
What small things help you recharge when you’re feeling mentally drained?

Really appreciate this space and the conversations here.

Take care everyone.

[therising]

While welcoming your thread of great insight and wonder, I offer thanks for opening a conversation that I imagine many people can relate to on some level 🙂

It can definitely be hard to stop thinking. It undeniably becomes exhausting at times. As a 55yo gal who still hasn't fully mastered the art of thinking and not thinking, I like to keep an open mind when it comes to what skills can be developed either way. I believe it's not all that obvious just how much mental processing we go through every day. From simply deciding what to eat all the that through to trying to make sense of the greatest challenge we currently face in our life, there's all the stuff we're not conscious of in between. While a certain percentage of what we mentally process runs through our nervous system, it can get physically exhausting at times. 

I'd have to say one of the best ways I've found to stop thinking involves daydreaming. While some may argue that daydreaming is still a form of thinking or thought, it's more so about opening the mind and letting whatever comes in just come in. So it's more about observing what freely comes to mind and there can be a sense of freedom in that. As a form of meditation, I suppose you could say, if I think 'Okay what is the colour, size and overall appearance of the gate or door I'm going to walk through into my imagination?', this is mentally processing to begin with but when you walk through, the question then becomes 'Without thinking, can you tell me what you now see on the other side of that gate or door?'. How does it suddenly appear to you? If you were to say, for example 'I'm in a forest', I might then ask 'Do you see a path?'. Suddenly the path appears without thinking and you can describe it to me. The daydream or meditation thoughtlessly expands from there. The forest may be the place you go to in order to escape thought and 'reality'. Whatever's on the other side of that gate or door becomes a form or a place of relaxation. The imagined place could even be a place of recharging. What would a place of recharging look like in your imagination. If you find that place and then come back from it, you can return recharged in some way, even if it's to a small degree. A small degree of charge can still be felt. Within that place, you may find a vision that inspires you. Who you meet in there (anyone you desire to meet with) can also feel inspiring. 

[trying_my_best]

Hi and welcome to our forums! 

I actually experience this quite often! Even on a good day I struggle to find the motivation to cook dinner or do my laundry! Sometimes for me it shows up in simply not wanting to have any social interaction. 

I have also tried and am still actively trying a lot of the things you mentioned. In my GP appointment, I ended up getting a referral for an ADHD diagnosis. Which I have always suspected so there was no surprise there. I am still awaiting the results.
However, I feel that the best way to refill my cup in a manner of speaking is to allow myself a day to myself. Whether that be I choose not to socialise, I go to the gym, I force myself to do the tasks I’ve been neglecting (including personal hygiene, because I have to be real in saying that sometimes I find it a struggle), watch a movie or a TV show, or the reverse of my previous point if I want to socialise I allow myself to socialise within boundaries.

i hope that sharing my experience helps you! 
Best wishes! 🫶