Basically what the title says. If exhaustion resulting from physical activity is caused because our body struggles to keep up with the metabolic energy demand of our body but pretty much every source says that our brains energy consumption does not vary significantly with the amount of mental effort that we are doing then what exactly causes mental fatigue and exhaustion.
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The brain is a very complex organ that controls all the functions in our body, including our thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. When we engage in mental tasks that require attention, focus, and problem-solving, different areas of the brain are activated and work together to process and integrate information.
This neural activity requires a lot of energy and resources, such as glucose and oxygen, to maintain optimal function. In fact, the brain consumes about 20% of the body’s energy, despite only accounting for about 2% of its weight!
When we engage in sustained mental effort, we use up these energy and resource reserves, leading to a state of mental fatigue or exhaustion. This can manifest as decreased motivation, difficulty concentrating, slower reaction times, and decreased accuracy on tasks.
Interestingly, research has shown that mental fatigue can have a greater impact on our performance than physical fatigue. This is because physical fatigue typically affects only the muscles, whereas mental fatigue affects the brain, which is responsible for coordinating and controlling all the body’s movements and responses.
In summary, mental effort exhausts us because it requires a lot of energy and resources from our brain, leading to a state of mental fatigue that can impact our performance and well-being.
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