11 Important Signs You Need A Mental Break In Life

Think you are mentally exhausted but don’t know how to be sure? Here are 9 crucial signs you need a mental break from life and rest that pretty little brain of yours. 

Everything You’ll Find In This Post:

• What Does A Mental Break Feel Like
• How Do You Know You Need A Mental Break
• 11 Signs You Need A Mental Health Break

There is little doubt that mental health is of vital importance to leading a happy life.

Your perception of the world directly depends on how you nurture your mind and the countless thoughts residing in it.

To a happy mind, everything is beautiful. While an unhealthy mind breeds stress and tension, shrouding everything in darkness.

It is true that factors such as money, family, friends, and relationship are of great value.

But honestly, none of it matters if your mental health is on the back burner.

Which is why it’s super important to take a mental break every now and then.

Sometimes when we take a break, we may find that solutions then present themselves. 

-Catherine Pulsifier

Taking a break isn’t a declaration of weakness. Believe it or not, it’s a sign of wisdom, and a way to acknowledge your need to slow down.

Not convinced yet?

Let’s dive a little deeper into the serenity of mental pauses.

What Does A Mental Break Feel Like

In short and sweet terms – a mental break is like recharging your spirit.

It acts as a refresh button, something we all need to declutter our minds and healthify our bodies.

No person in this world is immune to the troubles of life.

While those who are in a constant rush would encourage you to keep running, the wise ones would tell you to slow down and take a deep breath.

I am no sage, but I consider myself wise enough to encourage the idea of hitting a pause on life.

Even if you are someone who thrives on productivity, I’m you’ll agree that proper rest increases your focus and alertness.

Because the truth is that sometimes you need to disconnect to reconnect. 🙂

How Do You Know When You Need A Mental Break

I hope by now we can all agree that mental breaks are needed to remind us of our own importance and to savor the joys of life.

A question worth asking at this point would be – how do you know when you need a mental break?

I say it’s all about building awareness of the signs of mental exhaustion. And you’re going to learn about this in-depth as you read further.

Finding the post helpful? Pin it to save for later. 🙂

This post is all about 11 important signs you need a mental break from life.

Consider this the ultimate checklist you need before tapping into mental self-care.

Let’s get started. 🙂

11 Signs You Need A Mental Health Break

1. You Feel Overwhelmed

For me, the feeling of being overwhelmed is the first sign of mental exhaustion.

My brain starts spurning anxiety-inducing thoughts, and it becomes difficult to stay calm in such moments.

Your breathing might be affected, you might have trouble focusing, and there seems to be little space for rational thoughts.

This thing is inconvenient and acts as a productivity killer, but you are bigger than it.

The next time you find yourself facing an anxious day, read: 11 Important Things To Remember When You Feel Overwhelmed

It’s amazing how huge a difference this post makes to my mood. These reminders are full of healing energies, and I hope they do the same for you.

2. You Get Exhausted Easily

If you find yourself tiring out easily, then it could be the reflection of an exhausted brain.

Your body won’t cooperate if your brain is overloaded, simply because the two are connected to each other.

In times like these, I love bringing my attention to body care.

My logic behind doing so is simple. If your mind is making your body tire easily, you counter by paying extra attention to your health.

Combat your exhaustion by focusing on these 11 beautiful habits for ultimate body wellness.

Always remember that your mental and physical health are codependent.

If one acts as a slippery slope, it’s always a quirky idea to focus on the other to help its counterpart out.

3. You Keep Losing Your Temper

We all get angry from time to time. It’s normal human behavior, albeit a bit controversial one, because it can be a nasty emotion to deal with.

Anger not only affects the people around you but is the most detrimental to your inner peace.

It disrupts a person’s common nature and clouds their judgment.

If you find yourself losing your temper frequently, it could be your brain’s way of telling you to take a rest.

A post I highly recommend: How To Calm Yourself Down (10 Simple Ways That Work)

4. Your Sleep Is Being Affected

Have you been noticing any unusual sleeping behaviors lately?

If yes, it might be time to stop and reflect on life through kind eyes.

Sleep is a crucial part of your life cycle. A good bedtime is essential for both your body and mind care.

Restless sleeping habits affect your mental health, and the opposite is just as true. An overloaded brain might have trouble executing healthy sleeping habits.

Some of the common sleep issues you might notice are:

• Oversleeping
• A late bedtime
• Shortened sleep time
• Having trouble sleeping
• Waking up too late

Tackle this issue by learning how to sleep better at night.

Another popular post that I think you’ll love: 12 Blissful Ideas For Your Self-Care Night Routine

5. You Have Trouble Focusing

Is your work taking the brunt of your mental worries?

Perhaps your attention span has dipped low, or your alertness has been transformed into laziness?

Having trouble focusing is one of the crucial signs you need a mental break.

Remember what I said about productivity – Regular rest increases your work speed.

The world won’t stop running if you decide to take a pause.

