Truth be told, it has taken me the better part of 2023 to sit down and write a blog about burnout because I am quite, well, burnt-out!
With two little ones in my life, working on finding balance as Mom and Naturopathic Doctor combined with a significant decrease in quality of sleep over the past 3.5 years; I find myself drained and often running on empty.
Previously I incorporated lifestyle habits that helped me stay focused, motivated, energized and keeping up with activities like running, swimming etc..
Challenging with kiddos to find time for that now! More recently I find myself having a hard time falling asleep, staying up too late and having a hard time getting out of bed. Previously enjoying but now relying on coffee for that mental jolt and increased energy (though it has the opposite effect on the body)! I have very little motivation for exercise. I start most of my sentences with “What was I going to say??!” Exhaustion has creeped in and I seem to catch illnesses more frequently in the past year while having a harder time recovering.
One of the most common health complaints I have seen in my practice over the past 10 years is in fact burnout - which translates to other physical, mental and emotional concerns - and an area of healthcare that I have helped many patients overcome. Now I relate to their concerns and state of being on an entirely new level!
What is Burnout?
So, what exactly is burnout, what causes it and how do we recognize if we have reached that state?
Our bodies continuously strive to maintain a balanced state, or homeostasis. There exist multiple different factors which disrupt homeostasis. Examples are environmental toxins, inadequate sleep, poor diet, over-exercise, unhappy work conditions, emotional trauma, surgery, chronic illness… all of which add up to stress. Regardless of the source, the body’s Hypothalamic - Pituitary - Adrenal axis (HPA axis) is triggered to release cortisol in response to stress. Cortisol (among other hormones) is released by our adrenal glands: small walnut-size glands that sit on top of our kidneys. You can think of them as our central powerhouse.
During a normal, short-term stress response, cortisol levels rise and fall fairly quickly. This is a healthy adaptation to stress. However, when stressors become long-term or chronic, cortisol starts to be released inappropriately and our HPA axis becomes dysfunctional. This has been commonly referred to as adrenal fatigue.
Symptoms of adrenal fatigue may include:
Wired but tired at night
Morning grogginess
Brain fog
Fatigue
Low libido
Frequent illness
Feeling overwhelmed, hopeless
Decrease in physical endurance
Muscle aches & pains
Digestive issues etc..
In addition to a clinical workup, there are additional physical exams and laboratory exams that can help with the diagnosis of HPA axis dysfunction.
Ways to get back to your best self!
Restoring the body’s adaptation to stress is multifactorial and can include a focus on
Lifestyle habits
Diet patterns
Nutritional supplements
Intravenous therapies
Herbal remedies
Acupuncture
..and more
If you can relate to or are struggling with any of the above symptoms, then I strongly encourage you to seek out Naturopathic care. Naturopathic Doctors have extensive knowledge on the body’s physiological response to stress, have access to specific laboratory tests that can identify the level of impact and are trained in the above mentioned therapies to help restore your vitality.
For more information on understanding and identifying burnout, or to schedule a consult with Dr. Vincenza Rotulo, ND, email: dr.vincenza.nd@gmail.com or call 416.705.3289