BEAT THE BURNOUT

Identify the early warning signs of chronic stress before it takes a lasting toll.

- By Kalwyna Rathod

We hear the word 'burnout' quite a lot, explained as a state of emotional, mental, and physical exhaustion. Often caused by prolonged stress, overwork, or lack of balance in life, burnout creates feelings of depletion, with reduced motivation and decreased productivity.

Aanandita Vaghani, Founder and Mental Health Counsellor – UnFix Your Feelings, Delhi, says, “In therapy, we often see clients long after burnout has already taken root – when exhaustion, detachment, or physical symptoms have become part of daily life. But burnout rarely begins as a dramatic collapse; it evolves quietly through chronic stress, emotional depletion, and a gradual erosion of motivation and meaning.”

Recognising the early signs of burnout is crucial because intervention at this stage can prevent long-term impairment of mental health, relationships, and work performance.

The Physiological Signs

“Research consistently shows that chronic stress triggers dysregulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, the system responsible for our stress response. Over time, this results in physical fatigue that no amount of sleep can fix. Clients often describe this as ‘tired but wired’ – a sense of inner agitation paired with deep exhaustion,” Aanandita explains.

Early indicators of burnout include:

• Persistent fatigue

• Sleep disturbances

• Appetite fluctuations (eating too little or turning to comfort food)

• Unexplained physical symptoms such as headaches, digestive changes, or increased susceptibility to illness

The Cognitive & Emotional Shifts