Do you find yourself tired after an emotional movie, situation, or thoughts?
You're not alone. The American Psychological Association conducted a study in 2021 and found that 32% of people stated that they were emotionally exhausted. So what can you do about this feeling?
Don't worry! Even though you're in a pickle, there are ways to find emotional rest to get you back to feeling your best.
What is Emotional Exhaustion?
It's "the state of feeling emotionally worn-out and drained as a result of accumulated stress" in various places in your life.
Common Signs
no motivation
irritability
sense of dread
absentmindedness
Common Causes
financial stress
working at a job you dislike
raising or caregiving for family
intense schooling
Emotional Rest
You may be wondering what you can do to combat your emotional exhaustion. What you need is a method to find emotional rest.
We get emotional rest when we take a break from "people pleasing and caretaking."
This kind of rest will allow you to "marinate in" your emotional state by having the silence and space to analyze your emotions and what's causing you to feel the way you feel.
Answering truthfully when someone else asks how you are is a great way to allow yourself to rest emotionally. It's ok to share what you feel and why — you don't have to experience these feelings alone.
The following 3 strategies can help you achieve emotional rest.
1. Eat Healthy and Exercise
Eat Healthy
You may be thinking to yourself, "I already have so much to do! Now I have to do more?"
Not exactly. You already eat every day, so even if you only replace sugary snacks with a fruit or veggie, your body will receive many more vitamins and minerals that will help you feel better.
However, you should avoid fried and processed foods (that leave you feeling worse) and eat a more balanced diet with lean meats, whole grains, fruits, and vegetables.
The way you eat impacts many aspects of your life, including your sleep and energy levels, leaving you in a better emotional state.
Exercise
You may also be thinking, "I hate working out! Why do I have to do that?'"
If you don't want to go to the gym, you don't have to! There are plenty of ways to be active without going to the gym, including:
walking
jumping rope
dancing
pilates
...and many more.
Being active is great for two reasons:
You can get some time and space away from what is emotionally stressful.
You increase the levels of endorphins and serotonin levels in your body that act as "feel good" hormones.
2. Connect with Trusted People
Connecting with people is a great way to combat emotional exhaustion. It helps you to get away from the stressful situation, and makes you feel like you're not alone.
What's great is the person listening doesn't have to solve the issue. They just have to be willing to listen.
The person listening can be your in your friends and family. There are many other people that you may be close with, so don't hesitate to reach out!
Seek Professional Help
If you notice that your emotional exhaustion remains for an extended period of time, consider seeing a health professional.
You may need blood work to test your physical health, or a therapist to help you apply a variety of strategies to get through your stressful time. This may be a scary thought but may help steer you in the right direction.
These professionals have years of experience and the professionalism to help you through every issue.
3. Take a Break
Sometimes, nothing works. You tried talking to your friends, but you still feel emotionally tired. You may be sleeping fantastically, but you're still feeling emotionally tired.
You may simply need a break. That might mean not using your phone or computer for a day, or going for a trip for a weekend, or even sitting in silence for an hour.
The space that a break gives can allow you to process your feelings, which may help you determine what's making you emotionally exhausted.
Everyone's preferred break style differs, and that's ok! Experiment and find something that works for you.
Quiz
Robert is trying to find out a way to take a break that works for him. He doesn't have time to go on a vacation, but has evenings free. What can Robert do to take a break? Select all that apply:
Take Action
Look to the following for more information:
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