Burnout, Fatigue, and Mental Exhaustion: Why You’re Always Tired

Written By Courtney Thurston
Woman with head down showing signs of mental exhaustion and burnout – therapy for burnout in Jackson, Michigan

Waking up exhausted, dragging through the day, and completely drained by dinnertime? It can be hard to tell if you're just tired—or if you're experiencing something deeper, like burnout. If your exhaustion feels constant and rest doesn't help, it could be a sign of burnout or mental exhaustion. In this blog, we’ll cover the signs, common causes, and how to start recovering from burnout, fatigue, and chronic stress. Whether you're a student, a healthcare worker, or just feeling overwhelmed and exhausted, you're not alone—and support is available.

The Difference Between Burnout, Fatigue, and Mental Exhaustion

Let’s break down the differences between burnout, fatigue, and mental exhaustion.

Burnout

In their book Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle, Emily and Amelia Nagoski define burnout as a state made up of three core components:

  • Emotional Exhaustion – Feeling mentally and physically drained from caring too much, for too long

  • Depersonalization – Experiencing a loss of empathy, compassion, or connection to others

  • Decreased Sense of Accomplishment – Feeling like nothing you do makes a meaningful difference

For example, you might be a teacher who’s overwhelmed—caring for a full classroom of students’ emotional and mental health needs, managing grading, lesson planning, teaching, and attending extra meetings or extracurriculars you've been asked to take on.

This kind of nonstop responsibility can lead to emotional exhaustion, especially when you're trying to give your students your full attention and create meaningful lesson plans. You may be doing everything you can, but it still feels like leadership is constantly asking for more. Over time, you might reach a point where it feels like your care and effort aren’t making a real difference—for your students, your coworkers, or yourself.

This is a common experience for people experiencing burnout and fatigue in helping professions.

Fatigue

Fatigue is a physical tiredness that doesn’t improve with sleep.

For example, you might sleep 8–10 hours and still wake up feeling exhausted. You head to work already drained, relying on caffeine just to stay alert and make it through the day. No matter how much you rest, your body feels heavy, sluggish, and unmotivated.

This kind of persistent fatigue is often linked to burnout, chronic stress, or mental exhaustion—especially when rest alone isn’t helping.

Person laying on outdoor steps feeling fatigued – therapist for stress and burnout in Jackson, MI

Mental Exhaustion

Mental Exhaustion is a type of mental fatigue caused by chronic stress, often leading to symptoms like anxiety, irritability, overwhelm, low motivation, sleep issues, distractibility, procrastination, and memory problems.

For example, you might be a parent caring for a young child while juggling nonstop demands. Over time, the stress adds up. You may find yourself feeling more irritable with your partner and increasingly overwhelmed by day-to-day parenting tasks. Small things—like grocery shopping, replying to messages, or folding laundry—start to feel impossible. Your mind feels foggy, and your patience wears thin.

Why You’re Always Tired (Even After Rest)

Coffee cup symbolizing mental exhaustion – counselor for burnout in Jackson MI

You might be wondering why you still feel tired—even after resting. Maybe you finally got some downtime over the weekend, but by Monday afternoon, you’re right back to feeling drained.

If rest doesn’t seem to recharge you, there may be underlying factors related to burnout, chronic stress, or mental exhaustion that are keeping your energy tank empty. Here are some key contributors to that constant fatigue:

Chronic Stress & Anxiety

Even if you took a short break, your environment may not have changed. If you’re still dealing with long-term stressors—like financial pressure, caregiving demands, or an overwhelming workload—your body may stay stuck in survival mode. A nap or weekend off won’t reverse the effects of chronic stress and anxiety, especially if you haven’t had space to truly restore your energy or process what you're carrying.

Laptop on desk representing professional boundaries – therapy for healthcare workers in Jackson Michigan

Poor Boundaries

You might still be overcommitting—saying yes when you don’t have the capacity, stretching yourself thin with work demands, or constantly managing decisions that lead to decision fatigue. Without strong boundaries, it's easy to feel mentally overloaded and emotionally burned out.

Emotional Labor

If you're a parent, caregiver, or in a helping profession (like teaching or healthcare)—you're likely doing a huge amount of emotional labor every day. This kind of invisible work—caring, empathizing, managing others’ emotions—can drain your energy fast, even if you're not physically active all day.

Lack of the Right Kind of Rest

You may be getting physical rest (like 7–8 hours of sleep) but still missing other essential types—like mental, emotional, creative, or sensory rest. Without addressing these other areas, you may wake up physically rested but still feel foggy, disconnected, or anxious. [Click here for link to read more about 7-types of rest from the APA]

Person writing in journal representing ADHD burnout – therapy for teachers in Jackson MI

ADHD & Neurodivergence

If you're neurodivergent—especially if you have ADHD—your mental energy can drain faster due to things like task switching, executive dysfunction, masking, and sensory overload. What looks like "just a normal day" for someone else might leave you completely depleted. Understanding how ADHD and burnout interact is a key step in building the right kind of support and rest.

