Do You (or your child) Have Symptoms of Burnout?
If you are experiencing low energy or fatigue, your body may be in burnout mode. The main physical symptom that identified burnout is overwhelming fatigue upon awakening after eight to ten hours sleep or after a short nap. Bottom line, you feel exhausted.
Your body can recover after a good night’s sleep with simple fatigue where burnout cannot be corrected solely by rest.
Other symptoms of burnout may include:
- Craving for sweets due to a need for a quick energy source
- Lowered resistance to disease and/or infections
- Changes in appetite, alternating from ravenous to no appetite at all
- Reduced work performance
- Loss of initiative and sense of hopelessness
- Fears, phobias, and/or anxiety due to an excessive flight-or-fight response
- Inability to concentrate or ‘spaciness’
- Attraction to stimulants such as coffee, sugar, energy drinks, etc.
- Distaste for meat protein due to severely impaired digestion
Burnout is a physical energy breakdown but can be brought on by physical or emotional stress. Stress includes excessive physical activity, family tension, job-related stress, emotional upsets and negative attitudes and thoughts.
Initially, stress causes the depletion of specific vital nutrients faster than they can be replaced by the diet. As your nutrient reserves are depleted, the thyroid and adrenal glands (the energy producing glands) are unable to function normally and distressing symptoms begin to appear. Burnout is escalated with inadequate diet. However, burnout can occur in the presence of an apparently adequate diet.
As nutrients are depleted, toxic metals accumulate in the tissues. The heavy metal accumulation further impedes the body’s energy system. Of course, none of this happens overnight. Burnout happens over time from the combination of stress and inadequate diet.
One myth is that burnout only occurs with busy executives. However, housewives and children experience burnout just as often and I have personally witnessed much of this through Hair Mineral Testing.
The teenage and college years are the most common as children suffer with pressures and expectations in academics and/or sports along with peer pressure and puberty. Their nutrient requirements are extremely high and are met typically with a diet that is inadequate. The result is overwhelming fatigue, inability to concentrate and an attraction to alcohol and drugs. The feeling of overwhelm can often lead to suicide as well.
Wondering if you (or your child) are experiencing Burnout? One simple question to ask: Do you feel exhausted upon arising in the morning? The reason I know is that I’ve been here. Call or email and I can share what worked for me.
