By If you feel extra wiped out after a night out with your mates, I feel you.
Sometimes socialising, no matter how fun it is, can leave you feeling incredibly drained and in need of a holiday. But why is that? Sure, you might’ve gone too hard on the alcohol or be in a carb coma from the pizza and chips you picked up on the way home, but there’s likely more than that going on.
1. You’re an introvert trying to keep up with extrovert energy.
If you’re more of a quiet soul, keeping up with chatty Cathys can be knackering. By the end of the night, you’re ready to plug in and recharge — alone. And let’s be honest, the thought of your cosy bed and a good book starts to sound way more appealing than another round of small talk.
2. You’re playing a role instead of being yourself.
Putting on your ‘social face’ and pretending to be super outgoing when you’re not is exhausting. Plus, you might start to forget who you really are under all that pretending. Your friends like YOU, not whatever version of yourself you’re presenting on a night out.
3. You’re surrounded by energy vampires.
Some people just suck the life out of you — they’re always moaning, gossiping, or demanding attention. After a few hours with these types, you feel like you’ve donated three pints of blood and run a 10k. You might even catch yourself daydreaming about a nice, quiet evening with your houseplants — at least they don’t complain about their ex for hours on end!
4. You’re overthinking every interaction.
If you’re spending the whole night worrying about what you said, how you looked, or what other people think of you, no wonder you’re knackered! By the time you get home, you’ve probably rewound and replayed every conversation in your head about a dozen times.
5. You’re not setting boundaries.
Saying yes to every invite, staying out later than you want, or letting conversations go on forever? That’s a one-way ticket to Burnout City, population: you. It’s okay to call it a night when you’ve had enough. It’s okay (and even healthy) to say no sometimes, you know!
6. You’re dealing with sensory overload.
Loud music, bright lights, lots of people talking at once — it can be a bit much. If you’re sensitive to this stuff, social situations can feel like you’re stuck inside a pinball machine. By the end of the night, you’re probably fantasising about a spell in a sensory deprivation tank.
7. You’re not actually enjoying yourself.
If you’re not having a good time, socialising feels like work, and who wants to do overtime at the office of awkward small talk? No wonder you’re tired — you’ve been clocking in hours at a job you don’t even like! The worst part is that you can’t even put it on your CV.
8. You’re trying to please everyone.
Being everyone’s best mate, therapist, and entertainment committee all at once is just too much. You don’t have to be a master of every single social skill — it’s okay to just be you. Besides, if you keep this up, you’ll end up burning out.
9. You’re out of practice.
If you’ve been flying solo for a while, suddenly diving back into the social pool can feel like you’ve forgotten how to swim. It’s normal to feel a bit worn out as you build up your social stamina again. Take it slow and give yourself a bit of grace.
10. You’re not eating or drinking right.
Skipping meals to ‘save room’ for drinks, or knocking back too many energy drinks to keep up, is going to confuse your body. No wonder you feel like rubbish the next day. Your stomach’s probably wondering if it’s been fired from its job of digesting actual food.
11. You’re comparing yourself to other people.
Playing the “my life vs. their life” game all night is exhausting. Cut it out! Remember, everyone else is probably too busy worrying about themselves to notice if your shoes match your bag.
12. You’re neglecting your own needs.
Ignoring your need for a bit of quiet time, a snack, or even just a wee because you don’t want to miss out means your body’s probably giving you the side-eye right now. If you keep ignoring those signals, your body might just stage a protest — and trust me, you don’t want to be around when that happens!
13. You’re multitasking like mad.
Trying to chat, check your phone, keep an eye on your mates, and scope out the room all at once is a lot for your brain to juggle. No wonder you’re tired! At this rate, you’ll either develop superhuman powers or a massive headache — and the odds aren’t in favour of the superpowers.
14. You’re not giving yourself time to recover.
If you’re going from one social thing to another without a breather, you’re gonna crash eventually. It’s like trying to drive a car without ever stopping for petrol. Give yourself a pit stop sometimes! Your future self will thank you for not turning into a cranky, sleep-deprived zombie.
