Sometimes, you feel a deep-rooted emotional fatigue that you can’t seem to shake off, even when you are getting through your day just fine and showing up for all your commitments, both at work and in your personal life. But beneath that functional exterior, there’s a dull exhaustion and heaviness.
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Instead of continuing to push forward on autopilot, it is important to take time to pause, reevaluate and take a closer look at what this emotional fatigue is trying to tell you. This is not entirely silent, as there are signs your mind and body send when they need you to stop and rest.
To understand more about these signs, HT Lifestyle reached out to Aanandita Vaghani, founder and mental health counsellor at UnFix Your Feelings, who revealed the key signs for you to identify.
“Your nervous system communicates in subtle ways when you’re moving too fast,” she noted, suggesting that the nervous system lets you know in its own way, urging you to return to balance by addressing the emotional fatigue.
1. You’re exhausted, but rest doesn’t seem to work
Aanandita shared instances from her clinic, “One of the most common things I hear at the start of a new year is, ‘I’m tired, but I don’t know why.’ People are sleeping, taking breaks, even planning holidays, and yet their energy doesn’t return. This usually points to nervous system fatigue rather than physical tiredness.”
She further noted that when the body remains in a prolonged state of urgency or high alert, it adapts to stress as its default mode. And because of external circumstances, like work or social life, slowing down does not always happen easily. But it is critical to adjust your body to a slower rhythm; you may experience burnout.
2. Everyday tasks feel heavier than they should
Next, the counsellor noted that even small, regular tasks can start to feel like a lot of work. Tasks that once felt like routine, such as replying to texts, planning a dayout, concentrating at work, may suddenly feel emotionally overwhelming, even though one continues to power through and complete them.
One may confuse them with a sign of demotivation or laziness, but Aanandita clarified that they are actually signs that cognitive and emotional capacity has been stretched thin. In fact, it foes not only stays emotional, but translates physically as well. She described some signs like muscle tension, headaches, gut issues, frequent illnesses, or a general sense of clumsiness.
“From a therapeutic lens, these are cues of overload. Listening means reducing stimulation where possible, simplifying routines, and letting go of the belief that growth has to feel uncomfortable to be valid,” Aanandita explained.
3. Functioning on the outside, disconnected on the inside
The counsellor shared that while everything may appear fine on the surface, with a person staying productive and showing up to work, they may feel distressed internally.
She described this state as feeling emotionally flat or unusually irritable. Elaborating further, she said, “This is often a sign of dysregulation, where speed has replaced presence. The body copes by numbing out or becoming reactive.”
The counsellor shared that while everything may appear fine on the surface, with a person staying productive and showing up to work, they may feel distressed internally. She described this state as feeling emotionally flat or unusually irritable. Elaborating further, she said, “This is often a sign of dysregulation, where speed has replaced presence. The body copes by numbing out or becoming reactive.”
In the end, she reminded that slowing down here doesn’t mean disengaging from life; it means creating pauses between tasks, slowing transitions, and allowing emotions to surface without immediately fixing or judging them.
Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.
