Trying to tackle your workout goals after a nine-to-five job is a mistake, say UK scientists who found that mental fatigue causes you to tire more quickly during physical exercise.
In their study on 16 mentally-fatigued adults, tired minds did not change how the subjects' muscles and cardiovascular system worked, but rather the men and women's perceived exhaustion overruled their physical senses.
The findings, published in the Journal of Applied Physiology, concluded that when you hit the gym with a dead-tired brain, you'll subconsciously cut about 15 percent off of your routine.
The study's authors highlight two contributing factors: Mental fatigue lowers the brain's inhibition against quitting, and perhaps mental fatigue affects dopamine, a brain chemical known to play a role in motivation and effort
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