Burnout and Stress Management

Burnout is a state of emotional, mental, and physical exhaustion caused by prolonged and excessive stress, often stemming from work-related demands or chronic personal strain.

Burnout is not a singular event but is the end point of a long process where the body and mind are constantly pushed beyond their limits. Over time, the nervous system becomes dysregulated, the body enters a state of chronic vigilance, and even basic activities begin to feel draining. People with burnout often feel emotionally depleted, disconnected from their work or relationships, and plagued by a deep fatigue that rest doesn’t seem to resolve.

A critical part of this process, according to Dr. Courtney, is the body’s stress response system—especially the autonomic nervous system, which governs involuntary functions like breathing, heart rate and digestion.

In burnout, the sympathetic (‘fight or flight’) branch is often overactive, while the parasympathetic (‘rest and digest’) branch is suppressed. This imbalance creates a state of constant readiness, even when there’s no actual threat.

As a result, people may experience:

anxiety,
poor sleep,
muscle tension,
digestive issues, and
mental fog.

These symptoms are commonly mistaken for unrelated health problems.

Breathing plays a central role in this picture. Under chronic stress, people often shift into dysfunctional breathing patterns—rapid, shallow, chest-based breaths that reinforce the stress state.

These changes aren’t just symptoms; they also fuel the cycle of burnout by sending signals to the brain that the body is under threat. This means that even in moments of calm, the system stays activated, unable to reset. Over time, the miscommunication between the body and brain contributes to fatigue, emotional instability and poor resilience.

Another often-overlooked feature of burnout is the blunted stress response.

Initially, stress may cause hyper-reactivity—such as racing thoughts or panic—but eventually, the body may lose the capacity to respond at all. This can leave individuals feeling numb, unmotivated, or even physically weak.

This stage is especially dangerous because it mimics depression, and people may feel ashamed or confused by their inability to “push through.” It becomes more than just being tired—it’s a deep, systemic energy deficit rooted in both the mind and the body.

Ultimately, burnout is not just psychological—it is physiological.

Stress alters basic functions like breathing, posture, and nervous system regulation, and how these changes become embedded in the body over time. Recognising burnout as a whole-system breakdown, rather than simply a matter of “overdoing it,” helps shift the conversation toward more compassionate and holistic support. By understanding its physiological underpinnings, people can begin to address not just the workload, but the deeper imbalances that keep their bodies locked in survival mode.