Signs Your Exhaustion Isn’t Just About Sleep

Person sitting at desk reflecting on work-life balance – virtual therapy for burnout in Jackson Michigan

If you’re wondering whether your constant exhaustion is more than just lack of sleep, here are some signs to pay attention to. Try tracking or reflecting on whether you’re experiencing any of the following:

  • Persistent irritability

  • Low or no motivation

  • Feeling disconnected from your daily tasks—whether that’s work, school, or caregiving

  • A sense of “blah” about things you usually enjoy

  • Physical symptoms like headaches, body aches, or trouble sleeping

These are all common signs of burnout and mental exhaustion—and if you’re noticing them consistently, it’s worth taking seriously.

That said, here’s one important caveat: even if these symptoms point to emotional burnout, it’s still a good idea to schedule a wellness visit with your primary care provider. Some physical health issues can mimic or worsen fatigue.

It's helpful for your doctor to have a general picture of your mental health too—because mental health is health, and it should be considered in part of your overall care.

If your provider rules out physical causes and you’re still feeling overwhelmed and exhausted, consider starting therapy. Therapy can help you manage stress, rebuild energy, and create space for rest that actually works.

What Helps: Rebuilding Energy When You’re Burned Out

Here are a few ways to start rebuilding your energy when you're feeling burned out.

Person holding light bulb symbolizing ideas and clarity – burnout recovery with virtual counseling in Jackson Michigan

Shifting Your Mindset

One of the first steps in recovering from burnout is shifting how we talk to ourselves about our experience. It helps to normalize your symptoms of burnout. You're not lazy for procrastinating or putting things off—you’re likely running on empty and just trying to survive. Burnout isn't a personal failure; it's often a sign that you've been operating without enough support, rest, or realistic expectations for too long.

Acknowledging Need for Systemic Change

It can also be powerful to acknowledge the need for systemic change. Many workplace systems—especially in education, healthcare, or caregiving—are not set up for sustainable success. In fact, they often demand more than one human can realistically give. Recognizing that these conditions are part of the problem can relieve some of the internal pressure and help you refocus your energy on what’s within your control.

Setting Boundaries

Part of recovering from burnout is learning to set boundaries—with your time, your energy, and your relationships. This might mean creating a firm "no work after 6pm" policy, turning on Do Not Disturb during certain hours, or being more mindful of which tasks drain you the most.

Small Restorative Practices

Recovery doesn’t mean overhauling your entire life overnight. Real rest starts with small, doable actions. You might try:

Doodles in a notebook representing creativity and self-reflection – burnout recovery with telehealth therapy in Jackson Michigan

  • Journaling

  • Creating art or doodling for 5 minutes

  • Saying “no” without guilt

  • A 10-minute mindfulness walk

  • Establishing a short movement or stretching routine

These restorative practices can help your nervous system settle, reconnect you with what brings you joy, and give you energy back in manageable doses.

Therapy Support

If you’re feeling disconnected, exhausted, or unsure where to start, working with a mental health professional can help. If you're ready for support, I offer virtual therapy for burnout, anxiety, and chronic stress—in Michigan. Schedule a free consultation to learn more about how we can work together.

How Therapy Can Help With Burnout and Mental Exhaustion

Therapy can be an important part of recovering from burnout and learning how to prevent it in the future. Working with a therapist provides support, education, and guidance in shifting the patterns and systems that have led to chronic stress and feeling overwhelmed.

Person sitting at desk looking out window, reflecting – imposter syndrome support with telehealth counseling in Jackson Michigan

You can also explore deeper root causes of burnout in therapy—such as internalized guilt, people-pleasing, or perfectionism. Many of us push ourselves too hard to cope with imposter syndrome or pressure to succeed. These inner dynamics can quietly fuel burnout, and therapy offers a space to unpack and work through them.

Therapy can also help you build realistic coping strategies and self-care routines that actually fit your current lifestyle—not just ideal ones. A therapist can help you set and maintain boundaries that protect your physical, emotional, and mental energy.

It’s also a space to reconnect with your values and needs. You’ll have support in figuring out whether your current routines, relationships, or work habits align with what truly matters to you.

If you’re feeling exhausted, stuck in survival mode, or unsure how to recharge—therapy can help you recover and find clarity.

I offer virtual therapy for burnout and anxiety from Jackson, MI and throughout the state of Michigan. If you’re looking for compassionate, practical support, let’s work together. Click here to set up a consultation or schedule your first appointment.

Resources

Courtney Thurston
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