Understanding Energy Givers and Energy Takers When You Live With Anxiety
Finding balance between what drains and what restores your energy helps ease anxiety-related fatigue and bring a greater sense of calm.
When we think of anxiety, most people picture racing thoughts, restlessness, or tension. But many don’t realize that fatigue—mental and physical exhaustion—is also one of anxiety’s most common effects.
If you live with anxiety, your system works constantly to keep you safe. That effort takes real energy. Understanding what drains and what restores your energy can help you care for yourself more gently and begin to manage fatigue in a balanced, sustainable way.
Anxiety and the Energy Equation
When you live with anxiety, your body stays on alert — ready to respond to whatever might happen next. Stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline rise, muscles tighten, and your mind works overtime scanning for possible danger or mistakes.
Over time, this constant “on” state can leave you feeling drained and weary, even when you haven’t done anything physically demanding. It’s not weakness — it’s your body’s way of trying to protect you.
Restoring balance means gently noticing what depletes your energy and what helps you recharge. Understanding your own mix of energy takers and energy givers is a powerful step toward calm and renewal.
Energy Takers: What Drains You
Energy takers are the thoughts, habits, and situations that quietly use up your emotional, mental, or physical reserves. When anxiety is present, your system is already overworking — so even small stressors can feel heavy.
Common Energy Takers:
• Rumination, overthinking, perfectionism, information overload
• Poor sleep, skipped meals, dehydration, muscle tension
• People-pleasing, unresolved conflict, toxic relationships, cluttered or chaotic spaces
• Overworking, constant screen time, neglecting rest, lack of boundaries
When these accumulate, they create a cycle of exhaustion. You might notice feeling tired, unfocused, or emotionally flat — signs that your system is asking for restoration, not discipline.
Energy Givers: What Restores You
Energy givers are the activities, routines, and connections that help your mind and body recover. They send a signal of safety to your nervous system and help guide it out of the anxious “fight-or-flight” state into one of calm and renewal.
Common Energy Givers:
• Mindfulness, deep breathing, journaling, creative focus
• Rest, movement, nourishing food, hydration, gentle stretching
• Connection, laughter, compassion, gratitude
• Balanced routines, time in nature, saying “no” when needed, digital breaks
You don’t have to add them all at once. Start small — a mindful breath, a short walk, a tidy corner of your space. Over time, these simple choices help rebuild a sense of steadiness and vitality.
Fatigue as a Message, Not a Failure
Feeling tired doesn’t mean you’re weak or unmotivated. It simply means your mind and body have been working hard to keep you safe for a long time.
Fatigue is your system’s way of whispering, “I need rest and care.” It’s a signal, not a flaw — an invitation to pause, breathe, and restore what’s been depleted.
When you begin to notice what drains your energy and what helps you feel replenished, you can slowly start to rebuild balance — one calm, mindful choice at a time.
Gentle Reminder…
You don’t have to do it all at once. Healing from anxiety-related fatigue happens through small, gentle steps, taken at your own pace.
Each time you pause to breathe, stretch, or simply listen to what your body needs, you’re reminding your nervous system that it’s safe to rest. Those moments of care may seem simple, but they hold quiet power — helping you rebuild balance, one breath at a time.
Rovena Sondhaus, MA, LMHC, CTP
Sondhaus Counseling Services, LLC
