05/20/2026
Hey! Melissa here!
You say you’re exhausted, and I believe you feel exhausted. But what if I asked you “are you actually exhausted, or are you fatigued?”
They sound the same but there’s a [big] difference.
We’re seeing “fatigue” show up way more often, being confused with “tired” or “exhausted”.
Fatigue is that emotional and psychological drain that doesn’t go away with rest. And more and more, we’re seeing screens play a role in that.
There is a consistent negative correlation between time spent on devices and mental health. Across ages and genders: kiddos, youth, and adults, and all genders. The more time we spend on screens, the more our mental health declines.
And yet, on average, people are spending 5+ hours a day on their devices.
I cannot stress enough: we were not meant to live this way.
We’re normalizing disengagement by spending our days on screens, disconnected, and then coming home to “veg out” because we can’t take anymore (enter fatigue). But, we haven’t actually connected with another human being all day. We haven’t moved our bodies, been present, or had meaningful interactions.
It takes a toll, because it’s unnatural.
So, with that, I’ll ask you “are you exhausted/tired, or are you fatigued?”
And if it’s possibly fatigue, more rest isn’t the solution. “More connection” is the solution.
Take good care!
Melissa
