Overcoming Mental Fatigue

“Cognitive development is one of the most important, if not the most important, line of development.” - Bill Harris

Issue #488 – Monday, August 23, 2025

We’ve all had those days… 

The ones where your brain feels like it’s moving through mud.

You’re staring at your to-do list but you’re struggling to focus. Your energy is crashing and you just want to throw in the towel and go lie down.

Mental fatigue is real.

And it’s more than just being “tired.” 

It’s your brain’s way of making tough decisions about what’s worth your effort and what isn’t.

That’s why today I’m excited to share a special essay from Mind Power Managing Editor Ryan Standifird all about what’s actually happening in your brain when you hit a wall… 

…and how to more easily push through those moments with clarity, motivation and mental strength.

If you’ve ever wondered “Why do I quit when things get hard?” or “How can I stay focused when my brain wants to shut down?”...

This one’s for you.

Because the reality is, you’re much more capable than you realize.

Cheers,

MaryEllen Tribby
Centerpointe CEO

P.S.

Looking to take your meditation practice to a whole new level? Scroll down to our Check it Out section below to learn how epsilon brainwaves will take you to the edge of conscious awareness.

Understanding & Overcoming Mental Fatigue
(What Happens When Your Brain Gets Tired?)

By Ryan Standifird

When was the last time you felt mentally exhausted?

Maybe it was after a long game of Scrabble.

Or perhaps you pulled an all-nighter to get a project done before the deadline.

Or maybe you recently went over your finances and created a plan to get out of debt.

Whatever the case, there was likely a moment where you had to take a breath, recenter yourself, and push on despite feeling like you’d rather give up and do something else.

It’s this moment of perseverance in the face of adversity that scientists say is the key to whether you succeed or fail when presented with difficult challenges.

But what exactly is happening in the brain during these moments? Is there a part of the brain responsible for our mental fortitude and ability to overcome our mental fatigue?

The Perseverance Parts of the Brain

In a recent study from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, scientists took a deep dive into the brain to find out what happens when we’re pushed to our mental limits.

The participants in the study were all told that they would be given $50 for participating in the study which consisted of playing a mental game that would challenge their working memory. They would also receive bonuses between $1-8 per correct answer they gave during the game depending on how difficult the round was.

The participants were then hooked up to sensitive EEG brain mapping technology, and the games began. They were asked to memorize a series of letters, and then were asked about certain letters in sequence.

This mind-game was designed specifically to exhaust the working memory of the brain, leading to the same conditions of mental exhaustion you might face when doing your taxes or tackling a difficult problem for a prolonged period of time.

So - what did they find?

Two specific parts of the brain increased more than 2x their normal activity level during this experiment:

The Right Insula: An area deep in the brain that has been associated with self-regulating emotions like pain, thirst, hunger and fatigue. It’s also believed to play a role in the amount of effort a person believes they are exerting, meaning it’s also related to risk-taking and even empathy.

The Dorsal Lateral Prefrontal Cortex (DLPFC): A region in the frontal lobe of the brain vital for higher-order cognitive functions like working memory, planning, and executive control. This area is essential for goal-directed behavior, enabling us to maintain focus, process information, and adapt to new situations.

Is it Worth the Effort?

The right insula and the DLPFC work together to determine how you respond when your mental energy is pushed to the limit.

The right insula tells you that you’re tired. It is the warning bell that is focused on survival, letting you know that this activity is using up resources and causing pain.

The DLPFC, on the other hand, is weighing whether or not that temporary pain is worth persevering through. What’s on the other side of this activity? Is it worth it?

It’s no wonder that during the experiment, the scientists saw that the more money was offered as a reward, the more likely the participants were to push through their mental exhaustion and keep going. 

That’s a sign that the DLPFC is overriding the right insula. The cash prize for a correct answer was worth the effort it took to memorize the letters, and was enough incentive to push through the fatigue.

How to Overcome Mental Fatigue

If there’s one thing to take away from this study, it’s that we have the potential to push through mental fatigue. 

The key lies in the DLPFC’s ability to override our right insula.

As long as we know that the effort and strain of the moment will pay off in the long run, it helps us keep going despite discomfort and exhaustion.

So with that in mind, here are three tips to help you push through mental exhaustion.

1. Believe that you can succeed. Otherwise, your DLPFC won’t think that the effort is worth the discomfort. Even saying the words, “I can do this,” or “This is worth it,” out loud to yourself can make a huge difference in your confidence.

2. Focus on the goal, not the obstacle. The DLPFC is all about the reward you get at the end. If you lose sight of the goal, your DLPFC may give up. Try to visualize what reaching that goal looks like - what it feels like. That will help keep you locked in when you start to get tired.

3. Take a strategic break (but don’t lose momentum). Mental fatigue doesn’t always mean you need to stop completely. It just means your brain needs to rest. A short, intentional break (like taking a short walk, drinking a glass of water or taking some deep, mindful breaths) can reduce insula activity and give your DLPFC the space to refocus.

The Perks of Meditation

By the way, did you know that you can gain a major advantage in these situations just by having a daily meditation practice?

Meditation - especially with Holosync - strengthens the prefrontal cortex, including the DLPFC. 

That means that those who meditate are at an advantage when it comes to pushing through mental fatigue. 

Plus, meditators can more easily visualize their goals, their self-talk is often more confident, and with a little breathing exercise, they can get the most out of even a short break.

And if you really want to supercharge your mental fortitude, there’s one Holosync suite that was designed specifically for this.

It’s called Ultra Focus & Flow State Performance, and it has everything you need to boost mental performance, breath work, and even helps you harness the power of flow states.

You can check it out right here if you’re interested.

So the next time you feel worn out, mentally tired and are thinking of giving up, ask yourself…

Is the result worth the effort?

Because the truth is, you’re more resilient than you think.

Wise Words

“As long as we know that the effort and strain of the moment will pay off in the long run, it helps us keep going despite discomfort and exhaustion.”
- Ryan Standifird

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