Could Burnout Be The Reason You’ve Lost Your Appetite?

You’re finally out for dinner with friends at the new restaurant everyone’s raving about. They talked you into coming even though you tried to beg off because you haven’t had much of an appetite lately.

Besides, you have a million things still to do – as usual. You feel guilty for even taking time for yourself. But you’ll make it a quick night out then get back to your lengthy to-do list. Maybe even get caught up a little bit.

You check your watch, wondering how long you have to stay to be polite before you can rush back to work. Your stress level zooms upward as you contemplate yet another late night without enough time to get done what you’d planned.

When your food arrives, it looks delicious. But you take a few bites, then move the rest around with your fork, hoping your friends won’t notice you’re not really eating.

You know you should be hungry, especially with as little as you eat nowadays. Maybe it’s not healthy to have no appetite. But you’re losing weight and that’s good, right? Maybe this is the way to shed those last few pounds.

There’s just one catch:

When you’re so stressed you’ve lost your appetite, you’re experiencing one of the symptoms of burnout. And your instinct is correct: it’s not healthy. Especially if you’re at the point where you’re losing weight.

Let me explain.

Why Losing Your Appetite Is A Sign Of Burnout

When you go flat out through your life, constantly pushing yourself to do more, feeling stressed at tasks left undone yet piling more of them onto your “must do” list, you’re setting yourself up for burnout.

I know; we women have been conditioned to put everyone and everything else first. It’s not your fault that stress has become second nature to you.

And that’s where the big problem comes in.

Stress and burnout are closely linked. Too much stress that goes on unaddressed for too long nearly always lands you in full-on burnout. But why does it also take away your appetite?

Stress puts your body into fight or flight mode that causes various changes to your digestive  system. Digestion is suppressed and your stomach stops breaking down food.

The fight or flight response is helpful if you’re in danger, but becomes a problem when stress triggers it over and over again.

When you experience prolonged stress, you can experience stomach and digestive issues, including loss of appetite because of elevated levels of cortisol, your body’s stress hormone.  Increased cortisol often boosts the production of stomach acids, which speed up digestion and create a sensation of fullness. This full sensation halts signals to the brain that initiate hunger.

Fortunately, there’s a simple yet paradoxical solution to help you lower your stress, regain your healthy appetite, and support you to come back from burnout: eat stress-lowering food.

How To Lower Stress, Get Your Appetite Back, And Get Off The Burnout Path

Food can help tame your stress in several ways. Some foods boost levels of the brain-calming chemical serotonin, which helps you feel happy and optimistic. Others can reduce levels of the stress hormones, cortisol and adrenaline, to stop them from taking a toll on your body.

Now let’s dive in to which specific foods will help you lower your stress and bring you back from burnout.

  • Carbohydrates: All carbs prompt your brain to make serotonin. I recommend you eat complex carbs such as whole-grain breads, pastas, and cereals including oatmeal. Complex carbohydrates take longer to digest than processed ones, resulting in a steadier supply of serotonin for your body. You may find it especially helpful to eat complex carbs before bedtime.
  • Vitamin C: Studies suggest this vitamin can curb levels of stress hormones while strengthening your immune system. In one study, people’s blood pressure and levels of cortisol returned to normal more quickly when they consumed vitamin C before a stressful task or event. So eat an orange or, even better, a green bell pepper which is one of the foods highest in vitamin C.
  • Magnesium: If you’re low in magnesium, you may get headaches and feel fatigued, which compound the effects of stress. Just one cup of spinach helps you regain your magnesium levels. If you don’t like spinach, other green leafy vegetables are good magnesium sources, as are cooked soybeans or a fillet of salmon.
  • Omega 3 Fatty Acids: Omega 3 fatty acids can prevent surges in stress hormones. As a bonus, they also may help protect against heart disease, depression, and premenstrual syndrome (PMS). Aim to eat at least 3.5 ounces of fatty fish such as tuna or salmon at least twice a week.
  • Black Tea: This one is a little surprising! But in a study that compared people who drank 4 cups of black tea daily for 6 weeks with people who drank another beverage, tea drinkers reported feeling calmer and had lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol after stressful situations.
  • Healthy Fats: Consuming healthy fats daily may protect you against the inflammatory effects of chronic stress – they’re one of the most potent anti-inflammatory ingredients in a quality diet. As a bonus, healthy fats help lower your cholesterol, ease inflammation of your heart arteries, and make getting diabetes less likely. Excellent sources of healthy fats include pistachios, walnuts, or almonds. Just don’t eat too many since they’re high in calories.
  • Raw Vegetables: Crunchy raw vegetables are great stress relievers not necessarily for their nutrients, but because munching celery or carrot sticks helps release your clenched jaw, thus warding off tension.
  • Warm Milk: There’s a reason drinking a glass of warm milk at bedtime is a time-honored remedy to help you sleep better. The calcium in milk provides a calming effect and soothes your stress. Give this remedy a try; you may be surprised at how effective it is.

