Feeling Drained? 4 Signs You Need A Break

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Blame it on hustle culture or our belief in our invincibility; we’ve grown desensitized to the messages our bodies send us, like urging us to take a break.

This could be because we’ve been conditioned from a young age to ignore our bodies’ cues, said Jennifer King, an assistant professor in applied social sciences and the assistant director at the Center on Trauma and Adversity at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, in an interview with TIME. And this conditioning makes it easier to overlook critical signs that appear when dealing with extended, repetitive, or unpredictable stress. When the stress response is continuously activated, it triggers a series of changes in our bodies. If the stress becomes overwhelming, it can significantly affect our physical health.

So, what are some indicators that our bodies are in distress?

Mood fluctuations  

Are you feeling more downcast than usual? On top of that, do you experience heightened anxiety and struggle with memory? If you haven’t allowed yourself a break and feel like you might need one, these emotional changes are a clear signal from your body.

Unabated stress can rob you of the joy you once found in activities you loved. If you’ve put off reading a book you were excited about or have lost interest in any hobby or project, it might be a sign that something is not right.

These emotional changes can happen because basic self-care, such as maintaining a healthy diet or getting regular exercise, is the first to go when we are in dire need of a break. You may also feel overwhelmed, as though everything is piling up around you. You might also find it difficult to make even simple decisions due to the overwhelming pressure you feel.

Feeling more irritable  

Have you noticed an increase in stress affecting your interactions with others? Perhaps you’ve been feeling more irritable lately, snapping at coworkers or honking your horn in frustration at drivers. Wanting to be alone, especially if this behavior isn’t typical for you, might indicate increased stress.

If someone close to you points out your mood changes, try not to react defensively. Friends and family are often the first to recognize the early warning signs of emotional strain.

Frequent colds  

In an interview with TIME, Ashley Fields, a therapist based in Indianapolis who focuses on women’s issues and perinatal mental health, discussed how stress can impact various bodily systems. Studies indicate that stress may compromise the immune system, leading to an increase in illness. This is because prolonged stress keeps the body in a constant state of heightened alertness.

Digestive and sleep problems  

Digestive and sleep problems often arise from exhaustion and stress. When someone is fatigued, they may struggle with an upset stomach, constipation, or indigestion, and their appetite can fluctuate, leading to weight gain or loss. Furthermore, stress contributes to muscle tightness, which may result in headaches, jaw discomfort, and pain in the back and shoulders.

Sleep patterns can also be impacted. It’s common to feel more fatigued than usual, or even if sleep seems adequate, waking up may still leave you feeling drained. Both signs indicate it might be time to prioritize rest.

What happens if you don’t take a break for a long time?  

When we get caught up in our routines and responsibilities, we often develop a narrow perspective on life, which can lead to our bodies signaling a need for rest, Dr. Christopher Thompson, a Harvard Medical School professor and co-director at the Center for Weight Management and Wellness at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, told TIME. Ignoring these signals can result in many health issues.

To understand why, think about how we respond to perceived threats: we enter a fight-or-flight state, triggering our adrenal glands to release hormones like cortisol and adrenaline. This cortisol prompts our tissues to release glucose into the bloodstream, providing energy for running away or fighting. At the same time, insulin production decreases, and blood vessels constrict. This reaction is suitable for short-term crises, such as an emergency where immediate action is necessary.

However, when this state of heightened alertness persists for weeks, months, or even years, we fail to recuperate from the spikes in cortisol, leading to a chronic condition that adversely affects our health. For example, studies show that prolonged stress can lead to various health issues, like hypertension, heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, and arthritis.

The timeframe for how long stress affects an individual differs; the real issue is how long it takes to recognize we’re under stress.

Another significant consequence of chronic stress is weight gain. As Thompson notes, high levels of cortisol can elevate blood sugar and disrupt insulin levels, which may contribute to the accumulation of belly fat and overall weight increase.

Additionally, cortisol can deteriorate muscle tissue, resulting in a slower metabolism. According to Thompson, it’s logical to conclude that consistently high cortisol levels are linked to several health concerns, including weight gain, insulin resistance, and high blood pressure. The timeframe for how long stress affects an individual differs; however, the real issue, according to Thompson, is how long it takes to recognize we’re under stress.

What to do  

While taking a break can seem like a luxury, especially with our many obligations, it doesn’t always have to involve taking a vacation. Fields suggests that it can be as simple as taking a moment each day to reflect on your feelings and needs. This pause can be as quick as 30 seconds; the key is to incorporate this practice into your daily routine. Fields says that this practice helps you gauge your well-being, and tracking this information can lead to meaningful changes in your lifestyle.

If you sense that your body is signaling a need for a break, don’t stress about it. You don’t have to take a week off or request a sabbatical to find relief. You can commit to daily downtime, like turning off your phone for five minutes, calling someone you love, or writing in a journal. Even a few deep breaths can already have a significant impact. Every little pause, no matter how brief, can make a difference.

These small breaks work because they allow you to recover from stress spikes. So, intentionally sprinkle these small breaks throughout your day to help your body process everything you’ve encountered. It’s about nurturing or energizing yourself to return to a baseline state and prepare for whatever comes next.