Understanding and coping with Burnout
Are you overwhelmed and exhausted? Do you feel like your tank is empty? It’s important to recognize the stress that we have been through these past couple of years and how it can impact our health. Everyone experiences stress, which we see all over the internet through posts about self care, the new supplement that promises to decrease your stress, or the desire to sip on wine at the end of a busy day.
Today, I want to chat about what actually happens when we are stressed and how this can lead to burnout. First, what is burnout?
Burnout is the feeling that you have nothing left to give! It is not the same as feeling stressed, but it is a syndrome that was initially researched in the context of chronic workplace stress and is characterized by:
Feelings of exhaustion. The feeling that you have nothing left to give.
Increased mental distance and feelings of negativity or cynicism to ones job (like I mentioned above, these points are related to workplace stress, however this can also apply to other responsibilities such as being a parent)
Reduced professional efficacy. This is the feeling or thought of “what’s the point?”.
It’s important to note that burnout can also happen in the context of being a parent / caregiver. Factors such as:
anxiety, depression, job and housing satisfaction, how young the children are and the number of children can be a risk factor, whereas, feelings of intimacy, passion and commitment can be protective of parental burnout.
When someone is feeling burnout they may notice that it impacts different parts of their life, such as sleep, appetite, and motivation.
People typically try and take a holiday when they start to notice these symptoms of burnout, however, it doesn’t change the environment that is causing these symptoms, so when they come back from their break they start to notice these feelings all over again.
There are a number of conditions that should be ruled out before someone is diagnosed with burnout because a lot of health concerns can also look like burnout. Some examples include: thyroid concerns, PMDD, menopause, anemia, mental health concerns (PTSD, ADHD, depression, anxiety), undereating, poor sleep, etc.
so, What happens in your body when you are stressed?
This is much more complex than what you might have come across on social media. You may have heard that you have issues with your cortisol or that your adrenals have given up. Yes, cortisol and the adrenals are a part of the stress response, however, they are only a part of what’s going on. Scroll to the bottom if you want to better understand what actually happens when you undergo chronic stress.
So what should you do to help cope with BURNOUT?
Embrace gentle movement. Too much high intensity exercise can be a stressor in itself. Try and incorporate physical activity that leaves you feeling good vs. feeling depleted. Movement can also help promote a more restful sleep!
Focus on what you can control. There are a lot of things out of our control that can cause us stress. Try and focus on what you can control: your reactions, what you do with your time, and who you choose to spend your time with.
Prioritize sleep. Your body recovers when you sleep and, sadly, stress can have a negative impact on your sleep. Try to focus on improving your sleep hygiene and, as always, please feel free to reach out to me if you are curious to learn more about sleep support.
Set boundaries. Understand what you can take on, and what you need, in order to be successful. It can be hard to say no or to have these conversations, but they are worth it in the long run!
Take a break from social media or unfollow accounts that make you feel stressed. Take a second to notice how you feel when you are scrolling your feed! Feeling like you aren’t doing enough is common when you are burnt out and it can feel even worse when you compare your life to someone’s highlight reel or if you follow accounts that make you feel stressed.
Make sure you are eating enough! It can be hard to plan meals when you are feeling overwhelmed and sometimes your appetite can change when you are burnt out. Try and focus on making simple meals that you enjoy.
I’m always hear to help and I’m happy to chat about strategies if you feel that this may be something you are going through!
the science of the Stress response
If you aren’t into the sciencey stuff then scroll past the bullet points. Without going into too much detail about the stress response, I’ll give you the coles notes:
The stress response is the teamwork between the sympathetic adrenal medulla (SAM) axis, the immune system, and the hypothalamic pituitary adrenal (HPA) axis. The SAM axis is a fast response which uses the nervous system. The HPA axis is is slow response as it uses the hormonal system.
If someone is exposed to a stressor that is perceived as intense and prolonged then the stress response can become dysfunctional over time.
The SAM axis will release adrenaline when you perceive stress. Nowadays this could happen when you are running late and you are stuck in traffic or it could be a late night work email.
Your SAM axis tells your HPA axis how stressful a situation is by releasing adrenaline. When you are under acute stress (having adrenaline surges) over and over again, your HPA axis will change to help better prepare you by making an impact on your cortisol curve. Your cortisol curve is suppose to be highest in the morning and lowest before you go to bed.
Addressing the daily acute stressors that activate the SAM axis is just as important as addressing chronic stress. It is not just about how many things someone is juggling, it also has to do with the perception of stress in your day to day life. The physical stress your body is undergoing (frequent intense exercise, poor digestion, under eating, etc.) can also make an impact on your stress levels!
References
Deussing & Chen (2018) Corticotropin-Releasing Factor Family: Physiology of the stress response. American Physiological Reviews: 98 (4).
Guilliams & Edwards (2010) Chronic stress and the HPA Axis: clinical assessment and therapeutic considerations. The standard: 9 (2).
Kalmbach, et.al. (2018) The impact of stress on sleep: Pathogenic sleep reactivity as a vulnerability to insomnia and circadian disorders. Journal of sleep research: 27 (6).
Ketchesin KD, Stinnett GS, Seasholtz AF. Corticotropin-releasing hormone-binding protein and stress: from invertebrates to humans. Stress. 2017 Sep;20(5):449-464.
Lebert-Charron, A., Dorard, G., Wendland, J., & Boujut, E. (2021). Who are and are not the burnout moms? A cluster analysis study of French-speaking mothers. Journal of Affective Disorders Reports
Mifsud KR, Reul JMHM. Mineralocorticoid and glucocorticoid receptor-mediated control of genomic responses to stress in the brain. Stress. 2018 Sep;21(5):389-402. doi: 10.1080/10253890.2018.1456526. Epub 2018 Apr 4. P
Miller WL. The Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal Axis: A Brief History. Horm Res Paediatr. 2018;89(4):212-223
O’connor, et.al. (2021) Stress and Health: A Review of Psychobiological Processes. Annual review of psychology: 72
World Health Organization (2019) Burn-out an “occupational phenomonen”: International Classification of Diseases. Retrieved from: https://www.who.int/news/item/28-05-2019-burn-out-an-occupational-phenomenon-international-classification-of-diseases
Upadyaya K, Toyama H and Salmela-Aro K (2021) School Principals’ Stress Profiles During COVID-19, Demands, and Resources. Front. Psychol. 12:731929. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.731929