Rethinking Energy: What Actually Helps When You’re Feeling Drained

By Dr. Devon Redmond, Modern Psychology

If energy were simply a matter of sleep or mindset, most people wouldn’t be struggling. Yet many high-functioning, motivated adults feel persistently drained, mentally tired, emotionally flat, or exhausted in ways that don’t resolve with rest.

Psychological research suggests an important reframe: energy isn’t just a physical resource, it’s a cognitive and emotional one. How we think, decide, worry, and engage with our lives plays a major role in how energized we feel.

Here are evidence-based strategies psychologists use to help people improve energy levels without pushing themselves toward burnout.

1. Reduce Mental Load, Not Just Physical Fatigue

We tend to think exhaustion comes from doing too much. Often, it comes from thinking too much—replaying conversations, managing unspoken expectations, or carrying unfinished tasks in our heads.

Research on cognitive load shows that uncontained mental effort quietly drains energy throughout the day.

What helps:

• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) techniques that interrupt rumination

• Externalizing thoughts and tasks instead of mentally tracking them

• Simplifying decisions through routines and defaults

When the mind has fewer open loops, energy often returns.

2. Manage Stress by Creating Real Opportunities to Reset

Stress isn’t the problem. Uninterrupted stress is.

When the nervous system stays activated without regular pauses, fatigue becomes the norm rather than the exception. The goal isn’t to eliminate stress, but to build in reliable moments of relief that signal safety to the body.

Evidence-based strategies include:

• Short, consistent relaxation practices (even 5 minutes helps)

• Mindfulness approaches shown to reduce stress-related fatigue

• Structuring the day to alternate effort with genuine rest, not just screen time

Energy improves when the body knows it doesn’t have to stay on high alert all day.

3. Treat Low Energy as a Clue, Not a Character Flaw

Low energy can be linked to depression, anxiety, burnout, and ADHD. In these cases, fatigue isn’t a motivation issue, it’s information.

Psychological treatment can improve energy by:

• Reducing depressive symptoms that flatten drive and pleasure

• Calming anxiety-driven hypervigilance that keeps the body tense

• Supporting executive functioning when planning and initiation feel exhausting

When mental health improves, energy often follows.

4. Act First, Feel Energized Later

Waiting to feel motivated before acting is intuitive, and often counterproductive. Behavioral activation research shows that energy is frequently the result of engagement, not the prerequisite.

This doesn’t mean forcing productivity. It means:

• Starting with small, meaningful actions

• Prioritizing activities that provide interest or connection

• Letting momentum build gradually instead of expecting a surge

Action creates energy more reliably than motivation does.

5. Spend Energy on What Matters, Not Just What’s Expected

One of the most overlooked drains on energy is misalignment. People often feel exhausted not because they’re doing too much, but because they’re doing too much that doesn’t matter to them.

Research from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) shows that acting in line with personal values increases vitality, even when stress remains present.

Helpful questions include:

• Which activities give me energy, even if they’re effortful?

• Where am I using energy to meet expectations that aren’t mine?

• What would “enough” look like if I stopped optimizing?

Meaning is a powerful, and often underestimated, energy source.

6. Rule Out Medical Causes, Then Address the Psychological Ones

Fatigue can be influenced by medical conditions such as thyroid issues, anemia, or sleep disorders. When medical contributors are ruled out or treated, psychological factors often remain central.

A comprehensive approach includes:

• Medical evaluation when appropriate

• Therapy for stress, mood, trauma, or burnout

• Behavioral changes grounded in research

Energy improves most when we stop treating exhaustion as a personal failure.

When Low Energy Is a Sign to Get Support

You might benefit from working with a psychologist if:

• Fatigue persists despite adequate sleep

• You feel tired but mentally “on” all the time

• Burnout or perfectionism is driving exhaustion

• Motivation feels inaccessible rather than absent

Therapy can help uncover what’s draining your energy, and how to restore it in sustainable ways.

A Final Thought

Energy isn’t something you squeeze out of yourself. It’s something you design your life to support.

Small, evidence-based changes in how you think, act, and allocate effort can lead to meaningful improvements, without pushing harder or doing more.