 

I know this may be a lot to take in, but bear with me.

These tips work. I know because I’ve used most of them myself. I’ve seen how beneficial they are for the clients I’ve recommended them to. And if you want more, it’s easy. Simply sign up for my email list.

It’s Time To Get Back Your Healthy Appetite

Imagine being out for dinner with friends and actually enjoying yourself.

You can’t wait for your meal to arrive. You’re starving, and you know it’s going to taste heavenly.

The server puts your plate down in front of you. You lean over, smile, and inhale your food’s aroma. “Bon appetite!” you say to your dinner companions, before picking up your fork and digging in.

Though there are tasks still to be done, you’re not feeling stressed about them. This is your time to enjoy yourself; to nourish your body, and rejoice in your returned appetite.

You discovered you were teetering on the edge of burnout – maybe you had even gotten into full blown burnout before you realized it. But you committed to taking care of yourself; now, you’re experiencing the rewards.

If you’d like to have assistance with reclaiming your appetite and getting off the path to burnout, I’m here for you with a complimentary Break Free From Burnout session. In this 60-minute consultation you’ll:

  • Get simple and practical tips for how to break free from your burnout symptoms
  • Create a clear and compelling vision of the burnout-free life you want
  • Tap into greater energy and inspiration
  • Explore how having a partner on your journey will provide a shortcut to all that you desire.

>>> Click here now to schedule your complimentary session.

 

Why You’re Getting Sick More Often (And 4 Tips To Get – and Stay – Healthier)

Oh, no, not again. Not another cold. You just had one a little while ago. And…yes, that’s right, you had the flu right before that last cold.

Sometimes your bouts of illness all blend together; it seems like you barely get over one before the next one begins.  

Your nightstand is beginning to look like a pharmacy, with countless vials of medicine and boxes of tissues crowding its top.

Although you feel awful, you push yourself hard to get through your day.

Your family needs you. You can’t afford to miss more work.

“What’s going on with me?” you wonder, “I never used to get sick so often.”

If you’ve been going full speed for awhile, feeling like you’re never caught up, and stressing about all the items left undone on your endless to-do list, there’s a good reason why you’re getting sick more often.

Your immune system could be compromised by stress.

Here’s why.

How Stress Degrades Your Immune System

Chronic stress can lower your immunity, leaving your immune system under-active and unable to fully protect you against infection and disease.

Catching colds easily is just one sign that can indicate low immunity. Others are:

  • You get more than two colds per year.
  • You suffer with a chronic infection.
  • You get frequent cold sores.
  • Your lymph glands are sometimes sore and swollen.

When your immune system is degraded, you’ll experience recurrent or chronic infections. And once your immunity is weakened a vicious circle is set up: a weakened immune system leads to infection, infection causes damage to your immune system, which further weakens your resistance to infection.

As well, chronic stress depletes your body of nutrients because it affects how you absorb and store certain key minerals and vitamins, leading to fatigue, low mood and muscle pain.

Left unaddressed, stress can easily lead to full-blown burnout – just like it did for me awhile back.

Trust me, you don’t want to let yourself go into complete burnout.

