MENTAL FATIGUE
Do you ever find yourself taking far longer to complete a task than you usually should? Your brain just isn’t coming up with the answers like it normally does, you feel sluggish and fatigued. Staring blankly at your computer screen isn’t helping.
Mental fatigue is a part of everyday life. Why wouldn’t it be? It is perfectly normal for us to fatigue physically and chances are you push yourself cognitively at work, so it’s only fair that over the course of the day you aren’t firing on all cylinders.
You can’t run as fast if you have been running all day.
You can’t problem solve, remember, comprehend, articulate and manage stress as well if you have been doing it all day.
Whilst this is normal, there are some practices that we can put in place to mitigate the toll of a working day.
HYDRATION
Brief Outline
Water makes up just over half of who we are. So if you weigh 100kg, thats about 55-60kg of water. We need this in order for all of the functions in our body (including the brain) to run optimally.
Problem
If this total water drops just 5%, your mental capacity will reduce along with it. Thirst is a delayed response to dehydration, so you can’t rely on it!
Solution
Sip at water throughout the day to ensure your total levels have no significant drop. Don’t rely on thirst as an indicator to drink, just steadily pace yourself throughout the day.
SLEEP QUALITY
Brief Outline
Sleep allows us to recover and be ready for the next day. The better the quality of sleep, the more refreshed we are.
Problem
The world doesn’t work in a way that facilitates a lovely nights sleep - so unless you actively prepare, chances are you won’t get one!
Solutions
Pick just one of the following, apply it, see if it helps and then move on to the next one if you aren’t satisfied. The key indicators of a good nights sleep is how you feel when you wake up and your energy levels throughout the day. Give each a subjective score out of 10 and log them as you make the changes. Those that benefit stay!
Quantity - Increase/decrease the duration of your sleep.
Take time to prepare - Avoid screens, relax and wind down before sleep. Start with 15 mins and over time increase to up to an hour before to work on waking up feeling fresh. No emails/social media
Cut down caffeine, particularly after lunch time, this will stimulate you, even if you do manage to get to sleep - it won’t be quality sleep.
Wake up at the same time everyday - build a routine and stick to it. Your body will get in a rhythm and find it easier to switch on and off.
BLOOD FLOW
Brief Outline
Sitting can steadily reduce the blood flow to your brain. Like a muscle - the brain needs an optimal supply of blood to function at its best.
Problem
You work at a desk and have to spend much of your day in stationary positions.
Solution
Get up and move as frequently as you reasonably can. This will encourage blood to better circulate round your body. It sounds like a walk during your lunch break would slow down your productivity, but by improving cognitive function, you will be far more effective when working on the task at hand.
Fish oil supplements can help with blood flow to thee brain for those that don’t get much fatty fish (like salmon) in their diet.
We recommend - THIS ONE
IN CLOSING
Now there are a lot of reasons outside of exercise and nutrition that could be affecting your concentration levels. However, by better preparing your mind and body using some of the techniques above, you can better prepare yourself for the difficulties of everyday life.
If you feel like one of these options would be beneficial to you, discuss with your coach and they can help you come up with a plan.