What is social exhaustion?

Some people are highly extroverted and enjoy spending lots of time with their friends and family. However, for others, socializing can feel exhausting. Metaphorically, they have a very small “social battery” that gets drained faster than it does for others..

If you’re somebody who often feels depleted after spending time with others or you easily get overstimulated in busy, noisy environments, you’re not alone.  Others across the world feel this way, too.

Even if you don’t class yourself as an introvert, you might still be somebody who needs time to re-energize after social activities. Below, we have given you three top tips to avoid social exhaustion.

Recognize Your Preferences

The most important thing is recognizing your personal preferences. When you know how much time you can spend with others before you start to feel drained, you can plan your social activities accordingly.

For example, if you often feel depleted after three hours of socialization, plan activities that last less or leave before you’re completely drained.

Plan Relaxing Activities with Your Friends and Family

Often, social exhaustion can make you feel physically drained. Planning activities requiring a lot of physical exertion can make you feel worse.

Instead of planning a hike up the mountains or a gym session with your friends, consider planning a chilled date at the movies or a games night. By allowing your body to rest physically, it can allocate more energy to your brain, avoiding the feelings of social exhaustion.

Make People Aware of Your Situation

If you know you’re somebody who often feels exhausted after small amounts of social activity, let your friends and family know. This way, if you decide to head home after just an hour or two of social activities, they won’t be offended or confused by your actions.

Informing your friends of your social battery also means you can work together to find activities that don’t make you feel socially exhausted.