I hope, given all the exceptionally good weather we have had this summer, that you have all had a chance to relax and reap its benefits. The glorious sunshine should really set up our vitamin D stores for the coming winter.
But what if you are finding that despite the long sunny days you are finding yourself unable to relax? That much as you might appreciate the sunshine, something in you won’t or can’t relax and let go? And you notice you can’t enjoy it as much as you might wish to, perhaps you feel a bit emotionally flat or somewhat agitated and unable to focus.
If depression has been ruled out by a medical or mental health professional, then consider that your symptoms could be stemming from burnout.
Burnout is defined by the WHO as energy depletion and chronic dysregulation of the stress response systems. It is a disruption of the HPA axis (Hypothalamic, adrenal, pituitary axis) which is responsible for controlling your cortisol energy circulation, which in turn regulates your sleep/wake cycle and your capacity to recover from normal stresses.
When the HPA axis becomes compromised our blood sugar becomes unstable and we lose our ability to generate energy efficiently. Our immune system may become compromised, our cognitive functioning may be challenged and our cardiovascular system may begin to show signs of chronic stress.
Burnout is not something that happens overnight and largely stems from tiny, repeated poor behaviours and habits that we will address here.
It is not an excess of the stress hormone, cortisol, that causes burnout, though you might be forgiven for thinking that this is the case. We need cortisol, as by triggering our Fight/Flight nervous system response, it has ensured our survival as a species.
The issue is not that this hormone floods the system, but that a phenomenon known as ‘cortisol rhythm collapse’ occurs. Our cortisol is not too high; the problem is that it is flat and does not fluctuate in a natural daily rhythm.
We should ideally have high levels in the morning to help us wake up and get up, and declining levels in the evening so melatonin levels can rise and we can switch off and sleep with varying oscillations throughout the day as normal stresses and challenges arise.
‘Flat’ levels of cortisol, with no real rise or fall means your body cannot distinguish between wakefulness and sleepiness, stress and rest, action and recovery and this is where we feel both ‘wired and tired’.
When we are in burnout, we are constantly ‘borrowing’ energy from external stimulants rather than utilising and replenishing our own resources. So, we use caffeine to wake up, sugar for energy, alcohol to relax, screens for dopamine and so on and so forth.
We are stimulating ourselves into being and there is very little we will not use as an outsource to function if our system is dysregulated. We are, after all, very inventive creatures, wired to survive.
The problem is the more you borrow from the outside, the greater the internal debt, and the more you borrow, the more you need to borrow, just to feel normal.
Signs we might be experiencing burnout are: emotional flatness, agitation or inability to focus, feeling tired but unable to relax, reliance on stimulants, blood sugar crashes, always feeling switched on, feeling tired despite sleep, feeling disconnected from enjoyable experiences.
Those with heavy workloads, those experiencing stressful life events and women in perimenopause/menopause are particularly vulnerable to burnout.
So how can we mitigate against these symptoms of burnout? Well, just as small regular poor habits or patterns lead to burnout so small regular good habits can help restore our balance and wellbeing.
It is important that we take the time to gently recalibrate, it is small actions that make the difference and not major resets or extreme measures.
Simple rules
Do not skip meals: When blood sugar drops, cortisol will spike to compensate in the short term, which is why we can get ‘hangry’ and while this is tolerable for someone with a healthy HPA axis where cortisol naturally oscillates, it is not advisable for those of us with burnout.
It is for this reason that Intermittent Fasting is not always advisable for menopausal women or people with burnout.
A good idea is to ensure you eat protein with your first meal of the day, whether that’s eating eggs for breakfast or popping nuts and seeds and Greek yogurt on your porridge. Make sure you don’t load your system with sugary choices or simple carbohydrates in the morning so you can start your day with good blood sugar stability.
Try to reduce the reliance on caffeine in all its myriad forms and eliminate alcohol if you are using it to relax.
Regulate sleep: Sleeping and waking at the same time daily is associated with longevity and it is vital in managing the symptoms of burnout.
Get out of bed in the same 40-minute window of waking every day, and get light within an hour of waking to help set up your circadian rhythm. Avoid all screens for an hour prior to sleep.
I’m an advocate for practising a gentle stretching routine followed by meditation before bedtime – it’s a great way to wind down.
Gentle exercise after eating: Going for a short walk after eating (within 10-20 minutes of eating) is a great way to regulate blood sugar so we can offset insulin spikes.
Regular movement breaks also during your day are recommended whether it’s a bit of jumping up and down and shaking, or dancing, or a specific exercise routine.
Burnout doesn’t resolve overnight and, as exhausted as we may feel, making radical change is rarely what our system needs, tempting though it may be. What restores us is consistency and compassion — small, steady habits that gradually rebuild our internal rhythm and remind the body how to feel safe, rested, and energised again.
The three tenets of health — sleep, movement, and nourishment — are our anchors. By supporting your blood sugar, honouring your sleep-wake cycle, and moving gently and regularly, you begin to repay that internal energy debt and reconnect with yourself.
These small acts of self-care signal to your system that it can finally exhale. With time, patience, and simple daily practices, the ‘wired and tired’ feeling softens, and your natural vitality has space to return.