4 Ways To Nourish And Rebuild Your Immune System

Fortunately, there are steps you can start taking right away to nurture yourself and rebuild your immune system:

1)Wash your hands

The fastest and easiest way for bugs to flourish is for them to transfer from your hands to your mouth and nose. Don’t let germs get near your immune system! Wash your hands regularly. Avoid touching public surfaces like stair bannisters, escalator handrails, or – if you use public transit – the grab-poles in buses or light rail cars. And it’s not rude to decline to shake hands with or hug friends or colleagues who are sick!

2)   Eat healthy foods

Though nowadays it seems like there are as many opinions about what healthy food is as there are stars in the sky, here are a few helpful rules of thumb:

  • Choose whole foods, such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, seeds, and nuts. If you can recognize an item as having grown from a plant or grazed in a field, that’s good!
  • Eat fruits and vegetables of all colors to get the most nutritional value. You’ll sometimes see this called “Eat the rainbow”. Choose dark leafy greens; orange and yellow vegetable such as carrots, squash, and sweet potatoes; and red peppers and tomatoes.
  • The  brassica family of vegetables are particularly beneficial for your immune system. These include: broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbages, cauliflower, and kale, along with greens from mustard, radishes, and turnips, berries, and garlic.
  • Refined sugars weaken your immunity by inhibiting the immune system cells that attack bacteria, so be sure to drastically limit your sugar intake – including alcohol.

3)   Exercise

Exercise – even a regular walk – improves immune system health while releasing endorphins – your body’s natural “feel good” chemicals. Exercise also helps reduce the stress that’s affecting your immune system.

“People who exercise 30 to 45 minutes a day experience a 40% to 50% reduction in the number of days they get sick,” says Dr. David C. Nieman, director of the Appalachian State University Human Performance Lab at the North Carolina Research Campus.

He explains: Within minutes of starting your exercise routine, your body’s circulating levels of white blood cells, natural killer cells, and other sickness-fighting agents increase. And the more active you are, the more active your immune system tends to be.

4)   Make time for self-care

For many of us women, taking time for ourselves can feel ridiculously self-indulgent. How is it even possible when you barely have time to get everything done for everyone else?

But the truism “You can’t pour from an empty cup” really comes into play. You can only wear yourself out and compromise your immune system for so long before your body will refuse to cooperate, and you’ll have no choice but to care for yourself first.

In fact, without nurturing yourself, you could experience the frightening effects of full blown burnout.

So, rather than let your self-care cup get empty, take time each day to play. Enjoy your hobbies. Book that spa appointment you’ve been putting off.

(Sign up for my email list to receive more helpful tips)

It’s Time To Rebuild Your Immune System

Here’s the thing: it’s hard to turn around a go-go-go lifestyle, even when perpetual sickness drags you down. Yet it’s essential to do, otherwise you’re headed to burnout. So many of us women were taught to put everyone else – and everything else – first… and that’s gotta change for you to be your healthiest self.

Getting sick more often is a wake-up call to nurture yourself. To make time for essential self-care; to acknowledge your worth by changing up your priorities to rebuild your immune system and experience better health.

If you feel like you’re having difficulty taking time for yourself, or you can’t stop your slide into burnout, sign up for a complimentary Break Free From Burnout Consultation with me. In this 60-minute consultation you’ll:

  • Get simple and practical tips for how to break free from your burnout symptoms
  • Create a clear and compelling vision of the burnout-free life you want
  • Tap into greater energy and inspiration
  • Explore how having a partner on your journey will provide a shortcut to all that you desire.

Remember, I’m here for you.

7 Physical Symptoms Of Burnout (Plus: How To Get Relief)

It’s frightening, isn’t it?

Some days your heart feels like it’s going to pound its way out of your chest.

Other times you’re gulping for air as though you were being strangled. Then your stomach twists into knots so painful it hurts to eat.

Though you’re endlessly busy, at the back of your mind is the nagging thought that you ought to get your symptoms checked by a doctor.

Yes, please! If you’re experiencing worrisome physical symptoms, I urge you to get evaluated by a physician to rule out any potentially dangerous health problems.

And if you’ve been galloping flat out, sleeping for what seems like mere seconds, and the teenager at the drive-thru knows you by name, consider this: your physical symptoms could be signs of burnout.

