The term burnout was first defined in the 1970s by US Psychologist Herbert Freudenberger who described the key symptoms as loss of motivation, emotional depletion and cynicism caused by work-related stress. Whilst this all-encompassing exhaustion is often caused by overwork, it can be the result of a myriad of prolonged and consistent stressful situations, also including emotional strain and physical stress.
During stress (whether actual or perceived), the body releases stress hormones, namely cortisol and adrenaline, which increase blood pressure, elevate heart rate and boost available energy by flooding the bloodstream with sugar (glucose) to mobilise the body for battle. Historically this would have enabled us to run from a lion, and indeed, acute, short-lived stress can be beneficial in sharpening our concentration, energising us for the task at hand, and allowing us to build resistance and adapt. However, the body has not evolved to handle the pressure of modern-day prolonged stress: consistent exposure to stressors such as long work hours, caring for family members, experiencing emotional turmoil, family deaths and economic stress can all have the opposite effect.
When we experience chronic stress, without sufficient recovery, the strain put on the body is maladaptive at best, and increases your risk of burnout: when you feel physically, mentally and emotionally depleted. Here, your adrenals, which produce your stress hormones, can quite literally become “exhausted” and production of key hormones involved in the stress response, energy, blood pressure, metabolism and a variety of other systems become dysregulated. For this reason, it is often referred to as “adrenal fatigue”.
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