Prachi Mandholia
14-Aug-2025
What should you do when healthy living becomes too much?
Inputs by: Prachi Mandholia, Clinical Nutritionist
We all know the basics of a healthy lifestyle, i.e., eat clean, stay active, sleep well, take your supplements, and drink plenty of water. But what happens when doing all the “right” things starts to feel exhausting instead of empowering?
In today’s world, wellness is everywhere. From social media feeds filled with green juices and sunrise workouts and endless health tips online to the numerous posts suggesting you take a spa vacation, it’s easy to feel like you’re not doing enough even when you’re already doing a lot. This constant pressure to be perfect in your wellness routine can lead to something known as wellness fatigue.
What Is Wellness Fatigue?
Wellness fatigue is a feeling of burnout that comes from trying too hard to live a “perfectly healthy” life. Instead of feeling more energised and balanced in your rejuvenation journey, you feel drained—physically, mentally, and emotionally. Health starts to feel more like a job than a lifestyle.
You may be experiencing wellness fatigue if:
It’s not just physical tiredness; it’s the emotional pressure of trying to keep up with unrealistic wellness standards.
Why Does Wellness Fatigue Happen?
There are a few key reasons why so many people end up overwhelmed by their wellness goals:
1. Too Much Pressure
There’s an endless stream of advice out there: start your day with lemon water, eliminate carbs, meditate daily, avoid sugar, go on a holistic retreat, track every step... the list goes on. The sheer volume of wellness rules can be overwhelming, and trying to follow them all can feel impossible.
2. Social Media Comparison
Scrolling through perfectly curated posts of people sharing their clean meals, gym selfies, and morning rituals can create a false sense of reality. It’s easy to compare yourself and feel like you’re falling behind even when you’re putting in real effort. It’s important to remember that social media is just a highlight reel, not the full picture.
3. All-or-Nothing Thinking
Many of us fall into the trap of believing that if we can’t follow our health plan perfectly, we’ve failed. This mindset can lead to frustration, guilt, and eventually burnout. In reality, health is built on small, consistent steps, not perfection.
(In Image: Prachi Mandholia, Clinical Nutritionist)
When Health Becomes a Burden
The purpose of a healthy lifestyle is to feel better, not more stressed. If your health habits are making you anxious, guilty, or isolated, it’s time to step back and reassess. Maybe you’ve skipped social events to avoid eating out. Or felt guilty for taking a day off from the gym. Or pushed through a workout even when your body was asking for rest. These are signs that health has started to become a burden instead of a support system. This isn’t wellness; it’s burnout disguised as discipline.
How to Deal with Wellness Fatigue
If you’re feeling mentally or physically drained from trying to be too healthy, you’re not alone. Here are some practical ways to bring balance back into your life:
1. Go Back to Basics
You don’t need fancy routines or expensive supplements to be healthy. Focus on simple, nourishing home-cooked meals. Move your body in ways you enjoy, whether that’s dancing, walking, or yoga. Prioritise good sleep and hydration. These basics truly work, and they don’t require perfection.
2. Listen to Your Body
Your body knows what it needs. If you're tired, rest. If you're hungry, eat. If your current routine no longer feels good, give yourself permission to change it. You don’t need to follow rigid rules that no longer serve you.
3. Let Go of Perfection
It’s okay to miss a workout or enjoy dessert. Health isn’t all or nothing. What matters is showing up consistently and treating yourself with kindness. Progress is not about doing everything right; it's about doing what's sustainable.
4. Limit Wellness Content
Unfollow social media accounts or content that make you feel anxious or inadequate. Instead, follow people who talk about balance, flexibility, and real life. Your feed should inspire you, not pressure you.
5. Make Space for Joy
Wellness includes joy. Laugh with your friends, sleep in when you need to, and eat your favourite foods without guilt. Not everything in life needs to be productive. Mental well-being is just as important as physical health.
True wellness is meant to support your life, not control it. If your health routine is leaving you more tired than energised, it’s okay to pause, reflect, and reset.
You don’t have to follow every trend or stick to a perfect plan. Health is personal and it should feel good. The goal isn’t to do everything. It’s to do what works for you, consistently and kindly.
Let go of the idea that you need to be perfect. Trust your body, trust the process, and remember: balance is always better than burnout.
Cover Credits: Pexels