Typically, the physical symptoms I describe in this post are experienced by people who are burned out. In fact, 65% of adults in the US report both stress and burnout symptoms because they are so closely related. So while you may believe you’re simply stressed, you can quickly move into burnout – with all of its heightened symptoms that take longer to recover from.

Stress-related anxiety  is also closely linked to burnout – although stress can lead to burnout whether it initially creates anxiety, or only after you’re in full-on burnout.

Here’s an example:

Awhile back, before I let myself slide into full-on burnout, I sometimes felt a low level of anxiety. Rarely would my anxiety rise as high as a medium level. But when I was in full-on burnout, my ability to handle stress was compromised, which triggered high levels of anxiety.

Talk about a no-win situation.

Now that you know how burnout, stress, and anxiety can weave together, let’s dive into these seven physical symptoms of burnout so you can more readily identify them rather than dismissing them as just more stress than usual.

#1 Chest Pain

You may have been to the doctor already, who’s ruled out a biomedical condition such as heart disease.

However, here’s one reason why you still might be experiencing chest pain: your burnout-related stress throws you into what’s called the fight or flight response. This stress response includes tightening your body’s muscles to make them more resilient to damage. Your chest and rib cage muscles may be affected, resulting in chest pain.

#2 Heart Palpitations

You know that feeling when your heart’s fluttering like a wounded bird? Scary, isn’t it? And that’s not all. Heart palpitations can feel like your heart is:

  • Skipping beats
  • Beating too fast
  • Pounding
  • Flip-flopping

They can occur when you’re active or at rest. Heart palpitations are another way the fight or flight response can show up in your body, signifying you may be on the path to burnout.

#3 Shortness Of Breath

Shortness of breath can manifest a few different ways.  You may feel like you can’t catch your breath at all. There may be tightness in your chest. Or, it may seem like you’re suffocating.

Studies have shown a strong association between anxiety and respiratory symptoms, including shortness of breath.

#4 Gastrointestinal Pain

Are you one of the many people who feels stress in your gut? There’s good reason: it’s caused by a part of the nervous system known informally as the brain-gut axis.

In a nutshell, your brain interacts with the rest of your body through the nervous system. And if you guessed this is another way the fight or flight response shows up, good! Your brain sends a signal to slow or even stop digestion during stressful events, often triggering abdominal pain and other gastrointestinal symptoms such as bloating and constipation.

#5 Dizziness

Anxiety-related dizziness can leave you feeling woozy. You may have a feeling of motion or spinning inside you, or feel like you’re swaying even though you are standing still.

A range of environments like grocery stores, crowded malls, or even wide open spaces may cause you to feel wobbly.

These symptoms are caused by legitimate physiologic changes within your brain when you’re anxious.

#6 Fainting

Fainting may have a variety of causes but the most common type of fainting spell happens because your body overreacts to triggers such as anxiety and stress. Your brain directs your blood pressure to drop and reduces the circulation to your brain, causing a lack of consciousness.

#7 Headaches

So many of us get headaches caused by anxiety and stress. It’s that feeling like there’s a clamp tightening down on your skull, and it’s caused by muscle contractions in your head and neck.

Your doctor may ask you which of these two types you have:

  • Episodic  tension headaches, which happen fewer than 15 days per month
  • Chronic tension headaches, which happen more than 15 days a month

While taking ibuprofen is a short-term way to relieve your pain, it does nothing to relieve the root cause of your headache – which could very well be that you’re burned out.

Now that you see how your physical symptoms could be signaling you that you’re burned out, here are some of my recommendations for how to soothe them.

Self-Care Practices To Get Relief

You can take steps right now to get yourself back into balance.

