Are you experiencing mental or physical fatigue?

Picture this: you're dragging yourself through the day, feeling completely spent – not even a double-shot espresso perks you up. But you can’t quite figure out whether or not you’re mentally fatigued, physically tired, or both.

Let's explain the difference between mental and physical fatigue, how to identify which one is bothering you, and, most importantly, how to fight both.

When your brain says "nope"

Mental fatigue usually creeps in when your brain has been working overtime. Maybe you've been making decisions all day, had meeting after meeting, or are dealing with emotional stress. Whatever the trigger is, your grey matter needs a break.

Mental fatigue symptoms:

Decision fatigue: even choosing what to have for dinner feels overwhelming.

Irritability: the smallest things, like missing the bus, frustrate the living daylights out of you.

Difficulty concentrating: no matter how much you try, you just can’t stay focussed. A tell-tale sign of this is if you've read this sentence three times.

Brain fog: your thoughts feel like they're swimming through syrup.

Anxiety or feeling overwhelmed: everything in your life seems like too much.

Mental exhaustion often masquerades as physical tiredness, which is why it's so commonly misdiagnosed. If you're experiencing these symptoms, your brain, not your body, might be begging for a rest.

When your body waves the white flag

Physical fatigue is more straightforward. Your muscles are tired, your energy stores depleted, knees weak, arms heavy – you get the picture. You've pushed your body, and now it needs recovery time.

Physical fatigue symptoms:

Muscle weakness or soreness.

Slower recovery time after exercise.

Heavy limbs: your arms and legs feel like they’re made of concrete.

Decreased physical performance: sign of this can be if your usual workout feels impossible.

Strong desire to rest: sit, lie down, or wanting to go straight to bed.

How to treat fatigue?

For mental fatigue:

Digital detox: constant notifications and screen time are cognitive drains. Schedule regular tech-free blocks in your day. If you want more advice on nailing a digital detox, check out our article: Digital detox: reclaim your time and energy.

Mindfulness practices: meditation isn't just for nirvana-seeking yogis – even five minutes of mindful breathing can reset an overloaded brain.

Cognitive shifting: change the type of mental activity rather than stopping it completely. If you've been analysing data all day, switch to something creative.

Active recovery: ironically, light physical activity can help with mental fatigue by increasing blood flow to the brain and releasing those feel-good endorphins. Nothing gets the heart pumping and the brain jolted quite like a Personal Training session. Even an invigorating Yoga Align class can do wonders.

For physical fatigue:

Quality sleep: aim for seven to nine hours of uninterrupted sleep to allow your muscles to repair. Better still, try for a daytime nap. If you think this is easier said than done, check out our article on how to get the best daytime nap.

Proper nutrition: fuel your body with the right balance of proteins, carbs and healthy fats. Our Nourish blogs have heaps of great recipes for nutrition-boosting meals.

Hydration: even mild dehydration can amplify feelings of fatigue. Make sure you drink plenty of water throughout your day – try to drink two to three litres.

Recovery techniques: hot and cold therapy, massage, and gentle stretching can work wonders. You know what also helps? A soothing bubble bath. Here are 5 essentials for a relaxing bubble bath.

The best recovery combo

Combine targeted recovery technique for the best results. At Virgin Active's rest and recovery facilities, you can access professional advice on techniques tailored to recovering from being mentally and physically tired.

From traditional saunas that relax your muscles to guided meditation sessions that relax your mind, these science-backed approaches address fatigue from multiple angles.