Serious athletes learn early how to train in order to attain peak performance. Many learn not only by trial and error but also through the guidance of a coach. One thing every athlete learns is that they can’t perform to the best of their ability if they’re too tired to train properly. Lifestyle and diet are critical and there’s no way to cheat nature.

These are hardly eye-opening insights, of course — athletes and non-athletes alike would take these as givens. Which is why it’s somewhat surprising that some people don’t recognize that the same applies to their mental health. Mental exhaustion can greatly affect a person’s ability to reach peak performance in their career — and in their personal relationships.

Although everyone feels mentally exhausted from time to time, after a particularly long workday, for example, a serious problem may arise if you’re continuously mentally drained. Adrienne Santos-Longhurst and Crystal Raypole describe the effects of that problem in an article for Healthline: “Lingering mental fatigue can affect your ability to think, solve problems, or process and regulate emotions. Eventually, it can even lead to challenges in your daily life and in relationships.”

Santos-Longhurst and Raypole’s focus on solving problems highlights an important distinction between mental fatigue and emotional exhaustion. You may be emotionally exhausted because you’re coping with a problem such as grieving the loss of a loved one or suffering from loneliness. The root of these problems is quite different than the basic problems contributing to mental exhaustion.

It takes only a bit of self-reflection to recognize the signs of mental exhaustion. You might find it tough to focus on a task — or you may have emotional signs that range from a lack of motivation to a general sense of apathy. There may be physical signs, too, including low-grade nausea and difficulty sleeping. A change in behavior may also be a red flag — an increased consumption of alcohol or failure to meet responsibilities may signal straightforward mental exhaustion.

The causes of mental exhaustion may seem to be an unavoidable result of your current situation in life. Santos-Longhurst and Raypole include some seemingly unavoidable situations in a list of possible causes of mental exhaustion:

• Having a demanding or high-pressure job
• Working long hours without taking time off to rest
• Experiencing financial stress
• Job dissatisfaction
• Providing care for a loved one who’s ill or has special needs
• Living with a chronic illness or mental health condition
• Having a baby
• Lack of work-life balance or emotional support

But what may seem to be an unavoidable situation is in reality the result of choices that you in fact control. Changing life circumstances depends on a willingness to establish priorities. This may involve sacrificing one thing for another — but that is your personal choice. Coping with mental exhaustion, then, begins with your honest assessment of your options. Santos-Longhurst and Raypole offer the following options as a way to remove or alleviate the cause of mental exhaustion.

“Remove the stressor.” Of all the ways in which you can treat mental exhaustion, this may be the most difficult to address. If your job is the problem, simply quitting is not an option for most people. But that’s not the only course of action. “Consider asking your supervisor or co-workers for help with tasks or try delegating some of your responsibilities to others,” advise Santos-Longhurst and Raypole. This is good advice and highlights a simple fact: you have the ability to take some action.

“Take a break.” This can be anything from taking a vacation to setting aside an hour or two in the evening to do whatever you’d like to do to relax.

“Relaxation techniques.” Speaking of relaxing, choose something that you enjoy personally — anything from yoga to gardening.

“Try to get more sleep.” Getting a good night’s sleep (seven to eight hours) helps you feel more physically energetic. But some people may not realize how much it also affects their mental health. That’s also more than mental acuity — it’s emotional health. Being well rested can improve your mood.    

“Keep a gratitude journal.” When you’re exhausted you may be prone to focus on the negative issues that are wearing you down. Focusing on what you’re grateful for can change your perspective for the good.  

“Exercise.” It’s not just physical fatigue that can make it hard to exercise. Mental exhaustion can drain your motivation. But, perhaps counter-intuitively, expending physical energy — taking a brisk walk, for example — can boost your mental energy and brighten your mood.

“Check in with basic needs.” There’s more to basic needs than food and water. There’s the quality of the food you eat — its nutritional value — and amount of water you drink (your hydration level). Perhaps more important, there’s your social connections. Talking with a loved one can have an invaluable effect on your mental well-being.