Here's what happens to the brain when you experience burnout
Burnout may only have been officially recognised by the World Health Organization in 2019, but far too many of us will recognise the signs in ourselves.
Quick take
- Almost 50% of employees in Australia and New Zealand are experiencing feelings of burnout or exhaustion.
- Warning signs include cynicism about your job, exhaustion and poor decision making.
- Taking a break is the best way to manage burnout and to avoid long-term damage to your health.
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When New Zealand’s prime minister, Jacinda Ardern, announced her resignation in 2023, she candidly stated she had “nothing left in the tank” to do the job justice. It was a frank admission, seldom heard from those in positions of power.
Leaders often present an image of unwavering strength and resilience, but Ardern’s candid acknowledgment may have resonated deeply with many people who have experienced unmanageable levels of stress at work that have been categorised as burnout by the World Health Organization.
It is not confined to those in positions of power, or people with typically stressful jobs, such as emergency responders, social workers, police and high-level executives. According to recent research from wellbeing and healthcare experts Sonder, almost 50% of employees in Australia and New Zealand are experiencing feelings of “burnout or exhaustion”. Yet only 35% of those surveyed said they took time off for their mental health in the past year, and 8% took no time off at all.
So, what is burnout, and when do normal levels of stress tip over into a situation that can damage our physical and mental health and have long-term impacts on our personal and professional lives?
What is burnout?
“Everybody gets stressed because life moves really, really fast. But there is tolerable stress, where you work late to finish something and you might skip the gym, versus toxic stress where you fail to make the time to do those things that you know are good for you on a regular basis. That leads to poor health outcomes,” warns neuroscience educator, Nathan Wallis.
Understanding the chemistry of burnout
Stress helps us manage situations by activating the body’s fight-or-flight response, which prepares us to deal with immediate threats or challenges.
It sharpens focus, increases alertness, and boosts energy levels by releasing adrenaline and cortisol, enabling quick reactions. In short bursts, stress can enhance performance and help us tackle problems effectively.
“It’s normal to feel stressed in response to various situations and it happens several times a day,” says mental health researcher Michael Musker, senior clinical lecturer at The University of Adelaide. “When you encounter something threatening, your brain activates a ‘danger mode’ involving the hypothalamus, pituitary glands, and limbic system,” he explains.
“The amygdala, part of the limbic system, acts as a fear detector, while the hippocampus checks your memories to assess the threat. Together, they help you decide whether to react with fear or stay calm based on past experiences,” he says.
However, when stress becomes chronic, it can have the opposite effect, leading to impaired decision-making, exhaustion, cynicism and disinterest towards your job, friends and activities.
“In the workplace, chronic stress builds up slowly over time. Unlike a quick fear response, this stress gradually increases and accumulates, leading to long-term stress.
“During this process, your body produces a hormone called cortisol to help you prepare for prolonged stress. However, if cortisol levels stay high for too long, it can start to harm your body, leading to a state of burnout where you’re completely drained,” says Musker.
What are the consequences of burnout?
The consequences can be life-threatening, says Wallis. This can include cardiovascular issues due to prolonged stress and elevated cortisol levels. Burnout can also affect your immune system, create gastrointestinal problems, mental health disorders, sleep disorders and chronic pain in muscles and joints, often due to prolonged tension and poor posture.
“Stress doesn’t go away when you suppress it. It’s still there, you’re just learning to cope with it,” Wallis says.
“The more you keep pushing the frontal cortex, the more the brain stem is aroused, the less in control you feel. You are more emotional, have less control and you are just burning out the circuits. Your ability to self-calm: to breathe deeply and do all the things we associate with wellbeing, is pushed further into the background,” Wallis says.
How do I know if I’m burnt out?
Identifying burnout can be challenging, says clinical psychologist Rebekah Doley, particularly for people who are used to pushing through to get things done.
“There is no magic number and everyone deals with stress differently,” she says. “But if you’ve been having more bad days at work than good over a period of a few weeks, it’s probably time to try and find out what’s happening.”
The signs to look for can be broadly described as social withdrawal, she says. It is important to recognise warning signs such as fatigue, sleeping problems, irritability, decreased productivity, poor concentration and lack of motivation. Increased cynicism towards your job and colleagues is also a good indicator you are not managing stress levels.
“When you stop doing the things you normally do, such as exercising, because you tell yourself you’re too tired or you can’t be bothered, that’s when it’s a problem.
“Nothing is too much of an issue [if it happens] once, but if that’s your regular go-to then that tells me that you’re missing out on something that used to be a positive for you and you’re not doing it now,” says Doley.
“You can often feel like you’re functioning behind opaque glass so you can get through and get the basics done. But you’re just not really loving it. You’re not enjoying the things you used to enjoy and you don’t make time to exercise, eat well and relax.
“It might be burnout when you start to lose sight of the game and think, ‘why am I actually in this tunnel in the first place? Forget about whether there’s a light at the end – I can’t even remember why I went in here’,” Doley says.
Musker suggests asking yourself four questions:
1. Has anyone close to you asked you to cut down on your work?
2. In recent months, have you become angry or resentful about your work or about colleagues or clients?
3. Do you feel guilty that you are not spending enough time with your friends, family or even yourself?
4. Do you find yourself becoming increasingly emotional, for example crying, getting angry, shouting, or feeling tense for no obvious reason?
“If you answer yes to any of those questions, then it is time for a change,” says Musker.
“In the workplace, chronic stress builds up slowly over time. Unlike a quick fear response, this stress gradually increases and accumulates, leading to long-term stress.”
How do I overcome burnout?
Fortunately, recovering from burnout is possible. It is generally agreed a period of rest is needed in order to reset and change the way you approach work.
“Every time you experience a bit of stress, you wind the clock up a bit more, but unless you allow that clock to fully unwind, it’s going to start to damage the spring or damage the clock,” says Musker.
“You need at least a few weeks off to absolutely unwind so you can deal with stress a lot better,” he says.
First steps will involve speaking to your GP and addressing any other health issues. These include depression and having your thyroid tested, as the symptoms for an underactive thyroid are tiredness, weight gain and feeling depressed.
Depending on how your recovery goes, you may want to return to work gradually or reduce your working days, or both.
Many of the elements that will help you recover from burnout are also ways to prevent burnout in the first place:
• Get enough rest and relaxation
• Create a daily structure of healthy habits
• Understand what gives you energy and what drains you, and do more of the things that top up your energy levels
• Learn to set boundaries and to say no if you aren’t coping.