Signs of Burnout and What To Do About It
Do you feel like you have to hit your snooze button multiple times before you get up?
Do you sleep for 8 hours but still wake up not feeling rested?
Do you struggle to get yourself going in the morning and feel like you could nap at anytime during the day?
Do you find it hard to get yourself motivated and often feel overwhelmed?
If you answered yes to any of these questions, you might be experiencing burnout.
Burnout can often happen when we have too much on our plate, saying “yes” to everything and always being busy. Sometimes this feeling can take months to build up and we continue to operate at less than optimal states. I often hear from clients with burnout that they just “aren’t feeling themselves”.
Signs of Burnout
Anxiety or depression
Lack of motivation
Struggling to wake up in the morning
Difficulty falling and staying asleep
Digestive issues
Lack of energy during the day
Easily overwhelmed
Brain fog
Low libido
Cynical outlook on life and work
How You Hormones Impact Burnout
Burnout typically comes from too much (or not enough) of the hormone cortisol. Cortisol is the stress hormone that is produced by the adrenal glands. The adrenal glands are two small, triangular shaped glands that sit on top of the kidneys. When these glands get put into overdrive, this can lead to sleep issues, anxiety, overwhelm and fatigue. We do need some cortisol to wake us up and motivate so it’s not all bad, we just need to keep it in balance.
Whenever we are looking to manage burnout, we need to look at lowering the output of cortisol and supporting our body with adequate nutrients. Stress can come from disregulated blood sugar levels, not eating enough, not sleeping enough, over exercising and of course things like work and family life.
How To Manage Burnout
First off, identify if it really is adrenal fatigue. Ask your doctor to run some lab work if you are feeling tired. Vitamin D, B12, iron and thyroid imbalances can all contribute to feelings of fatigue. You can also get your cortisol levels checked as well. It’s important to rule out any other imbalances first.
Prioritize sleep. I cannot stress how important sleep is. Lack of sleep increases your cortisol levels by up to 30%! Cortisol throws off blood sugar levels and can cause your body to hold onto excess weight around your middle. It also throws off two hormones, leptin and ghrelin, which are your hunger hormones. Ever notice you want to eat more and crave carbs and sugar when you're sleepy? That’s why!
Cut back on the caffeine. Now I am not here to say totally cut caffeine out but if you find yourself feeling anxious it might be a good idea to cut back. I recommend having your coffee with some healthy fats like organic cream, full fat coconut milk or coconut oil. I also like to have my coffee with breakfast to lower the impact of the caffeine and try to not have it past noon.
Don’t skip breakfast! Having breakfast helps to regulate cortisol production throughout the day and actually signals to the body that we are safe, especially if we have a good amount of protein. Cortisol is typically highest in the morning and having only coffee and skipping breakfast can heighten it leading to blood sugar imbalances, cravings, anxiety and energy crashes. Have breakfast within 60-90 minutes of waking and aim to have 20-30 grams of protein.
Get on a good supplement routine. When we are chronically stressed, our body burns through a lot of nutrients like vitamin c, b vitamins, sodium and magnesium so it might be a good idea to supplement with these or get a good quality multivitamin. I also love herbs and adaptogens to help balance out our adrenal glands and help with energy (ashwaghanda and tulsi are two of my favourites). You can check out my supplement shop here the check out some of my protocols and favourite products for adrenal health. Also check out my adrenal cocktail recipe which is loaded with hormone balancing ingredients.
And last but most importantly, manage your stress and cortisol levels. Address and confront your major stressors head on, as hard as that might be! Remember to take some time for yourself and implement some self care, whatever that means to you: a hot bath, time off your phone, making a nourishing meal, a walk outside.
The holidays can be an extremely busy time but it’s important to slow down during the winter months, set boundaries where needed and take the time to put yourself first so you can show up for others!
Hormones can be tricky and there are always many pieces to the puzzle when it comes to balancing them. When I work with clients I look at the whole picture: diet, sleep, exercise and stress. If you are looking to balance your hormones, increase your energy and feel your best, check out my 1:1 coaching programs here. I’ll help you get to the root of your hormone imbalances so you feel like yourself again.
xx
Mia