What is Burnout?

Burnout is a state of complete mental, physical, and emotional exhaustion. If you are experiencing burnout, you may notice it is difficult to engage in activities you normally find meaningful. You may no longer care about the things that are important to you or experience an increasing sense of hopelessness.

Globally, our burnout levels have risen dramatically in part due to the aftermath effects of COVID-19, and in part due to the ‘eat, sleep, work, repeat’ daily grind. In Australia, workers are experiencing a higher level of burnout at 62%,(1) whilst across the Tasman, burnout rates for New Zealand workers are at 70%, compared to a global average of 48% (2)

So, as this is a significant issue for our society, how do you personally know if you are experiencing burnout?

Signs you might be experiencing burnout and how to restore the balance in your life

Your mental wellbeing is the personal way that you manage your emotions, respond to stress and is mostly determined and influenced by your general outlook on life. Evidence based research supports the concept that having a healthy sense of mental wellbeing has many benefits. Mental Wellbeing enables us to experience enjoyment in life, develop the resilience to handle difficult situations, set and fulfil goals, as well as build and maintain relationships.

Stress, however occurs as a natural part of life.

No matter how much we may wish and dream about having a stress-free life, stress remains a very natural human response that is necessary and ever present.

When experienced in small amounts, stress (such as having a completion date for a project) can in turn improve your mental wellbeing, by increasing productivity, alertness, and energy levels. However, when our experience of stress becomes prolonged or greater than our ability to cope with, it can be physically and mentally draining.

Chronic stress can have overwhelming and devestating consequences on both your mind and body.

The biology of burnout

In the face of acute stress, the body responds via the autonomic nervous system (ANS) and the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis activating the ‘flight or fight’ response. The ANS reacts within seconds, initiating the sympathetic-adrenal-medullary (SAM) axis whilst downregulating the parasympathetic nervous system, increasing heart rate, blood pressure and the release of adrenalin and noradrenalin. Simultaneously, but at a slower rate, the limbic system signals the HPA axis to release a cascade of hormones including glucocorticoids, influencing blood sugar, energy and the immune system.

This chain of events is fundamental for survival and thus beneficial in small amounts. However, excessive and/or prolonged stress is suggested to inhibit the return of these systems to homeostasis resulting in a constant ‘flight or fight’ state which has been linked to burnout.4

Additionally, other factors predispose one to ‘burning out’ such as age, relationship status3 and gender, with higher rates of burnout reported in women compared with men.5

Many women return from work to home, ready to start their “second shift”3

Signs and symptoms of burnout may include but are not limited to:

Physical symptoms

Headaches
Stomach aches / Gastrointestinal issues
Fatigue / Lethargy
Recurrent and Frequent illness
Changes in patterns of appetite/sleep.

Emotional symptoms

Helplessness
Pessimism
Sense of failure or self-doubt
Decreased satisfaction
The Feeling of being detached or alone in the world
A loss of motivation.

Behavioural signs

Difficulties in performing everyday tasks
Withdrawing oneself from social interaction or isolation
Procrastination
Outbursts / Impulsivity
Seeking comfort from substances or other things such as food to self soothe and cope

In addition to these symptoms, these negative effects of burnout often have a significant impact on relationships, work and home life and self-care.

Burnout is so often attributed to spreading oneself too thin, but how does this excessive and/or prolonged stress result in the development of burnout?

Causes of Burnout

Burnout is a multi dimensional condition that is not only caused by stressful work environments or being overburdened with too many responsibilities. It can be experienced by any individual who has been exposed to prolonged levels of chronic stress and pressure leading to the experience of overwhelm in terms of as work or home demands.

What are some of the factors that can contribute to burnout?

Work-related causes

The feeling that you have have little or no control over your work life
A lack of professional recognition
Excessively demanding and often unrealistic job expectations
Repetative or unchallenging work
Chaotic or high-stress environment.

Lifestyle causes

Working to excess without socialising or relaxing
Lack of close, supportive relationships
Too many responsibilities, without enough help
Not enough sleep.

Personality traits

Personality traits can also put one at risk, where individuals with dominant attributes of perfectionism, diligence, an inability to say no and a work-focused persona are much more likely to develop burnout.

Perfectionistic tendencies

Type A personality
Having a pessamistic view of yourself and the world
Need to be in control
High achieving in nature.

Time to restore balance in your life

The time is now to pause and change direction by learning how you can help yourself overcome burnout. If you recognise some of these red alerts starting to creep into your life or may already be present, finding ways to restore your sense of well-being again may include:

Ask other people for support: friends, colleagues, or community groups
Reframe the way you look at work or your home life by finding value, meaning and balance
Reevaluate your priorities by taking time off or regular breaks during the day
Nourishing your creativity by doing something you find interesting
Make physical activity a priority to boost your mood and energy
Support your body with a healthy diet and quality sleep.

Taking a few moments each day to nurture your mental wellbeing will help you be a happier and more resilient you. You deserve the best possible you!

Reigniting the burned out flame

Supplement recommendations courtesy of METAGENICS ANZ - Clinical Team

Whether you are already burned out or on the road to burnout, both are recoverable.

