Nervous fatigue is physical and mental exhaustion with multiple causes. It should not be neglected because it can lead to more serious pathologies such as depression or burnout. How to recognize it? What can lead to nervous fatigue? How to avoid it? We take stock with Boris Amiot, personal development coach. 

People who suffer from nervous fatigue exhibit severe physical fatigue, sleep disturbances, difficulty concentrating and hyperemotivity. “It occurs when we have not listened and fed our own long-term needs. Nervous fatigue ends up happening when we follow an environment that no longer suits us ”, explains Boris Amiot. This psychic exhaustion is in fact a warning signal from our body and our mind to change things in our life. “Unfortunately, when nervous fatigue hits us, we either don’t yet know what could have led to this situation, or we feel helpless”, underlines the specialist in personal development. It is therefore essential to ask yourself to reflect on what caused this nervous fatigue and thus better overcome it.

Physical fatigue is a normal state that appears after significant physical exertion or well-identified emotional stress. It usually goes away after one or more nights of sleep and physical rest. While nervous fatigue can have the same symptoms as physical fatigue, it can be distinguished by its intensity and duration. Indeed, nervous fatigue persists despite a good night’s sleep, settles over time and disrupts all spheres of life (work, married life, family life, etc.). “The less we listen to it, the more it will be felt”, insists Boris Amiot.

Several factors come into play in nervous fatigue:

• Problems in the couple. When the annoyances are repeated within the couple without real questioning, they can lead to nervous fatigue. The repetition of problems in a sphere as important as the couple is dangerous for our mental health.
• A lack of consideration and gratitude at work. The need to be recognized at work contributes to well-being in the company. When this need is not met and the signs of ingratitude on the part of colleagues and superiors multiply and last for a long time, the risk of nervous fatigue is great.
• The mental load. We call “mental load” the fact of constantly thinking about the work that awaits us in the office or at home and planning in advance the management and organization of professional or household tasks, in order to satisfy others (colleagues , spouse, children…). It generates stress that can lead to psychosomatic disorders including nervous fatigue.

It is essential to listen to your physical and mental needs to avoid nervous fatigue. How? ‘Or’ What ?

• By taking care of his lifestyle. When our body asks us to slow down, we must listen to it! Giving yourself moments of rest and relaxation just for yourself is essential, as is practicing regular physical activity and adopting good eating habits. To be benevolent towards oneself is first of all to take care of one’s physical well-being. “You practice self-empathy by learning to listen to your body’s needs”, indicates the personal development coach.
• By scanning his life to identify what does not suit us. “Reviewing all areas of your life to see what is not in line with our aspirations without judging them, allows you to put your finger on what could, in the long term, lead to nervous fatigue”, advises Boris Amiot. Once the tensions and problems are identified, we ask ourselves what our needs are and we try to assert them day after day, until it becomes a habit.
• By learning to slow down. In a fast-paced society, it seems difficult to slow down. However, it is essential to decelerate in order to live life to the fullest and thus flourish. “We are in a ‘doing’ frenzy that prevents us from listening to our own needs. To slow down, it is necessary to move away from everything that disconnects us from others and from nature, and thus leave room for our creativity ”, concludes the personal development specialist.