The Silent Burnout Epidemic: How to Recognize and Recover from Chronic Stress

When you feel burned out at work, it can have a marked effect on your entire life. And burnout is a real problem in today’s world. According to research by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), 44% of employees felt burnt out from their work in 2024, while 30% often felt stressed. The research also revealed that 45% of workers experiencing burnout were actively seeking a new job, compared to 16% of workers overall. These statistics highlight the adverse health effects of rising stress and burnout rates in modern society on numerous individuals.

This article will examine the everyday impacts of burnout and chronic stress on workers, outline the most common symptoms of burnout, and provide solutions to help individuals remain calm in stressful work situations.

Understanding Chronic Stress and Burnout: The Hidden Crisis

Most people experience stress from time to time, but when it is exacerbated by workplace burnout, it can quickly escalate into something more serious and long-lasting. Here’s what you need to know about chronic stress and workplace burnout.

What is Chronic Stress and How is it Different from Short-Term Stress?

Surprisingly, not all stress is created equal. However, any type of stress has both physiological and psychological effects, although these effects are exacerbated by prolonged stress. The physical symptoms of stress include high blood pressure, headaches, exhaustion, digestive issues, muscle tension, chest pain, and even a weakened immune system. It can also cause mental health symptoms, including anxiety, depression, and panic attacks.

Short-term stress typically resolves once the stressful event has come to a conclusion. However, when your cause of stress is your job, you’re faced with it daily with few breaks. Chronic stress can lead to burnout and long-term health issues because you’re living with these stress symptoms day in, day out.

Why Burnout is More Prevalent Than Ever

Burnout affects everyone differently and for various reasons, making it challenging to attribute it to a single common cause. However, work-related burnout is often caused by long work hours and increased demands at home. The rise in work burnout began during the COVID-19 pandemic as workers were exposed to new stressors from all directions. Even several years later, burnout persists.

Digital burnout, in particular, is more of an issue than ever before. Many workers spend their workday on a computer, then log off and spend even more time on their phones or tablets. A 2019 study found that 87% of people spent an average of seven hours per day looking at screens, leading to increased fatigue and depression due to digital overload. Remote workers may struggle more to separate themselves from their jobs at the end of the day, which can also lead to increased burnout.

The Subtle Signs of Burnout: What You Might Be Ignoring

The signs of burnout vary from person to person. There are some obvious signs that someone is experiencing burnout, while others are more subtle. Here’s what to look out for.

Cognitive Symptoms of Burnout

Burnout has several common cognitive symptoms, including brain fog, forgetfulness, and difficulty concentrating. This makes it harder to get your work done, exacerbating the burnout as you come to resent your job.

Studies show that chronic stress can suppress glutamate receptor expression and the function of the brain’s prefrontal cortex. When your job is the source of your stress, you must deal with it daily, which can cause it to worsen. Over time, this chronic stress can have a long-lasting influence on your cognitive and emotional processes.

Emotional and Behavioral Red Flags

Burnout can also cause emotional and behavioral changes. Symptoms can include increased irritability, detachment, and emotional exhaustion. If you ignore your burnout, it can worsen, leaving you feeling drained, unable to cope with daily stresses, or simply unable to care about things that once brought you joy. It can also lead to loss of motivation and persistent feelings of inadequacy.

Physical Consequences of Chronic Stress

Chronic stress caused by work burnout can also cause physical health symptoms. You may experience difficulty sleeping, muscle tension, and feel more fatigued than usual. Left untreated, chronic stress can wreak havoc on your immune system and make you more likely to catch colds and infections. It can also cause headaches and stomach pain—and, over time, can lead to heart disease, heart attacks, high blood pressure, or stroke.

The Science-Backed Path to Recovery: How to Reverse Burnout

If you’re experiencing burnout, you’re not alone. But you don’t have to live with it. Instead, try these science-backed techniques that can reverse your burnout so you’re better able to handle the everyday stresses of work and life.

Mindfulness and Stress Reduction Techniques

If you’re feeling stressed about work, try incorporating some stress-reduction techniques into your daily routine. Here are some options to consider:

• Mindfulness. This technique requires you to sit quietly, clear your mind, and focus on your breathing. Keep your mind in the present and try not to let it wander. If it does, bring it back to the present. Over time, mindfulness can help retrain the brain to manage stress more effectively.

• Guided imagery. This meditation technique requires you to think of a soothing place or experience to help your mind relax. You can practice this alone, or use an app or recording where someone calmly describes a calm location while you sit quietly and focus on their voice.

• Breath focus. Using this technique, take deep and slow abdominal breaths, focusing on quieting your mind by concentrating on your breathing rather than external stressors.

• Body scan. This technique combines breath focus with a relaxation technique where you focus on each muscle group in your body to release physical tension. This relaxation technique can also boost your mind-body connection.

The Role of Sleep in Burnout Recovery

A common symptom of stress is difficulty sleeping, but a lack of sleep can exacerbate burnout. According to the American Psychological Association (APA), 21% of people report feeling more stressed when they don’t get enough sleep. It’s a vicious cycle that will only worsen if left unaddressed.

If burnout is making it hard for you to get enough sleep, consider how you can improve your sleep hygiene. Here’s how to set yourself up for a good night’s rest.

• Maintain a consistent sleep schedule, including a fixed bedtime and wake-up time, even on weekends.
• Turn off electronics at least 30 to 60 minutes before going to bed.
• Dim the lights in your bedroom to prevent sleep disruption.
• Establish a pre-bedtime routine that includes activities such as stretching, reading, or relaxation exercises.
• Don’t toss and turn in bed if you can’t sleep; instead, get up after 20 minutes and read, stretch, or do something else that relaxes you before you return to bed.
• Reduce your caffeine intake in the afternoon and evening.
• Decrease your alcohol consumption.
• Keep your bedroom cool; a temperature of around 65 degrees Fahrenheit is ideal.
• Use an eye mask to block out light and earplugs to reduce noise.

