Chess grandmaster Magnus Carlsen reveals his ‘nervous system collapsed’ after losing to Pragg: know why it happens

Fatigue is not just physical; it can affect the mind too. This is exactly what happened when Norwegian chess grandmaster Magnus Carlsen faced R Praggnanandhaa in Round 11 of the Superbet rapid and blitz chess tournament, a part of the Grand Chess Tour — he experienced a nervous breakdown.

“I just didn’t have it today. I felt good from the start, but then I think my nervous system just collapsed during or after the game against Pragg, and after that, I just sucked, honestly. The score was still half-decent, but obviously, if Wei Yi continues to win, then it doesn’t matter,” Carlsen said in a conversation with grandmaster Cristian Chirila.

Magnus Carlsen: “I just didn’t have it today… I think my nervous system just collapsed during or after the game against Pragg, and after that I just sucked!” #GrandChessTour pic.twitter.com/itDWLksRHr

— chess24 (@chess24com) May 11, 2024

Despite Carlsen ending up with 26 points, and securing the first position in the tournament, reports suggest that he looked visibly tired after nine games followed by another four games in an event that he played online.

But what does it mean to experience a nervous system breakdown, why does it happen, and how can you deal with it?

Fatigue can be one of the primary reasons behind a nervous system collapse. This happens when you continuously work beyond your physical and mental boundaries without taking proper rest — exhausting your mind and body. “Your nervous system is incapable of handling constant stress and starts to break down. This breakdown results in symptoms such as trembling, weakness, excessive sweat, numbness, difficulty in breathing, lack of energy, stress, and inability to concentrate on certain things,” said Dr Harish Chafle, pulmonology and critical care, Global Hospitals Parel Mumbai.

Notably, the nervous system is responsible for controlling and regulating multiple bodily functions such as memory, movement, thinking capabilities, intelligence, and also breathing and maintaining the heartbeat. “When the nervous system collapses, it abruptly stops working properly due to factors such as exhaustion, being worn out, or mainly fatigue. This can further lead to disruption in various body functions, resulting in serious medical complications,” Dr Chafle explained.

As such, it is imperative to detect and treat fatigue at the right time. “Fatigue is more than just the feeling of being lazy or tired. For certain individuals it can be mentally and physically exhausting, affecting their ability to think, respond to certain situations, and make quick decisions. Fatigue can also slow your reflexes making it harmful for individuals to drive or operate certain machinery on their own,” elucidated Dr Chafle.

To prevent such a situation, it is important to provide your body with an adequate amount of rest. “This can be achieved by making lifestyle changes such as taking necessary breaks throughout the day, eating balanced meals on time, or doing any kind of physical activity like breathing exercises, yoga, or long walks,” said Dr Chafle.

Walking can help (Source: Getty Images/Thinkstock)

If someone has repeated episodes of fatigue, then they should consult a physician and get evaluated for the cause. “It can be adequately treated to avoid any further damage to the body. Also, of there ant deficiencies of vitamins, those should be taken care of,” said Dr Chafle.

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