Wellness Fatigue: When Self-Care Becomes Self-Sabotage

When my friend signed up for her third “transformative” wellness retreat in less than a year, she was already telling me how tired she felt. Not physically, at least not yet, but worn down in some deeper way. Spiritually knackered, as she put it. Like she was chasing some ever-moving target called better and losing ground with every step.

It began with meditation and cold-pressed juices. Then came yoga, intermittent fasting, and four different styles of breathwork. One day, she finally admitted, “I’m not getting healthier. I’m getting exhausted.”

I knew exactly what she meant. When feeling good becomes another thing to optimise, wellness stops being healing and starts feeling like another job.

Wellness Fatigue: Yes, It’s a Thing

Let’s be clear: I’m not dismissing the core idea of wellness. The pursuit of better health, be it physical, mental or emotional, is deeply valid. And along with many of my friends even I’ve been all in. In the past year alone, I’ve tracked my sleep, juiced, detoxed, journaled, swapped out gluten, cut caffeine (twice), and paid good money for a supplement that promised to recalibrate my nervous system.

And still, I’m tired.

This isn’t unique to me. Wellness has become a full-blown industry juggernaut, currently valued at $6.3 trillion globally (2023) and projected to hit $9 trillion by 2028. To meet that demand, brands have flooded the market with an ever-evolving mix of must-try fixes from biohacking tools, adaptogens, IV drips, to goat yoga (yes, still a thing), all of them presented as essential to modern self-care.

Dr Pooja Lakshmin, psychiatrist and author of Real Self-Care, who's a clinical assistant professor at George Washington University School of Medicine and also a New York Times contributor, describes this tension as “faux self-care”, acts that look healthy but are actually driven by guilt or aesthetics. In an interview on NPR’s Code Switch, she explained:

“You can’t meditate yourself out of a 40-hour work week with no childcare and no paid sick days.”

Her point? Real self-care isn’t about adding more to your plate; it’s about reclaiming autonomy and making value-based decisions, not just buying more wellness products.

But somewhere along the way, the message shifted. Wellness stopped being about feeling well and became about doing more. It’s not enough to eat healthily; you need a meal plan tailored to your gut microbiome. It's not enough to rest; you should track your sleep stages via wearable tech. It's not enough to take a break; you must take an ice bath and post about it.

In India, this fatigue is becoming increasingly visible too. While there’s limited hard data on “wellness fatigue” specifically, the cultural signals are loud and clear: an explosion of boutique fitness studios, wellness resorts, and alternative therapies catering to a hyper-optimised, urban lifestyle. The same people doubling down on wellness routines are also reporting rising stress levels, decision fatigue, and burnout from keeping up with the very practices meant to help them slow down.

Wellness, in its modern commercial form, has become a paradox: a path to peace that demands constant participation. And eventually, the constant pursuit of health starts to feel a lot like another form of stress.

What Science Says Actually Works

Rather than adding yet another ritual, here’s what research supports: straightforward, accessible habits that actually reduce fatigue.

1. Eat Whole, Unprocessed Foods

Studies find that diets rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and nuts, rather than ultra-processed foods, are associated with better mood, reduced anxiety, and improved energy. Even modest dietary shifts help stabilise blood sugar and reduce inflammation, which in turn supports resilience.

2. Choose Moderate, Regular Movement

Analysis of numerous trials shows that low-to-moderate exercise, such as walking, gentle cycling, or yoga, can significantly reduce fatigue and boost vitality. Strenuous sessions are fine occasionally, but restoring your energy means moving in comfort, not going full throttle every day.

3. Prioritise Intentional Rest

Research into rest practices reveals that diversifying rest, mental, physical, emotional, sensory, creative, social and spiritual is more beneficial than just sleeping more. And micro-breaks like short pauses during work to stretch, breathe, or step away show measurable reductions in mental strain and productivity dips.

4. Focus on Sleep Quality

Multiple clinical studies confirm that consistent sleep routines, dimming screens at least an hour before bed, and limiting late caffeine improve sleep quality and daytime alertness. Good sleep hygiene resets both brain and body more effectively than any wellness trend.

What Actually Sustains Well-being

Tame Decision Fatigue

When every aspect of your life comes with a performance option, advanced supplements, multiple retreat types, and endless workout fads, decision fatigue sets in. Simplify. Pick one nutrition plan, one movement routine, and one rest ritual that works for you.

Make Connection Your Default

Loneliness and social isolation are now recognised as health risks on par with smoking. Community matters. A regular walk with friends, a shared meal, or casual catch-ups are more effective for long‑term well-being than solo retreats or luxe solo sauna sessions.

Build Boundaries, Especially Online

Wellness culture itself can be draining. Blue light, wellness influencers, late‑night recipe scrolling, it all chips away at rest. Unplug. Choose times when no one gets access to your digital self. That will help you actually feel the benefit of rest.

Stop Chasing, Start Listening

I still care about wellness. I believe in nourishing food and mindful movement. But I’m done with chase culture. It’s now about me, not the metrics.

Here’s what I’m trying instead:

• A single, simple meal plan that feels easy and calming, not contrived.
  

• Daily 30-minute walks with no podcast, only ambient sounds.
  

• Bedtime at the same hour, no screens or supplements, just a low-light tea or stretch.
  

• A weekly dinner with friends and loved ones: unplugged, unfiltered, real.
  
  

This isn’t minimalism, it’s permission. Permission to choose well-being on my terms. Permission to let go of trends. Permission to rest. Somewhere between the chaos of performance and the paralysis of decision, real wellness lives.

Because restful being is not something you earn, it’s something you remember when you stop trying to prove you deserve it.