Simple Lifestyle Changes Can Banish Burnout.

Conventional experts tend to agree that while there are several different causes of burnout, the underlying root is psychological, not physical. Some say it's a clash between expectations and reality. The starry-eyed idealist (a nurse or social worker or teacher, for example) meets up with the harsh limitations of the job and crashes in a nosedive of frustration and disappointment.
Some say it's a problem of helplessness. You have no control over your workload or schedule. Or, no matter how much you work, your boss or the bureaucracy or some other uncontrollable factor seems to block any tangible, positive results. You start to withdraw emotionally from coworkers and clients, and you feel depressed.

But Ahnna Lake, M.D., an expert in burnout and stress-related issues who is based in Stowe and Burlington, Vermont, has an alternative view. She believes that the conventional psychological explanations of burnout don't get to the heart of the problem and often prevent people from getting the right help.

"I feel that burnout is a physical problem-a depletion syndrome," she says. "When you carry a great physical and emotional load for too long without letup, your body simply can't keep up, and it starts to show up as one or more of the symptoms of burnout."

Those symptoms include constant fatigue, irritability or depression, lack of concentration, insomnia, self-doubt, anxiety, and even becoming physically ill with stress-related problems such as frequent infections, allergies, digestive problems, or headaches.

"Overcoming burnout involves creating conditions in which the body can recuperate. Most of these are simple lifestyle changes," says Dr. Lake. As the body mends, psychological symptoms can fade completely, she adds.

Here are some of the alternative remedies that Dr. Lake and other experts suggest to repair the physical damage of burnout.

FOOD: Staying Off the Blood Sugar Roller Coaster
Diet can definitely help repair a damaged system, says Dr. Lake. "The high-carbohydrate diet rich in pastas and breads that's commonly recommended these days doesn't work for many people who are recovering from burnout," she says. For many, a high-carbohydrate diet produces too much of a roller coaster in blood sugar levels, she adds. Try cutting back on sugar and on starchy foods (bread, rice, and potatoes), and keep cutting back until your energy rises, advises Dr. Lake. You'll soon discover how much starch and sugar you can eat before they work against you, she says.

At the same time, emphasize the slow-burning fuel of protein and the healthy fats found in such foods as cold-water fish (salmon, mackerel, trout, and tuna), cold-pressed oils (flaxseed, olive, and safflower), and nuts and seeds. These healthy fats occur naturally in the foods we eat. Fats altered by high heat, such as in deep frying (as opposed to stir frying), and those that are processed into solids or products with long shelf lives (hydrogenated oils) are the ones to avoid, she cautions. Following this diet will not only help your current burnout, it will also help prevent future bouts, she says.

REST: The Key to Recovery
You need extra rest, whether in the form of more nighttime hours, a short daily nap, or simply quiet time alone, to overcome burnout naturally, says Dr. Lake. Unfortunately, she says, insomnia can be a problem with burnout. If you're experiencing difficulty sleeping, she recommends that you address this problem, as well.

Since physical and emotional overload produce burnout, it's no surprise that reducing outside stressors and catching up on your rest will help your recovery. Dr. Lake suggests saying no to extra demands and avoiding situations or activities that upset or tire you.
"Learning meditation or other relaxation skills can speed the process along as well," she adds. "You will definitely feel better if you get a lot of rest."

BREATHING: Deep Healing
Having anxious thoughts, such as worry about your job, about losing your job, or about not having enough money, is one of the most common causes-and symptoms-of burnout. "One of the most effective antidotes for job-related anxiety is something that you have with you all the time-your lungs," says Barbara Bailey Reinhold, Ed.D., director of the career development office at Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts. "You can interrupt the progression of anxious thoughts by taking deep, diaphragmatic breaths and instructing your mind to be still."

To breathe diaphragmatically, says Dr. Reinhold, inhale slowly through your nose and pull air deep into the bottoms of your lungs, feeling your belly expand. Then exhale slowly through your mouth. She recommends deliberately inserting deep breathing into your work schedule whenever possible for about 2 minutes a session. "The calming effect is truly amazing," she says.

EXERCISE: An Antidote for Office Stress
When work becomes too intense, "use some kind of physical movement or stretching to change the energy," says Dr. Reinhold. "Walking and stretching are free and easily accessible." Keep a pair of good walking shoes at the office or in your car and take a long stroll at lunch-at least 20 minutes, says Dr. Reinhold.

RELAXATION: Surround Yourself with Soothing Scents
"The right smell can instantly take you to a relaxed, restorative state of mind and body," says Ruth Luban, a counselor in Santa Monica, California.

Try testing scents to find out which is the most relaxing for you, she advises (lavender and vanilla are two common favorites). Then, she says, "put little lotions and potions" around your work area so you can smell them whenever you're feeling time-starved and deadline-driven. If a certain hand cream soothes you, keep a bottle or tube of it at work and give yourself a I-minute hand massage with it when you're feeling stressed.

"Take the time to explore what fragrances trigger the relaxation response in you," says Luban.

RITUAL: Take Time to Decompress
It's important to separate work from the rest of our lives, says Luban. She recommends a decompression period after work, whether it's meditating, taking a hot bath, doing a jigsaw puzzle, or engaging in a hobby like woodworking.

"Whatever you do, ritualize the activity," says Luban. "Plan to do it, and do it every day at the same time, because when it becomes ritualized, you'll start to just do it naturally."