Mental Exhaustion and Physical Training

For numerous individuals, physical activity serves as an effective means of detaching from daily life. Regular exercise sessions allow people to temporarily forget about work, school, and other responsibilities. Scientific research confirms the positive impact of physical activity on memory, the ability to acquire knowledge and learn new skills, as well as on overall well-being (K. Dyrla-Mularczyk, W. Giemza-Urbanowicz 2019; B. Gieroba 2019). Physical activity exhibits a protective effect on the area related to memory and the formation of cognitive functions. A study conducted on 138 individuals over the age of 50 demonstrated that the implementation of regular physical activity contributed to an improvement in cognitive functions (N. T. Lautenschlager et al. 2008). A meta-analysis from 2011 revealed that training sessions have an influence on the improvement of memory, concentration, and information processing speed in healthy individuals. Furthermore, in a group of older participants who engaged in aerobic exercise, an improvement in spatial memory was observed (J. E. Ahlskog et al. 2011). Polish researchers conducted an experiment in 2014 on individuals of middle and advanced age, which demonstrated that regular physical activity has a positive impact on visual and working memory. Additionally, active individuals were characterized by better attention control than the group that did not engage in sports (D. Łojko et al. 2014).

There are individuals for whom physical activity is a top priority, particularly professional athletes, athletes from various disciplines, and amateur athletes who take training and competitions very seriously. Many people are unaware that in order to achieve results, it is important not only to exercise but also to focus on the mental aspect. Therefore, mental exhaustion can often have a significant impact on the performance of a person's training. In 2020, a study was conducted on 9 physically active men on Instagram. The aim of the study was to determine whether mental exhaustion reaches such a level that the social burden of performing physical activity through action and the brain through the experience of brain performance is achieved. In 2020, however, an Instagram survey was also conducted on 9 physically active men. The study also aimed to determine how much fatigue of a group reaches the level of fitness after performing physical activity and mental performance can be achieved without the results of physical exercise. In 2022, however, a study was also conducted that showed that 16% of people who participate in physical activity may be affected by mental health tests and psychological tests. In another test, the impact of mental exhaustion resulting from the use of social media on training volume was evaluated. The study involved 16 adult individuals who were engaged in recreational activities. Their task was to perform squats using a Smith machine (80% 15RM to failure). Some of the participants used social media for 30 minutes, while the rest watched a documentary film. The results showed that the first group had a higher degree of fatigue and achieved a lower training volume than the group that watched the documentary film (P. Gantois and colleagues, 2021). Current research suggests that frequent use of social media can contribute to mental exhaustion, which can lead to a decline in results during training. Of course, this does not mean that one should completely abandon technology and social media, but it is worth limiting the time spent on the internet, especially during training time. Mental exhaustion caused by tasks performed at work or school should not be underestimated either - it can also affect the results.

Nonprofessional sports enthusiasts should consider the topic of mental fatigue and its impact on training outcomes as a fascinating piece of information, while for professional athletes, this information can be extremely valuable. It is worth noting that a break of 1-2 hours between intellectual strain and training should reduce the negative impact of fatigue on performance during training. However, if one is heavily dependent on caffeine and training can only be carried out during a break at work or immediately following its completion, there is one technique that can contribute to reducing mental fatigue and improving training results – taking a dose of caffeine.