Spanish psychiatrist Marian Rojas Estapé claims daily exhaustion stems from decision fatigue, not just work, as each choice drains mental energy.
Spanish psychiatrist discusses decision fatigue
Spanish psychiatrist Marian Rojas Estapé stated in late September 2026 on the program COPE that a significant part of daily exhaustion does not come from work but from the number of choices individuals have to make. Each decision, even minor, consumes mental energy that the brain struggles to replenish during the day.Brain region involved in decision-making
The decisional fatigue she describes would primarily affect the prefrontal cortex, the brain region responsible for control and reasoning. This area is crucial for making deliberate choices and managing complex tasks.Mental energy and daily decisions
Making a decision demands effort from the brain. Each deliberate decision mobilizes the prefrontal cortex, the region that weighs pros and cons, inhibits impulses, and plans. However, this area works with limited energy, which the thousands of micro-decisions of a day gradually deplete, from morning clothing choices to messages to send.Effects of decision fatigue
When the load becomes too low, the quality of decisions declines. Instead of choosing, the fatigued brain makes random decisions, postpones, or follows the easiest option. According to the psychiatrist, this is when everyone slips into their "worst version," one person getting angry over trivial matters, another emptying the refrigerator.Scientific debate and common experience
However, the model is debated, as some studies struggle to reproduce the effect measured in the laboratory, but the experience of a waning clarity in the evening is widely shared. Many people report feeling less capable of making good choices as the day progresses.
