Ending the ‘inescapable’ cycle of burnout
Shot of a young businessman experiencing stress during a late night at work
Most of us live busy lives, juggling the demands of work and home. Stress is part of the deal — it can even help us to push through a particularly tough day. But what happens when it builds to the point of exhaustion? We spoke to experts to better understand what burnout really means and the five key ways it can affect the brain.
They also shared some useful tips for breaking free from what can often feel like an inescapable cycle of burnout.
“Burnout is a syndrome, so is a collection of symptoms, and the WHO (World Health Organization) defines it as an occupational phenomenon,” says psychiatrist Dr Elisabetta Burchi. “If you think about burnout in the workplace, you think about somebody who feels emotionally drained, detached from their own duties, and a perception of reduced efficacy in the workplace.”
She explains that, in terms of symptomatology, it resembles what is described as a ‘chronic stress condition’.
Neuropsychiatrist Dr Matt Rowett says: “Chronically high levels of cortisol can weaken the immune system and make people become more prone to infections, flu, and colds. In the worst-case scenario, chronic stress can also increase the risk of cardiovascular disease and heart attacks.”
“When we are overwhelmed with stress, our thoughts might appear slowed and we might previously have been able to juggle a few things, but now we can’t. For example, deadlines and the quality of the work might start to slide,” says Rowett.
Burchi agrees and adds: “Burnout can impact our cognitive function by making us less capable of focusing or decision making. The concept of ‘brain fog’ can summarise broadly what you can expect. In addition, there is also a detachment aspect, where you feel less present.”
“Chronic stress can affect our autobiographical episodic memory, which is the ability to remember events from our own life,” says Rowett. “For example, you might still be able to remember facts and figures but can’t remember what you did for your birthday last year because burnout affects the medial hippocampus, which plays an important role in our memory.”
“Chronic stress and elevated cortisol affect our frontal lobes, which are partly responsible for our emotional regulation, drive, and motivation,” explains Rowett.
“For example, someone who was previously very level-headed might become uncharacteristically irritable, more emotional, and they might snap at their colleague or partner.”
“Burnout can have catastrophic consequences for your mental health because if it’s unrecognised by the individual and by the people around them, they can get into this vicious cycle of perceiving that they are failing at the things that are important to them and might start to become depressed,” says Rowett.
He highlights how a lot of the symptoms of depression overlap with burnout. “You lose enjoyment, are not able to sleep as well, lose your appetite, become more irritable and that can have a negative impact on your relationships.
The brain requires restorative sleep to recover from emotional and cognitive exhaustion, but burnout creates a negative cycle where exhaustion disrupts sleep, which in turn deepens the burnout.
“Sleep is essential for processing our memories and our experiences, it’s when our body repairs itself, but stress can affect people’s ability to get to sleep,” says Rowett.
“If we don’t rest and get that sleep, then we’re very poorly prepared to deal with the stressors we’re facing.”
“Being aware of burnout is a good first step because often people have all these symptoms but don’t recognise that they have this syndrome and need help,” says Burchi. “The sooner you are proactive and act, the better your recovery will be.”
“Self-care isn’t a luxury, it’s a necessity,” says Rowett. “You have to fight for it because your employers want you there to do a job, so they won’t necessarily think about your welfare.
“Self-care can just be little everyday things that are built into your routine, such as reading a book or going for a run.”
“Part of that self-care should also be to make sure that you’ve got a good sleep routine,” recommends Rowett. “Do something relaxing, like running a bath, so your body is prepared for sleep.”
“Doing a mindful activity which consumes your thinking and helps you escape reality for a bit can be helpful,” says Rowett. “This could be meditation, yoga, watching a film, listening to music or engaging in crafts.”
“Counselling provides a space to reflect on things with a safe person,” says Rowett. “If you are experiencing really negative, distorted thoughts, rather than keeping them in your head, you could open up to a counsellor who can reflect a more accurate view back to you, or present theories to consider.”
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