Signs of burnout

​Burnout looks & feels a lot like depression …

What’s really going on at the most basic level … your automatic nervous system is out of whack. Without getting too nerdy (I love this 💩), the ANS is made up of 2 parts: Sympathetic Nervous System (SNS) responsible for the “flight or fight” response & Parasympathetic Nervous System (PNS) known to help you chill out, relax & feel balanced again.

When your body has been under prolonged stress (whether from work, overtraining, bad diet, toxins like alcohol/caffeine, disease/sickness, etc.), your body learns to "survive" on "flight or fight." If the SNS is burdened for too long, the body will get your attention with physical symptoms – often the body’s last messengers after all the mental & emotional signs have been ignored.

**I don’t know about ya’ll, but there were many whispers to “slow the F down” long before the debilitating physical pain finally made my ass completely sit down!**

Featured above are common signs your SNS is running the show. 🚫

SYMPTOMS I SUFFERED FROM THE MOST:
😴 INSOMNIA: When cortisol (your stress hormone) is balanced, it spikes in the a.m. giving you energy for the day & subsides at night for restful, restorative sleep. My cortisol spiked at 2 am every night, leaving me wide-eyed sometimes until 6 am.

🍟 WEIGHT GAIN: Cortisol’s job is to help you survive, so when it’s pumped out in reaction to a stressor, it promotes fat storage, breaks down muscle & fuels sugar/salt cravings. I gained 12 pounds … no lie.

🤔FORGETFULLNESS & BRAIN FOG: When cortisol surges (to help you battle the stressor), it causes memory lapses & serious concentration issues. I accidently put my phone away w/ bath supplies, coffee in the freezer and sometimes couldn’t remember things like my address… (biggest fear here: dementia at 34?)

😰HORMONAL ISSUES: If cortisol is out of whack, sex hormones are too. Low progesterone (a sex hormone affected) leads to moodiness, hot flashes & night sweats, which I had errrry day. (biggest fear here: menopause at 34?)

If you’re struggling with these, you're not alone ♥️ But I'd suggest getting a full hormonal workup to paint a better picture of what your body is fighting 😘 xoxo