  • I’m a big proponent of practicing what’s called good sleep hygiene to improve your sleep. Without enough quality sleep, you’ll stay frazzled and burned out. Conversely, your body repairs and restores itself while you sleep, helping bring you back from burnout. Check out my tips on how to sleep better.
  • Conduct a regular spiritual practice to nurture yourself. This could be meditation, praying, journaling – whatever is right for you. As the late Leonard Nimoy said:

“I’m touched by the idea that when we do things that are useful and helpful – collecting these shards of spirituality – that we may be helping to bring about a healing.” – Leonard Nimoy

  • Eat healthy food. I know, fast food or tossing a packaged dinner into the microwave is so tempting when you’re busy! But I also know the toll unhealthy food takes on your overall health. Your body needs high quality food as fuel for adequate performance. Consider having a couple of simple go-to meals for when you’re busy; there’s no need to push yourself to make something complicated.

And for an additional way to support yourself, sign up to receive my complimentaryFrom Burnout To Balance: A Simple 10-Minute Daily Self-Care Practice.

Are You Ready To Go From Burnout To Balance?

You know how frightening it is when stress and anxiety turn into the distressing physical symptoms of burnout.

It’s a relief when your doctor rules out obvious medical causes like heart disease.

Yet then you’re left with a feeling of “Now what?”

How can you get yourself back to feeling good again? How can you bring yourself back from burnout?

Using these practices will get you on your way.

But you don’t have to do this alone! Sign up for a complimentary From Burnout to Balance consultation with me. In this 60-minute consultation you’ll get simple and practical tips for how to break free from your burnout symptoms; create a clear and compelling vision of the burnout-free life you want; tap into greater energy and inspiration; and explore how having a partner on your journey will provide a shortcut to all that you desire.  Together, we’ll get you on the path to wellness.

 

If You’re Forgetful And Unfocused, Here’s Why (And What Will Help)

We all have off days from time to time.

But running the risk of getting fired from your job because you keep forgetting your commitments is especially frightening.

So, too, is being unable to solve routine life challenges without a huge amount of effort.

Some days you’re so fearful and overwhelmed, you have no choice but to let the tears come. Then you dry your eyes, blow your nose, and carry on.

I get it. I’ve been there. So I know that you don’t have to live your life being forgetful and unfocused.

Let me explain.

The Common Root Cause Of Forgetfulness and Inability To Focus

Most people don’t realize this, but these two symptoms have a common root cause: poor quality of sleep.

How can this be?

When you consider that even in the short term, a lack of adequate sleep can:

  • impair your judgment,
  • affect your mood,
  • undermine your ability to learn and retain information; and,
  • increase your risk of serious accidents and injury,

you see how poor sleep can easily lead to chronic forgetfulness and inability to focus.

In fact, Harvard’s Division of Sleep Medicine tells us that “the cost of poor sleep is much greater than many people think and may have profound consequences for our long-term health, resulting in:

  • an increased risk of chronic disease,
  • obesity,
  • diabetes,
  • cardiovascular disease, and
  • early mortality.”

So a major medical facility urges us to treat sleep as a priority, rather than a luxury, as this may be an important step in preventing a number of chronic medical conditions – including full-on burnout.

Sleep is important because it’s the only time your body has to recharge and recuperate. When you get too little restful sleep, your ability to concentrate and remember can be affected.

Are You Short-Changing Yourself On Sleep?

A survey by the National Sleep Foundation  revealed that over two-thirds of women associate their sleep problems with stress. Yet, over half of the women polled said that sleep is the first thing they give up when they get overscheduled. Sound familiar?

Even when you’re looking for ways to create more time in your busy schedule, the last thing you should sacrifice is sleep. Making sure you get good sleep is the key to healing your forgetfulness and inability to focus.

The Key Is To Prioritize Your Sleep

When I couldn’t focus or rely on myself to remember important tasks, the key step I took to bring myself back was re-prioritizing my sleep. When I did, my brain fog and forgetfulness improved. I was able to start living my life again.

My favorite way to get a restful night’s sleep is to practice relaxation techniques. You deliberately relax your body so that relaxation becomes a habit, easing your entry into sleep.

These techniques include:

  • Meditation
  • Imagining you’re in a beautiful place in nature
  • Listening to a guided relaxation audio recording
  • Scanning your body (focus on relaxing each body part starting at your feet and working your way up to your head)
  • Thinking about all the things in your life that you are grateful for

I use relaxation techniques like guided meditation, guided imagery, and body scans to get more optimal sleep. I also plan in advance what time I will go to sleep. I set the intention of getting 7-9 hours of sleep each night and then set an alarm to remind me when it’s time to get ready for bed.