So, allow yourself to step back from your work for some time, and come back to it after building up your focus.

Related Post: 5 Unproductive Habits You Need To Ditch

6. You Keep Feeling Dread

Dread is another negative emotion that affects your mental health. It can be confusing and troublesome to deal with.

All of a sudden, something as simple as waking up or falling asleep could be causing you dread.

Going to work might be causing anxiety, and preparing your meals might seem like a tiring task.

It makes no sense to dread the simplest tasks in life, but an overloaded brain doesn’t need a solid reason to invite this emotion.

The best way to deal with dread is to stop what you’re doing and hit pause for some time.

My preferred way of dealing with dread is through a bucket full of self-love. It can be magical in healing your anxious spirit.

Take a mental break and make use of these 51 best solo date ideas to make you love yourself.

7. You Lack The Motivation To Work

A cluttered mind finds motivation distasteful. It loves to ruin your inspiration by bubbling up stress, worries and overthinking.

Naturally, your work takes a direct hit. After all, it can be hard to focus when you lack the motivation to work.

You might find yourself losing pleasure from your tasks. Deadlines might tire you out, and your work environment might start to bore you out.

It’s okay to lose motivation, but I’ve never supported the idea of encouraging demotivation either.

If you keep yourself exposed to stressful thoughts, it’s unfair to both your work and your mental health.

Worrying won’t help you recover your (temporarily) lost inspiration.

Make use of your weekend to chuck out your work troubles.

Practice self-care to make space for creativity so that you can get back to work with enthusiasm.

Highly recommended: 21 Ways To Lift Your Mood When You’re Feeling Low

8. Your Social Relations Are Being Affected

Have you been fighting often with your partner, or having trouble connecting with your friend?

If yes, then I want to gently remind you that it’s normal to have relationship/friendship troubles.

Life is never the same for any person.

Your social circle might be strong most days, but there will be inevitable points where you question its foundation.

The thing is that it’s okay to take a break from people. Your true friends will understand and give you the space you need. 🙂

Here are some tips you can use to deal with this problem:

• Take some time off from social media.
• Curl up with your pet for some soothing vibes.
• Invite a ‘safe friend’ for a tea session and have a heart-to-heart conversation.
• Facetime a friend who lives far away.
• Spend some time with yourself (you are your own best friend, after all.)
• Have dinner with your family.
• Don’t overthink your social relations.

A cute post to lift you up: 35 Little Things In Life That Can Make You Happy

9. Your Eating Habits Have Changed

Disrupted mental health affects your routine, including your eating habits. It can be hard to eat healthy when your mind is drained of energy.

These are some unhealthy food habits you might observe:

• Overeating
• Emotional eating
• Binge-eating
• Lack of appetite
• Food cravings
• Midnight snacking

Detaching your emotions from your mental health is the first step toward food awareness.

Practice mindful eating and build healthy food habits to keep your body fit while you recharge your mental energies.

A post that might help: How To Gently Fix Your Bad Eating Habits

10. You Feel Lost

I think we all have plenty of moments when we doubt our life’s purpose.

We start questioning our needs, goals, and motives. Things that seemed appealing yesterday might feel hollow today.

It can be really frustrating to deal with these doubts.

It’s like being back to square one, and nobody wants to relive the confusion of figuring out their life.

If you’ve been feeling lost lately, I want you to know you’re not alone.

Trust me when I say that confusion is a part of self-growth. Sometimes, you have to wander a little before getting on the right track.

Give yourself permission to take a break, and allow room for important questions. Change is a part of life, and it’s okay to step back a little to examine things from afar.

To reconnect with your thoughts, learn how to master emotional self-care using 12 simple techniques.

11. You’re Having Trouble Living In The Moment

I have met a few people in my life who live life to the fullest.

But the rare people who do live blissfully are those who focus on their present.

Many of us spend our days either lingering on the past or worrying about the future.

And when we reach our mental threshold, the tendency lives in the past and the future shoots up. Suddenly, it becomes difficult to live in the moment.

If you find these words relatable, chances are you simply need to take a break from life and retreat to a quiet spot.

To master the art of living in the present, read: 11 Amazing Ways To Slow Down And Live Blissfully

So, these were 11 important signs you need a mental break. It’s time to wrap up this post with a gentle reminder.

Whenever you find yourself battling sticky life moments, ask yourself one important question:

Do I Need A Mental Break?

The answer to this question will help you determine your action plan.

All you need is a willingness to polish your mental health, and these 11 signs will guide you to healthier thoughts.

Ask yourself whether you feel overwhelmed, exhausted, or angry. Be on the lookout for odd sleeping habits.

Do you have trouble focusing, and do you feel dread all the time? Is there little to no motivation to work?

Checking the status of your social relations might help. Your eating habits also act as clues.

If you feel lost and have trouble focusing on the present, taking a mental break might be just the thing you need.

What’s that one sign you find easiest to recognize for a mental break? If you’d like to, share your response in the comment box. I’d love to chat!