“Fatigue is another word for extreme exhaustion of both mental and physical strength,” says psycho-therapist Salma Prabhu. You feel you can’t go on or even talk to anyone. Short breaks don’t help; you need to take a longer one.
Mental fatigue is caused by any prolonged activity along with high levels of stress and emotions. It is seen among individuals who work on tight deadlines for long durations and carry out tasks that require continuous attention and effort. It results in mistakes, affects decision making skills and drops performance drastically.
One can prevent fatigue by defining limits and sticking to them. If you know the physical and mental threshold of work is say, eight hours, and include music, a walk or reading, then fatigue will rarely set in. People who exercise regularly, meditate, practise yoga and pranayama hardly experience fatigue. Many offices have soft music in the background, gym or cafeteria, all of which help alleviate stress.
SURE-FIRE CURE
Do these once a week.
Get a massage and listen to soothing music
Eat light and go for a brisk walk to pump up the blood circulation
Avoid phone calls
SCENT FOR HELP
Cut open, peel or inhale the aroma of citrus fruits such as lemon, orange or lime between tasks. Carry rosemary, lavender, tulsi or lemon grass in cloth sachets or crush them and inhale deeply. Dab eucalyptus oil on a handkerchief, or crush leaves by hand and inhale. Keep a bunch of jasmine, roses and champa near your workspace.
YOGA TO THE RESCUE
Under pressure, lactic acid accumulates around our neck. Exercise frees up the nervous system in this area, since all the nerves branch out from the base of the neck.
Rotate your neck clockwise and anti-clockwise.
Sit cross-legged on the floor.
Drop your neck forward, with your chin touching your chest roll to your left, then drop your head back, roll to the right and come back to the starting position. Repeat in anti-clockwise motion. Do five to six sets of the same.
To relieve tired collar muscles, rest your hands on your thighs and roll your shoulders front to back and then back to front. Repeat five to six times.
The lower back feels the strain if you are on your feet for too long. Twisting it flexes the spine. Lie on your back and pull your knees up. Drop your knees to the left such that the left knee touches the floor and the right thigh and knee rest on it. Drop your head to the right side, make sure that your hands are near your ears. Count till seven and change direction. Repeat three times for each side.
The energy regeneration point is in the middle of the inside of the right forearm. Press, roll and pump it with your left thumb to energise it.
