Physical exhaustion is another common sign. dr. Gold said one of her main symptoms of burnout was fatigue. “I realized I was sleeping every day after work – and I thought, ‘What’s wrong with me?’ but it was basically a burnout,” she said.
Changes in eating habits — either eating more or less than usual — can also be a sign of burnout: In the study of Italian health professionals, 56 percent reported changes in dietary habits. People may eat less because they’re too busy or distracted, or they find themselves craving “those comfort foods we all like to go to when we need something to make us feel better,” said Dr. Bennett. Research suggestsalso that stress hormones can affect appetite, causing people to feel less hungry than normal when they are under a lot of stress, and more hungry than normal when that stress decreases.
Headaches and abdominal pain can also be caused by burnout, said Dr. gold. A study of people in Sweden who suffered from exhaustion disorder — a medical condition similar to burnout — found that 67 percent reported experiencing nausea, gas or indigestion and 65 percent had headaches. It is also important to note that burnout can develop in addition to depression or anxiety, both of which can cause physical symptoms. Depression can cause muscle pain, abdominal pain, difficulty sleeping and appetite changes. fear is linked to headache, nausea and shortness of breath.
What must we do
If you’re experiencing physical symptoms that could indicate burnout, consider seeing your primary care physician or a mental health professional to determine if they’re caused by stress or rooted in other physical conditions, said Dr. Dyrbye. Don’t just ignore the symptoms and assume they don’t matter.
“It’s very easy to blow your own symptoms away, especially in our culture where we’ve been taught to work hard,” said Dr. gold.
If it is a burnout, the best solution is to tackle the root of the problem. Burnout is usually recognized as work-oriented, but chronic stress can have several causes: financial problems, relationship problems, and caring responsibilities, among others. Think about “the pebbles in your shoe that you deal with all the time,” said Dr. Maslach, and brainstorm ways to remove some of them, at least some of the time. Perhaps you can ask your partner to help with your toddler’s bedtime ritual, or arrange takeout meals if you’re very busy so you don’t have to plan dinner, either.