Ensuring you are receiving core nutritional support is vital in helping yourself to rebuild whilst optimising the stress response to promote resilience.

Essential nutrient vitamin C, when dosed at 500 mg twice daily for four weeks contributed to improved cognition along with increased work/study motivation and focus, factors that are diminished in burnout.6

Further, vitamin C and B vitamins can be depleted during chronic stress, thereby hampering homeostatic regulation of both the ANS and HPA axis. These vital nutrients are found in Vitamins B5, B6 and C for Stress and Adrenal Health. Magnesium status is impacted by prolonged stress and supplementation has been shown to alleviate the impact of stress.

7 Magnesium is a core ingredient of Mental and Physical Energy Powder which provides foundational nutrition support for feelings of exhaustion.

When magnesium is combined with vitamin B6, this combo diminished stress in severely stressed adults by more than 40%.7

For patients feeling exhausted and depleted but wired we can consider the herbs Rehmannia glutinosa (rehmannia) and Panax quinquefolius (American ginseng). This duo of herbs, as contained in Rehmannia Complex for Nervous Exhaustion, assists to re-establish healthy HPA axis function, offer neuroprotection and support energy levels at times of prolonged stress.8,9 For those at the other end of the spectrum who have lost their joie de vivre, Herbal and Nutritional Support for Adrenal Health may be more appropriate. The combination of adaptogenic herbs Withania somnifera (withania), Eleutherococcus senticosus (Siberian ginseng) and Rhodiola rosea (golden root) have shown to improve cognitive performance10 and reduce the impact of mental and physical stress.11,12

The road from burnout back to wellness can be difficult, as it involves addressing contributing factors such as the cause of the stress, perfectionism tendencies and poor lifestyle choices. Practitioners can support their patients during this journey with foundational nutrition and targeted herbal support.

If you or a loved one are experiencing symptoms of burnout - contact us today to arrange a General / Integrated Medicine assessment today

Ph: 0457722081

www.quayaesthetics.com.au

References

1. Tamaray P. Australian employees suffer mass burnout. Human Resources Director. Published October 4, 2022. https://www.hcamag.com/au/specialisation/mental-health/australian-employees-suffer-mass-burnout/422659#:~:text=The%20latest%20Microsoft%20Work%20Trend,average%20of%2048%25%20of%20employees.

2. Bergh R van den. NZ workers are more likely to suffer burnout than in any other country – report finds. Stuff. Published May 24, 2023. https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/132127430/nz-workers-are-more-likely-to-suffer-burnout-than-in-any-other-country–report-finds#:~:text=New%20Zealand%20workers%20are%20more,59%25%2C%20the%20report%20said.

3. Parker G, Tavella G, Eyers K. Burnout – A Guide to Identifying Burnout & Pathways to Recovery. Allen & Unwin; 2021. doi:10.4324/9781003333722-1

4. Bayes A, Tavella G, Parker G. The biology of burnout: causes and consequences. World J Biological Psychiatry. 2021;22(9):686-698. doi:10.1080/15622975.2021.1907713

5. Saad L, Agrawal S, Wigert B. Gender gap in worker burnout widened amid the pandemic. Gallup. Published December 27, 2021. https://www.gallup.com/workplace/358349/gender-gap-worker-burnout-widened-amid-pandemic.aspx

6. Sim M, Hong S, Jung S, et al. Vitamin C supplementation promotes mental vitality in healthy young adults: results from a cross-sectional analysis and a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Eur J Nutr. doi:10.1007/s00394-021-02656-3

7. Pouteau E, Kabir-Ahmadi M, Noah L, et al. Superiority of magnesium and vitamin B6 over magnesium alone on severe stress in healthy adults with low magnesemia: a randomized, single-blind clinical trial. Plos One. 2018;13(12):e0208454. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0208454

8. Panossian A, Wikman G. Effects of adaptogens on the central nervous system and the molecular mechanisms associated with their stress—protective activity. Pharm. 2010;3(1):188-224. doi:10.3390/ph3010188

9. Scholey A, Ossoukhova A, Owen L, et al. Effects of American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius) on neurocognitive function: an acute, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study. Psychopharmacology. 2010;212(3):345-356. doi:10.1007/s00213-010-1964-y

10. Reay JL, Scholey AB, Kennedy DO. Panax ginseng (G115) improves aspects of working memory performance and subjective ratings of calmness in healthy young adults. Hum Psychopharmacol: Clin Exp. 2010;25(6):462-471. doi:10.1002/hup.1138

11. Speers AB, Cabey KA, Soumyanath A, Wright KM. Effects of Withania somnifera (Ashwagandha) on Stress and the Stress- Related Neuropsychiatric Disorders Anxiety, Depression, and Insomnia. Curr Neuropharmacol. 2021;19(9):1468-1495. doi:10.2174/1570159×19666210712151556

12. Anghelescu IG, Edwards D, Seifritz E, Kasper S. Stress management and the role of Rhodiola rosea: a review. Int J Psychiat Clin. 2018;22(4):1-11. doi:10.1080/13651501.2017.1417442

Burnout – More than just exhaustion