I offer additional tools to assist you in getting a restful night’s sleep in my Deep Sleep Blueprint: A Magic Rest & Relief Formula. Click here to get the Deep Sleep Blueprint free.

Why not show yourself how much you love yourself by putting your own self-care first? When you prioritize yourself, you can then be the great mom, wife, partner, boss, daughter, and sister that you desire to be.

Is It Time To Take Action?

Pause for a moment and ask yourself, with all good intent, if you may be sabotaging your health.

If the answer is yes, take some time to reflect on how you can re-prioritize your well-being. There’s no reason for a bright, vibrant woman like you to live your life as less joyful and capable than you truly are.

It may be time to make a change – and aren’t you worth it?

Don’t let chronic forgetfulness and inability to focus get the upper hand.

And if you need a helping hand, sign up for a complimentary Break Free From Burnout session.

In this 60-minute consultation you’ll:

  • Get simple and practical tips for how to break free from your burnout symptoms
  • Create a clear and compelling vision of the burnout-free life you want
  • Tap into greater energy and inspiration
  • Explore how having a partner on your journey will provide a shortcut to all that you desire.

>>> Click here now to schedule your complimentary session.

How To Overcome Insomnia: 9 Tips for Sleeping Better, Starting Tonight

When you’re tossing and turning throughout the night, and scarcely able to drag yourself through your day, you pray for restful sleep.

Insomnia – with its ongoing lack of quality sleep – can wreck your health and happiness.

I know; I’ve been there. Which is why I put together these tips to help you get a good night’s sleep.

(And because insomnia symptoms mirror a number of those of burnout, I encourage you to consider if you may be burned out and not just temporarily having a hard time sleeping.)

Now, let’s dive in.

#1. Difficulty Falling Asleep at Night

You go to bed.

And you lie there, staring into the dark, willing yourself to fall asleep.

Even though you’re weary to the bone, you can’t fall asleep. So you pick up your phone and scroll through social media, trying to distract yourself long enough to get sleepy.

Finally, out of desperation, you pop a sleeping pill. Even though you feel like you’ve gotten too reliant on them, you’re desperate for sleep. 20 minutes later you doze off.

Pro tips: create a regular bedtime routine and stick with it, because a consistent routine trains your body and mind to start winding down in preparation for sleep.

Stop using electronics at least 30 minutes before bed in order to lessen the stimulation from the light emitted by your devices.

#2. Waking Up During the Night

Finally, you managed to fall asleep.

But a short time later you’re awake.

You toss, you turn, you doze off, you wake up again.

And again. You watch the numbers on the clock creep by.

Another night of broken sleep that leaves you feeling like you’ve been run over by a truck.

Pro tips: don’t have caffeine after 12pm in order to avoid its stimulation closer to bedtime.

Put the clocks in your room out of sight – it helps to not have them reminding you of the time.

Take a deep breath into your diaphragm in order to consciously relax your body.

#3. Waking Up Too Early

While this might not sound like a serious issue, I promise you that consistently waking too early and not getting enough quality sleep can leave you feeling like a zombie. If you’re someone who has no trouble falling asleep but then finds yourself wide awake several hours later at, say, 3am, you know what I mean.

Pro tips: wear a sleep mask over your eyes to block out all light; even a small amount of light can signal your body to stop producing the sleep-supporting hormone melatonin.

Wear ear plugs to block out noise that can distract you from falling or staying asleep.

#4. Not Feeling Well-Rested Even After a Full Night’s Sleep

You haven’t been sleeping well for awhile, then you’re able to get a full night’s sleep. At last! Hallelujah!

But, shockingly, you still feel like something the cat dragged in.

I’m here to tell you that if you’re burned out, one good night’s sleep isn’t going to erase your exhaustion because you likely have an accumulated sleep deficit that needs a period of quality sleep to erase.

Pro tips: eat food that supports sleep: like chicken, eggs, turkey, bananas, and avocados.

