Can Yoga & Meditation Help Burnout? What Actually Works
Anyone who has suffered from burnout knows it’s not always initially obvious - instead, a set of signals our body sends us, that we’re too busy or unwilling to notice. It can look like being constantly tired but unable to rest, or your mind won’t switch off at night, even when your body is exhausted. Everything feels too much, and you’re often irritable.
If that’s where you are, you might be wondering if yoga and meditiation will actually help - or if it’s just another thing on your list that you’re supposed to be doing.
What is burnout, and how do we tackle it?
Burnout is the result of your nervous system being under pressure for too long without enough recovery. Long days at the office, too many nights out, plans which you wish you could cancel but you feel you can’t.
Over time, your body gets used to being “on”. These are some signals you’re burnt out:
Always slightly tense and irritable
Easily overwhelmed, often teary
Struggling to fully relax, especially at night
So when it comes to yoga & meditation, the aim isn’t to stretch more or get stronger. It’s to help your body feel safe enough to slow down, to start to process how you really feel, to return to yourself. Often when we suffer from burnout, we become numb to the body’s signals of exhaustion.
Yoga practices such as yin, pranayama (breathwork) and restorative yoga force the body to slow down, and for us to take notice of our thoughts and mental state. This can feel uncomfortable, but it is essential to overall wellbeing. These practices, along with other wellness essentials such as hydration, 8+ hours of sleep, and disconnecting from social media, can help the nervous system to recover from the pressure it’s under, and allow you to think more clearly.
What to avoid during burnout
If you feel burned out, your nervous system is reacting to the pressure and stress it’s under, and its important not to make things worse by adding even more stress.
Although gentle exercise is advised, be wary of:
Fast-paced, intense classes (e.g. HIIT)
Ice baths (can cause a temporary cortisol spike)
Competitive sports, or any activity that forces you to “push through”
The practice of yoga & meditation isn’t focused on physical fitness - burnout is mental, and in order to tackle it you’ll need to shift your mental state. When we move slowly and with awareness, we release physical tension, breathing deepens, and your heart rate begins to settle, which leads to almost instantly improved mood and wellbeing.
How to start yoga & meditation
If you’re experiencing burnout, the last thing you want to be doing is creating a checklist of to-do’s, even if they’re linked to your wellbeing. Your bandwidth for starting successful routines will be low, so it’s important to start simply.
Instead, try:
10 minutes of silence when you wake up - this includes staying off social media
10 minutes of gentle movement - think stretches such as cat cows, or sun salutations
Try to link your movement to breath - e.g. inhale cat, exhale cow
Even these small rituals can make a huge difference to your mood and overall wellbeing. If you are inclined, try journalling each morning after practice with a simple rating, smiley face, or sentence. Reflection and gratitude are hugely helpful in pulling us out of mental and energetic slumps.
Yoga and meditation can be really helpful tools for fighting burnout - but not a cure on its own. Life is sometimes stressful and challenging, so try not to ignore these feelings and if they persist, consider speaking to your GP.
If you want more support
If you’re in London and this is something you’re navigating, I offer 1:1 sessions focused on nervous system support through gentle yoga, breathwork, and somatic work.
You can find more details or contact me through my website.
