The Overworked Spleen: Feeling Drained All the Time? Don’t Blame Yourself, Your Spleen Might Just Be Doing Too Much

Have you ever felt tired for no clear reason, like your body’s heavy, your mind’s foggy, and nothing really gives you joy? You don’t even feel like eating, but your head won’t stop turning things over. People might say you’re overthinking, or being too sensitive, and you even start wondering if you’re just being lazy or fragile. But in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), this often means your spleen, the body's most quietly hardworking organ, is simply running out of steam.

In TCM, the spleen isn’t about filtering blood, like in Western anatomy. It’s the engine room of digestion and energy production, the quiet chef in the kitchen transforming food into qi (energy) and blood to nourish the entire body. The ancients said, “The spleen is the foundation of postnatal life, the source of qi and blood.” In other words, your daily strength doesn’t just come from air, it’s built on how well your spleen transforms food into fuel.

When your spleen is working well, it fuels your muscles, supports your thoughts, and keeps your blood flowing properly. But when it's weakened (spleen deficiency), everything else feels weak too, your body, your focus, even your emotional resilience.

Emotionally, the spleen is linked with “thinking” or overthinking. We all need to think, of course, but endless ruminating, anxious looping, or overanalysing? That’s the kind of mental load that drains the spleen. The signs? Lethargy, poor appetite, frequent sighing, not wanting to move, and tiring easily from just a short walk or simple task.

Some people insist, “I’m fine,” yet their body tells another story: eating less, sleeping poorly, feeling joyless. That’s not emotional weakness, it’s the spleen struggling. Especially for those who take on too much, thinking about work, family, relationships, their own mistakes, what others think, it’s a constant stream of worry that leaves the spleen gasping for air.

Many people also feel “heavy and damp”, foggy head, sluggish body, low mood, as if they’re stuck in sticky emotions they can’t shake off. That heaviness isn’t just the weather or your workload. In TCM, “dampness” can be emotional too, the thoughts you can’t let go, the unresolved feelings that weigh you down and smother the spleen.

And this isn't just about adults. Children can show spleen deficiency too. If a child is pale, underweight, distracted in class, eats slowly, and often seems tired, especially if they’re sensitive or easily worried, chances are, their spleen needs some care too.

Beyond digestion, the spleen controls the limbs and holds the blood in its vessels. If you bruise easily, feel exhausted standing for long, or have heavy periods with pale blood, it might be your spleen calling out for help.

So how do we support this unsung hero of your body?

Start by slowing down. The spleen doesn’t mind movement, it fears mental fatigue. Even just 10 minutes a day of doing nothing, staring at greenery, walking slowly, closing your eyes, gives your spleen a breath of relief. Stop focusing on “what still needs doing” and start saying, “Let me rest a moment.”

Next, eat warmly and regularly. The spleen thrives on warmth and hates cold. Iced lattes, cold watermelon, or raw salads might taste good, but your spleen prefers comforting food: porridge, stewed yam, red dates, tangerine peel, lentils. Don’t skip meals, don’t cut carbs, and don’t eat while glued to your phone. Mindful eating is spleen therapy.

Also, don’t try to control everything. Many people with spleen issues have perfectionist tendencies, they want everything organised, sorted, and in place. Admirable, but exhausting. The world won’t fall apart if you let go a little. Laugh off a few things. Let some chaos in. The spleen prefers a relaxed mind to a micromanaged life.

Gentle movement is essential too. Not high-intensity workouts, but activities like tai chi, yoga, brisk walking, or stretching. Even 15 minutes a day helps the spleen move qi and blood. Morning movement, in particular, activates the spleen’s yang energy, setting you up with strength for the rest of the day.

Finally, the spleen responds well to touch and pressure. Acupoints like Zusanli (ST36), Taibai (SP3), Pishu (BL20), and Zhangmen (LV13) are like spleen reset buttons. When your mind’s stuck, body feels heavy, or appetite disappears, take a seat and gently massage these points. More effective than “just think positive,” and more nourishing than forced optimism.

The spleen never makes a fuss, never demands attention, but it quietly powers your daily life. If you feel empty, heavy, or scattered, it’s likely that your spleen, the one organ that cares for everything, is just too emotionally and physically overworked.

So stop saying, “Why am I so lazy?” It’s not you. It’s your spleen begging for rest. From today, worry a bit less, eat something warm, stare into space without guilt, go for a gentle walk, rub your legs, and smile when you can. Give this “postnatal foundation” the respect it deserves.

And slowly, you might find that the always-tired, always-overthinking version of yourself starts to feel lighter, stronger, and more at ease.