Decision Fatigue: Why Your Brain Feels Overloaded and How Somatic Practices Can Help

Feeling drained before you’ve even touched the choices that matter? Discover how nervous system and body-based practices can free up your energy for life’s bigger decisions.

Decision Fatigue

Why decision fatigue leaves you mentally drained

It’s barely 9am and you’ve already replied to three “urgent” messages, switched between four tabs, and tried to remember if you actually booked that meeting room. You haven’t even touched the decision that really matters today - and already your system feels heavy. By the time you get to the choices that could actually shape your future, you’re running on the scraps of your own energy.

We’re making decisions from the moment we wake up. Which messages to respond to first, what to prioritise at work when everything feels urgent, whether to attend an event or rest, which online course to commit to, what to eat for dinner… the list is endless.

Even when we think we’re “switching off” by scrolling on our phone or watching TV, our brain is still processing a huge amount of input. In fact, research shows we’re exposed to the equivalent of 34 gigabytes of information a day, that’s over 100,000 words, which our nervous system has to filter and respond to.

The mental load can creep in quietly until it becomes your baseline. And when your system is already working overtime, the bigger, more important decisions start to feel heavier than they should.

When small decisions impact the big ones

Decision fatigue isn’t just about feeling drained after a busy day. Over time, it can quietly erode your capacity to make choices that actually matter, the ones that could change your life.

When it’s time to focus your energy on a bigger, possibly life-changing decision, like stepping into a new role, changing career direction, or saying yes to a bold personal move, your system might already be so depleted it says “no” before you even start.

Why your system needs proof it’s safe to slow down

Decision fatigue isn’t only about the number of choices you make, it’s about the state you’re making them in. Your nervous system is built to scan for safety all day, every day. When the amount of input coming in is constant - messages, notifications, switching between tasks - your system has to process all of it at speed.

That constant demand keeps you in a mild stress response, because your body doesn’t distinguish between “I’m under pressure” and “I’m under threat.” To your system, the rapid-fire pace is a sign it needs to stay alert.

When you’re in that state, your brain prioritises fast, protective decisions over the slower, more thoughtful ones that shape your future. This is why, by the time you get to the choices that really matter, your energy is already depleted, and why your body needs repeated proof that it’s safe to pause, recover, and think clearly again.

Release. Regulate. Reclaim.

This is why I created my Release, Regulate, Reclaim method - the approach I use with clients to stop running on empty or overdrive and start making the bold decisions they’ve been putting off, from the body up.

Release

We begin by clearing the tension, mental clutter, and nervous system charge that’s quietly draining you. This can mean yin yoga to target stored tension, trauma, and unprocessed emotions in the fascia and connective tissues, or exploring and shifting old beliefs and thought patterns that are keeping you stuck. The goal is to create space, physically and mentally, so your system no longer feels like it’s making choices on borrowed energy.

Regulate

From there, we build a steady routine of nervous system practices that bring you back to a body-led sense of safety. Breathwork, somatic tools, and nervous system regulation techniques help you move out of survival states like fight, flight, fawn, or freeze. As your system learns it’s safe to slow down, big decisions stop feeling like a threat and start feeling like possibilities.

Reclaim

With your baseline restored, we focus on the choices that shape your next chapter. Through coaching, we get clear on what you really want, create a plan that feels right for you, and keep you accountable as you follow through. It’s about reclaiming the mental and emotional capacity to make aligned decisions and act on them with confidence.

You don’t need to change everything at once to feel a difference. Even small, intentional shifts can start freeing up the energy you need for the choices that matter.

Try it for yourself

Start by creating small daily pockets with minimal external input - no phone, no screens, no background noise. Your body might resist at first if it’s used to constant stimulation, but over time these pauses tell your system it’s safe to slow down.

From there, somatic practices can help you tune into your body and strengthen your mind–body connection. Decision fatigue isn’t just a mental overload, it’s also a physical state. When your body is tense, overstimulated, or stuck in a stress response, your brain interprets that as a reason to hold back. By working with the body, you restore the signals of safety your brain needs, and the choices you’ve been putting off start to feel lighter and more possible.

If you’ve never tried this before, or aren’t sure where to start, my 7 minute somatic practice for beginners is a great first step. Even a few minutes a day can help shift your decision-making from reactive to intentional.

Give your nervous system one dedicated hour a week to fully reset and notice how much more space you have for the decisions that shape your future. My weekly online Somatic Yin zoom class is a grounded space to regulate your system, create stillness, and rebuild the mental capacity for what matters most. You can find more info here.

If you know you’re ready to make a big change, we can work together one-to-one. We’ll release what’s been draining you, regulate your system, and reclaim your energy so you can act on the decisions that truly shape your next chapter. You can book your free discovery call here.