Mental Fatigue After Concussion: A Hidden Barrier to Recovery (and How We Can Help)
Cognitive Fatigue and Concussion
If you’ve had a concussion and find yourself feeling constantly drained—mentally exhausted after the smallest task—you’re not alone. Mental fatigue is one of the most common and disruptive post-concussion symptoms, and it often lingers long after physical symptoms have resolved.
What’s important to understand is this: mental fatigue isn’t just “feeling tired.” It’s like having a limited battery life that drains faster than it should. Reading an email, sitting through a meeting, or trying to recall words in conversation can feel like running a marathon. It’s invisible—but it affects everything.
In fact, mental fatigue behaves a lot like a chronic illness. It can impact:
Communication
Memory
Decision-making
Emotional regulation
Relationships
Your ability to return to work, school, or daily responsibilities
So What Can You Do About It?
At Back2You SLP, we use a systems-based approach to help clients manage and conserve their mental energy. Think of it as helping your brain learn to budget its energy more wisely, so it doesn’t crash halfway through the day.
We start with:
Mental energy conservation strategies
Custom routines and schedule design
Environmental modifications
Once fatigue is better managed, we introduce functional cognitive-communication training to help rebuild the specific skills that were impacted—like memory, word finding, planning, or following conversations.
These activities are personalized to your life—whether that’s work emails, managing your household, or preparing for a return to school or employment.
The Goal?
We help you get your energy back, reclaim your routines, and move forward with clarity.
You don’t have to live with mental fog and exhaustion. Recovery is possible—with the right strategies, support, and structure.
Call to Action:
If you or someone you love is still struggling with the mental side effects of a concussion, let’s talk. Our SLPs specialize in helping adults and teens manage mental fatigue and get back to the life they love.
