Exhaustion or Burnout? How to Identify and Recover From Both!

With how busy so many of us are during the year, it can feel like we are being put through the wringer with no end in sight.

This can lead to exhaustion or burnout. In turn, stress levels can rise, our quality of sleep decreases, and our overall quality of life diminishes.

However, there are some differences between exhaustion and burnout.

The question is: How do we know the difference between burnout and exhaustion?

Exhaustion is Simple

Exhaustion doesn’t require much explanation! Exhaustion is more simply a feeling that you lack energy, either physically or mentally.

You may feel this while sitting at your desk, while driving, or in social situations. You may always feel like you are at the edge of falling asleep, unable to focus, or you may miss things that people are saying.

Exhaustion can be the result of a lack of good sleep, poor nutrition, or being physically active to the point that your body has no more energy. It can also result from a medical condition, such as chronic fatigue syndrome, depression, allergies, medications, or many other potential causes.

For many people, simply resting and eating a healthy meal will take care of exhaustion. For ongoing exhaustion, consult with your healthcare practitioner.

What is Burnout?

Burnout is a little harder to describe. For our purposes, we’ll say that burnout is the mental equivalent of a repetitive motion injury.

Burnout can have physical effects, of course, but at its core it’s a fatigue that affects the mind, both from tiredness and overfamiliarity with a set of actions, individuals, circumstances, or settings. Burnout leaves us feeling drained and uninspired. It can make us more susceptible to health issues, and it isn’t the kind of thing that will just go away on its own.

Burnout is part of life for many of us. If you have kids, are struggling with money, or have any intense responsibilities that don’t let up, this may be happening to you. Burnout like this is a combination of mental and physical factors, and you’ve got to be intentional and disciplined if you want to clear it away.

Perhaps the best way to get over burnout is to go on vacation. Separate yourself from your normal physical setting and responsibilities, and let yourself truly rest and have fun. You don’t have to break the bank to get this effect.

Renting a cabin in the woods can be cheap and accessible, and it just might do the trick. For deep burnout, however, time is one of the most important factors in recovery. If you can take extended periods of time off of work, do so. If you can’t, perhaps consider a job change?

It may also be a good idea to consult with a mental health professional to discover the root cause of your burnout and potential therapies or other tips to help you overcome these issues.

Supplements for Calm and Rest

If you know you’re burned out or exhausted and struggling to find a sense of calm or even rest, you may find that a supportive aid can help. While not a replacement for suggestions made above, using these in combination with other practical advice may give you the best chances in returning to feelings of wellness.

• CBD Full Spectrum CBD Oil Maximum from Wild Theory is a full-spectrum hemp-derived CBD Oil grown in Wisconsin and can provide support for anxiety, pain, stress, sleep, and more.
• Vital Adapt Tonic from Natura Health Products is a nutritive tonic that contains herbs that may support stress control, sleep patterns, and broad-spectrum antioxidant protection for all major organ systems.
• Max B-ND B Vitamin Complex from Premier Research Labs contains live sources of B vitamins that may potentially support the liver, brain, energy production, and mood. Using this formula may help to fill nutritional gaps to provide the mind and body what it needs to function at its best.

Aromatherapy

In addition to the above, one final way to help your body and mind to recover is through aromatherapy. This practice combines aromatics with restful practices.

For example, heating up essential oils in a diffuser and soaking in a warm bath. In this warm bath, perhaps you add Epsom salts! You could also sit by the fire, snuggled up in a blanket while reading a book.

Likewise, you can combine essential oils with a massage or similar self-care practices.

While not necessarily a solution to the core issue of overworking or overburdening your mind, using aromatherapy may be one way to help manage some of the symptoms of exhaustion and burnout.

Final Thoughts

Whether you are experiencing burnout or exhaustion, it is important to take steps to address the causes of these issues.

The above steps and suggestions are just the beginning. Improving your situation will take time and a commitment to change. In the end, hopefully, you will return to feelings of health and wellness so you can enjoy life to the fullest.