It is generally accepted that physical labor is more complex and tedious than mental. In fact, a person after a hard day in the office feels the same fatigue, as if he worked physically. It is worthwhile to understand why the body reacts like this?
Why does fatigue occur?
Regardless of the type of fatigue, it is associated with the nervous system. That is why physical and mental fatigue are very similar in sensations. When a person is engaged in physical work for a long time, he has changes in the central nervous system, as well as in muscle tissue. Throughout the entire labor process, the brain sends signals through which various movements are performed. A person, of course, does not notice this, all actions occur automatically. However, even for minimal finger movement, the brain requires an appropriate command.
During mental work, the body usually has to stay in the same position for a long time. Because of this, fatigue of the skeletal muscles of a static type occurs. Also in parts of the body that do not move, stagnation of blood and fluid contained in tissues occurs. This is what causes a feeling of physical fatigue. In this way, fatigue does not depend on the nature of the work donebut may differ in symptoms.
When a person gets tired, regardless of the reason, his work efficiency decreases and this is quite normal. If the work was physical, muscle endurance, an indicator of strength, decreases, weakness occurs in the body.Also, coordination of movements is deteriorating, and the body begins to spend more resources on performing the same actions.
With mental stress, the brain suffers first. He begins to process incoming information more slowly. It is becoming increasingly difficult for a person to remember, concentrate on one thing and switch between different tasks. Theoretical material is poorly absorbed, which should be especially familiar to every student.
The relationship between fatigue and fatigue
Fatigue is a constant companion of fatigue, but these are different concepts. Fatigue is a natural, normal reaction of the body to any load. Fatigue - a mental experience of a person that appears due to fatigue.
Interesting fact: Fatigue is a feeling that does not always correspond to the actual fatigue of the body. For example, if the work is interesting or there is a strong motivation, fatigue is felt much less. And vice versa - awareness of the meaninglessness of occupation and other factors make you feel even more tired, although in fact the body is still ready to work.
It would seem that fatigue is a negative experience that only aggravates the state of the body. In fact, it is of great benefit, namely, it lets a person know that exhaustion is approaching and it is time to stop working. With its help, overvoltage and its consequences are avoided. Fatigue also triggers recovery processes in the body and helps to quickly return to normal.Therefore, it is very important not to ignore this feeling, but at least take a break.
Interesting fact: if a person during mental activity rereads the same fragments of the text several times, runs through the eyes of a sentence without understanding the content, painfully reacts to previously invisible sounds and finds it difficult to write smoothly and accurately, it means that there is a strong overwork. Need an urgent rest.
Fatigue of any kind is associated with nervous exhaustion of the body. In the course of mental work, a person often resides in one pose. As a result, there is a decrease in the functionality of static muscles, stagnation of fluid in tissues and blood in those parts of the body that have remained motionless for a long time. Therefore, fatigue is similar to physical.