Not all of these techniques will work for everyone, so it’s essential to try out different things and see what works best to help you get a more restful night’s sleep.

Nutrition and Movement for Stress Management

What you eat and how much you move can also impact your stress levels. Research shows that when you’re stressed, your body needs more oxygen, energy, and nutrients. Stress can cause you to skip meals or opt for comfort foods that are high in fat, rather than sticking to more nutritious choices. As a result, you may feel more lethargic and more susceptible to stress.

Exercise can also affect stress levels. Regular exercise not only gives you more energy, but it also stimulates the production of endorphins and lowers stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline. Going for a brisk walk or meeting a friend for a round of pickleball can also help take your mind off your job, so you can relax and feel less stressed.

Lifestyle Adjustments for Long-Term Stress Management

To help alleviate long-term stress, you’ll need to make some lifestyle adjustments. These adjustments might include limiting your screen time by doing a digital detox and removing yourself from social media platforms where you tend to scroll mindlessly.

It’s also essential to have strong work-life boundaries—especially if you work from home some or all of the time. Set up a dedicated workspace in your home and schedule your day to include microbreaks, which can help your brain refocus and recharge, as well as prevent physical symptoms. When your work day has finished, turn your computer off so you’re not tempted to check your email after hours.

Building Resilience Against Future Burnout

Even if you’re not currently experiencing burnout, you could still go down that path in the future. By building resilience now, you can arm yourself against future burnout and protect your mental health.

How to Cultivate a Stress-Resilient Mindset

Whether or not you’re susceptible to stress, you can build a resilient mindset that can help you cope better during stressful events. Practicing cognitive reframing techniques can help you change your perspective and replace negative thoughts with more positive ones. Here’s how to do it successfully, per the APA.

First, identify and write down an upsetting or stressful situation—real or imagined. Identify the feelings created by this situation. Then, ask yourself what you expect to happen or how you expect to feel when faced with this situation.

From there, write down the most upsetting thoughts you have regarding the upsetting event and consider whether there’s another way of looking at the situation. Finally, decide whether your initial thought was accurate or logical, or whether you were reacting based on your feelings or beliefs.

Setting Healthy Boundaries at Work and in Life

Whether you work in an office, from home, or in a hybrid setting, maintaining a healthy work-life balance is essential. In addition to logging off when your work day is finished, practice saying “no” to projects that would interfere with your boundaries or overwhelm you with responsibilities.

Saying “no” is scary, but there’s a way to do it without guilt or nerves getting in the way. Explain simply why you’re saying no and suggest an alternative, like another employee who is looking for more responsibility. Seek out a supportive work environment that places importance on work-life balance and employees’ mental wellbeing.

The Importance of Social Support in Stress Recovery

A strong emotional support network can help reduce stress by improving your self-esteem and sense of autonomy. Connecting with others enables you to get out of your head and can also open the door to feedback and suggestions on how to manage a stressful situation. Support from close family and friends is only one type of social support; even chatting with a casual acquaintance, a stranger, or a pet can help you manage stress better.

For work-related stress, consider getting a mentor or volunteering to mentor others. You can also seek out professional mental health support to help you learn coping techniques you can implement during stressful times.

The Future of Companies and Solutions Implemented

Learning how to cope with work stress is often considered an individual responsibility. However, companies can also play a role in helping their employees feel more satisfied in their jobs, thereby decreasing the likelihood of burnout. Here’s how.

Mental Health-Friendly Workspaces

As employee burnout and workplace well-being have become more prominent topics, more companies are striving to provide mental health-friendly workplaces for their employees. Forward-thinking companies recognize the strong connection between mental health and productivity. Research suggests that workers who feel burned out are less likely to go above and beyond what is expected of them at work, thereby decreasing the productivity of both the individual employee and the team as a whole.

Burned-out employees are also more likely to seek employment elsewhere. Employee turnover can hurt the morale of the remaining workers, who are often expected to cover the extra work until a replacement is hired. Burnout doesn’t just affect output—it can exacerbate existing mental health conditions like anxiety, depression, and ADHD, making it harder for employees to function effectively.

However, if a company prioritizes its employees’ mental health, workers may be less likely to experience burnout and look for new jobs. To ensure employees feel supported, companies should foster a welcoming culture, promote collaboration, and provide resources and support for employees struggling with their mental health.

A Holistic Approach to Employee Wellness

In addition to creating a safe and welcoming space for all employees, regardless of their backgrounds, companies can provide a holistic approach to employee wellness by implementing benefits and perks specifically tailored to support mental health.

For example, a company’s benefit package could include treatment platforms to offer employees discreet access to evaluations and support. They could also partner with services that provide emotional support animal certifications to help employees with anxiety, depression, PTSD, or any other mental health condition access calming, certified animal companions.

Additionally, offering wellness stipends or subscriptions that can be used for therapy, meditation apps, fitness classes, or wellness retreats can help employees maintain their overall well-being, both mentally and physically.

Final Thoughts: Reclaiming Well-Being in a High-Stress World

There’s no doubt that burnout is a serious problem in today’s corporate world, but you don’t have to let it consume you. By recognizing the symptoms of burnout, practicing self-care strategies, and engaging in proactive stress management, you can take small but impactful steps toward burnout prevention and recovery.