If you are feeling burnt out or exhausted after periods of extended stress or because of your workload, you are not alone. The World Health Organization (WHO) recognizes burnout syndrome as an official condition that can negatively impact health status.
However, it is not classified as an actual illness (though the causes of burnout can contribute to illness). Burnout is a “syndrome conceptualized as resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed,” WHO has said. Symptoms include:
* Exhaustion, energy depletion, insomnia
* Anger, sadness
* Apathy towards work
* Reduced productivity
Health consequences of burnout are similar to those of chronic unmanaged stress and include:
*anxiety
*depression
*headaches
*insomnia
*memory or concentration impairment
Burnout can be reversed. Among the ways to combat it are:
Take some time off
This is one very effective measure to reduce stress and stave off burnout and will help you to start to recover if you are already very depleted. Schedule some time each day to spend on something you enjoy like reading a book, watching your favourite show on Netflix or meeting friends for a hangout. Remember to keep this activity guilt free. After all, you deserve to take some time to yourself so that you can put that gas back in your tank.
Sleep
When you’re stressed, sometimes it can be difficult to calm down enough to fall asleep and stay asleep. But sound sleep is essential to combatting fatigue and mental exhaustion.
Optimize sleep by rebalancing your circadian rhythm through habits such as not forcing your body to stay awake at night, and putting electronics away at least an hour before bedtime.
While nothing can replace good sleep hygiene, for extra support, turn to herbs for sleep like Melatonin.
Exercise
In the interest of good sleep, you’ll want to avoid exercising late at night. However, staying active during the day is a key part of fighting mental exhaustion and burnout.
When you don’t feel motivated to get moving, keep in mind that engaging in regular physical activity can often give you more energy in the long run.
Exercise can provide physical health benefits, give your brain a chance to unwind while you focus on the activity at hand, and can also help you sleep better at night.
If you can, opt for exercising outdoors and you’ll reap the benefits of physical activity as well as connect with nature.
Limit caffeine
When you feel flat and worn out, it is natural to turn to caffeine for that energy boost.
However, coffee may give you an artificial energy hit, but in the long run it depletes your body’s vital energy, which you already have very little of when you are in a state of burnout. When recovering from burnout, your body needs nourishment, not depletion. Try switching (gradually) to a caffeine-free beverage such as a herbal tea.
Take Supplements like L-Theanine and Ginseng
L-theanine is said to reduce anxiety in people during stressful situations. Preclinical data suggests it may block some effects of excitatory glutamate in the brain.
Ginseng is often praised for its anti-stress properties. Research suggests that ginseng may help stabilize the nervous system response and improve cognition for people who are exposed to high levels of stress. There is also some research in humans reporting anti-depressant-like ingredients and mechanisms in ginseng.