Eating a 1-2 oz protein snack before bed will help keep your blood sugar levels steady. For example, a hardboiled egg, a handful of nuts, or a tablespoon of nut butter.

You could also consider painting your bedroom a warm shade of blue, the most peaceful color.

#5. Daytime Tiredness or Sleepiness

Do you often nod off at your desk? Or feel so weary when you’re driving that you get a strong urge to lay your head down on the steering wheel and nap?

First of all, it’s worth getting a checkup to rule out an underlying medical cause such as sleep apnea, depression, or diabetes. If there isn’t an obvious medical cause, consider that you may be heading toward burnout.

Pro tips: get up and take a brisk walk, even if it’s just around the office. Moving your body will disrupt the sleepiness that can easily set in when you’re sedentary.  

Drink water throughout the day to keep yourself hydrated. If you’re dehydrated, your mouth and nasal passages can dry out, setting you up for sleep-disruptive snoring or leg cramps that can keep you awake. Being dehydrated during the night can also compromise your energy and ability to focus the next day.

#6. Irritability, Depression, or Anxiety

You may find yourself shrieking at your family for the least little thing.

Slogging through your day feeling hopeless.

Or so keyed up you can’t sit still, your mind racing, wringing your hands together while you contemplate everything that could go wrong.

(Please seek medical help if these symptoms are severe.)

Pro tips: take a minute to feel compassion for yourself. We women so often get down on ourselves for our negative feelings. Instead, take a few moments to practice being as kind to yourself as you would be to a beloved child. Over time, this will help replace self-judgment you may be trapped in.

Take a long, slow, deep breath into your diaphragm, pause, exhale just as slowly. Repeat. Deep breathing calms your nervous system; it breaks the fight or flight response in your brain that anxiety often triggers.

#7. Difficulty Paying Attention, Focusing on Tasks, or Remembering

When you’re not sleeping well, it can be challenging to concentrate.

Your brain simply can’t, even when you try to force yourself to focus.

You find yourself unable to remember details you normally would be right on top of. (And then you come down hard on yourself – which makes it worse.)

Pro tips: splash some cool water on your face as a way to gently help bring you back to the moment, which will help you re-establish your concentration.

Put on your favorite music and dance or get outside for a walk. Moving your body refreshes you both physically and mentally, allowing you to more easily focus your attention and recall information.

#8. Increased Errors or Accidents

That fender bender you had the other day? It could be from sleeping poorly. Especially if you’re having difficulty paying attention. (See number 7, above.)

Remember when you made that mistake at work and you couldn’t believe it? “That’s not like me!” you protest.

Insomnia can mess with your normal competence, leaving you prone to accidents and mistakes.

Pro tips: practice forgiving yourself for your mistakes. Acknowledge you’re not at your best – often, simply acknowledging what’s going on (“I’m tired”) will soften its effect on you.

#9. Ongoing Worries About Sleep

Isn’t this ironic? Being worried about sleep can cause you to lose sleep.

You set yourself up in a vicious circle.

Pro tips: tell yourself “Stop” when you catch yourself worrying. Say it out loud. Then smile, because smiling releases endorphins, the feel-good brain chemicals. Even the action of lifting the corners of your mouth will trigger endorphins, if you can’t muster up a sincere smile.

What to Do Next

When you are burned out, you’re often exhausted yet unable to relax enough to access that deep restful sleep your body needs. If you’re so tired you’re not sure what you should do next, let me support you. Go sign up for my free quiz “16 Signs You’re Headed To Burnout” so you can find out if you’re more than just tired.

I wish I’d had a quiz like this when I was in a downward spiral. It would have helped me wake up sooner, rather than having to wait till I was in full-blown burnout. That’s why I created this quiz… to empower you with information that can make all the difference in your life, now.

 

Fatigue Is a Sign of Burnout (and 9 Tips to Get Rested)

Here’s the thing:

It’s almost too easy in our culture to…

Wear yourself down to a frazzle.

Feel responsible for everything.

And think it’s your job to change the world.

It’s as if everyone – every single person – is depending on you…

Or so you tell yourself.

A Brush with Burnout 

Burnout is what happens when you go full speed under constant stress until you’re merely a shell of your former self.

