- [Narrator] Modern society has brought many advancements,
from personal computers and factory lines,
to artificial intelligence and smartphones.
One unexpected side effect of modernization is burnout,
which was coined in the 1970s.
It was originally described
by psychologist Herbert Freudenberger,
as becoming exhausted by making excessive demands
on energy, strength, or resources.
But in recent years, the definition has expanded.
Burnout is physical, emotional or mental exhaustion
that causes decreased motivation,
low performance and negative attitudes.
It can result from prolonged stress or enduring
overwhelming physical or mental exertion
that is beyond one's workload.
The concept of burnout has recently made a comeback,
thanks to the pandemic.
With the transition to remote work,
many people are experiencing burnout at home.
Remote work makes life easier,
but without healthy boundaries in place,
your personal life could suffer.
You may experience typical emotional or mental cues
of burnout, such as reduced focus or lack of motivation,
but there are physical signs of burnout as well.
We'll explore seven signs of burnout and possible solutions.
Number one, overall fatigue.
The most obvious sign of burnout is fatigue.
Feeling drained and exhausted from working
is understandable, but fatigue is a bit different.
Although it's usually a physical state,
it can also affect your mental and emotional wellbeing,
like making you emotionally sensitive.
The fatigue you feel when you're burnt out
isn't just linked to the amount of work you have to do,
but also to the amount of stress you're under.
Stress consumes a lot of energy, and chronic stress is like
contracting a muscle for a long time.
It gets fatigued and isn't very useful,
and the same happens to us.
Chronic stress affects your sleep and eating habits
but also over produces cortisol,
which takes up a lot of energy and doesn't replenish it.
In a dangerous situation, this is a normal response.
Your body is priming you to fight or run away.
However, we don't confront tigers on our way to work
or have to run miles from our enemies.
We sit at our desks without using up the glucose
our stressed out bodies have produced.
PhD researcher, Robert Jester, explains that burnout
causes extreme exhaustion that isn't solved
by getting sleep.
A great way to prevent fatigue and an increase
in cortisol levels is by taking 10 minutes out of your day
to relax.
Just close your eyes and focus on your breathing.
Try to detach yourself from all the things
you think you have to do, or know you have to do.
Two, sweet cravings.
Craving sweets is common when you're chronically stressed
and burnt out.
It's your body's way of replenishing the glucose it spends.
However, constantly adding glucose into your body
and not actually using it can cause future problems
down the road.
A common result is type two diabetes,
which occurs when your body develops
a resistance to insulin,
according to the National Institute of Diabetes
and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.
Also, it doesn't help that when you're stressed,
you naturally crave sugar because your body uses that
as fuel to confront the dangers that have got you stressed.
Number three, tension headaches.
Another common sign of burnout is tension headaches
says psychologist Dr Adam Borland.
Tension headaches are also a side effect of too much stress,
but can also be caused by a change in eating habits.
When you're stressed, you might forget to eat
or drink water throughout the day, or worse,
you might also eat unhealthy junk food
because they're either faster to cook or less fussy.
No judgment, but those types of foods can be culprits
for your headaches.
If cooking isn't your thing,
try to prepare food ahead of time.
Take 30 minutes over the weekend to plan your meals
for the next couple of days.
Make sure you include plenty of vegetables
in your prepped meals.
If you don't like the idea of preparing food ahead,
cook simple meals.
Simpler meals usually involve few ingredients.
There are a lot of ideas online,
so go ahead and do some research for inspiration.
Four, high blood pressure.
High blood pressure is both a consequence
but also a sign of burnout.
It can be a consequence of burnout if it is caused
by the foods you're consuming, but as a sign,
high blood pressure is caused by chronic stress.
Stress can cause temporary spikes in blood pressure
that can damage your blood vessels, heart and kidneys
according to the Mayo Clinic.
And your hormones can damage your arteries
which can lead to heart disease.
But don't fret, you can do things to help manage your stress
and improve your health.
Exercise is a great way to keep your blood pressure
more stable, and it also can help you de-stress.
If you're burned out and fatigued,
opt for a lighter exercise.
Do some yoga or tai chi.
You're still moving, but not moving in a way
that stresses out your body more.
Number five, heart problems.
If your high blood pressure is left unattended,
it can cause heart problems.
Having high blood pressure can put you at risk for stroke
and other cardiovascular diseases, so please find a way to
decrease your stress-induced high blood pressure.
According to Dr Marie-Noelle Langan,
who specializes in cardiology,
it's common to have heart issues like palpitations
or a racing pulse once in a while,
but if they happen a lot or for longer
than just a few seconds, you should get checked out.
When we're dehydrated, our body may also increase
our heart rate to keep our blood volume the same,
which could lead to more serious issues.
If high blood becomes a concern,
reach out to a medical health provider for help.
Six, stomach problems.
One surprising sign of burnout is stomach problems.
Burnout heavily taxes your gut
and can produce intestinal inflammation.
If left untreated, it can lead to stomach,
overly taxes your gut and clear complications.
In recent years, there has been a plethora of research
supporting the link between your mind and your gut.
When stressed, your body halts digestion
in order to produce more energy.
If you're constantly stressed,
you're not digesting your food properly
and putting your gut health at risk.
But there is a silver lining.
A 2013 clinical review published
by the University of Chapel Hill found that
psychological treatments like CBT were effective
in treating gastrointestinal disorders caused by stress.
So, if your burnout is too much to handle,
reach out to a licensed professional for help.
And number seven, insomnia.
The final sign of burnout is insomnia,
which is a common symptom when you're stressed.
Insomnia is what happens when you take your worries
to bed with you.
They loom over you and prevent you
from getting a good night's sleep.
To combat insomnia,
it's best to try to put your mind at ease.
A great practice is to exercise.
In 2013, Chicago's Northwestern University discovered
that older women with insomnia were able to improve
the issue by doing a half hour of exercise,
three times a week for four months.
They ended up getting an extra 45 minutes or more
of much needed sleep.
Burnout is serious, it's not something you should overlook.
If you need a break, ask.
Talk to your boss about taking a few days off.
Find ways to make your life just a bit easier.
For example, if you feel like your to-do list is too much,
plan your time for each task and also plan your breaks.
If you feel overwhelmed by the amount of tasks
on your to-do list, prioritize them,
but don't exceed more than five.
Once you've made your list, calmly work through them
and get them done.
If you don't finish, that's fine.
Just add it to the next day's to-do list,
but try not to exceed the five items to keep it manageable.
Can you relate to feeling burnt out?
Share with us in the comments.
Keep an eye out for Psi for more content,
and see you next time.