Your entire outlook is one of scarcity.

There’s never enough time… never enough energy to do everything.

You’re never good enough… never accomplished enough.

You feel guilty trying to grab a few hours of sleep, even though you’re so tired you can scarcely add two plus two and get four. There’s always more to be done. So you push yourself day after day until you want to cry from exhaustion.

Until, finally, there’s a complete scarcity of you – of your energy, health, well-being, and vitality.

Here’s the thing though, your exhaustion and fatigue are actually important clues for you to pay attention to: these are symptoms of burnout. If you keep pushing forward, attempting to push through these symptoms, well… let’s just say, it could get ugly like it did for me…

Fatigue is one of the signs of burnout. And it’s worth paying attention to because it might not be plain old tiredness that’s wearing you down.

Dismissing Exhaustion as ‘Just Tired’ Is a Mistake 

Because fatigue can be a sign of burnout, it’s important to take a moment right now and assess your “tiredness” over time.

  1. Do you lack energy and enthusiasm?
  2. Do you feel tired most days yet are able to push through?

If you answered yes to either of those questions, then you’re in the early stages of burnout-induced fatigue.

  1. Do you feel utterly wiped out?
  2. Are you struggling with depression or hopelessness?
  3. Are you having a hard time making decisions?

Responding yes to questions 3-5 indicates that you are in the latter stages of burnout. Either way, I would suggest taking action on the tips below before you get too far down the exhaustion path. I’ve been there, and it’s not pretty.

You Need More Than One Good Night’s Sleep 

One good night’s sleep feels terrific, but let’s face it: One night of restful sleep won’t go a long way toward helping you recover from what may be burnout-induced fatigue. What we’re going for instead is consistently getting a restful good night’s sleep.

9 tips for getting a good night’s sleep every night:

  1. Keep a consistent sleep schedule (Yes, even on weekends or days off!), so your body can find its natural rhythm and settle into a regular sleep-wake cycle
  2. Go to bed early enough for you to get at least seven hours of sleep
  3. Stop using electronic devices at least half an hour before bedtime
  4. Avoid drinking or eating caffeine in the afternoon or evening (Remember, dark chocolate has caffeine!)
  5. Drink sparingly before bedtime so you’re not running to the bathroom throughout the night.
  6. Establish a relaxing 15-30 minute bedtime routine to quiet your mind and soothe tension in your body (i.e. a warm bath, meditation, visualization, soft music)
  7. Keep your room dark and cool
  8. Wear a sleep mask to block ambient light
  9. Use your bed only for sleep or sex, so your body and mind recognize it as strictly a place for rest and intimacy.

You can learn more about the vicious cycle of sleep and stress in my Deep Sleep Blueprint: A Magic Rest & Relief Formula.  You’ll learn how getting caught up in this cycle can set you on the path to burnout and how to avoid this. Click here to get the Deep Sleep Blueprint free.

An Unusual Approach to Overcoming Fatigue 

In addition to getting a great night’s sleep every night, take time to play! Even if it feels hard to imagine having the energy for this or it seems self-indulgent, “play can boost your energy and vitality and even improve your resistance to disease, helping you function at your best.”

George Bernard Shaw said it best: “We don’t stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing.” Play will nurture your soul, bring you closer to the joyful person you were meant to be, and ease stress.

What do you love to do? And when was the last time you let yourself enjoy what you love?

Are You Ready to Feel Rested Again? 

Now that you know these tips, you can be in action with a few at a time and see how your sleep changes.

You now know…

  • Why getting consistent, quality sleep is vital for your well-being
  • The steps you can take to get the revitalizing sleep that will let you rediscover your natural optimism and joy
  • How important it is to be in action

Once you do these things and are sleeping better, you can…

Enjoy playing with your family and friends.

Feel hopeful and happy about life.

Make decisions with ease.

Wake up refreshed, eager for the delectable day ahead, and brimming with energy and humor.

Now you have a list of rejuvenating practices you can bookmark and come back to when you need a refresher.

Now is the time to start getting a good night’s sleep. Tonight.

Are you ready?

It’s snooze time!

 

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