Burnout is something I see go undiagnosed in a lot of cases. It is characterized by three dimentions; feelings of exhaustion, reduced professional efficiency and feeling of cynicsim or negativism towards one's job. Now, the definition is aimed at work situations but it is very common in young parents as well.
I've included burnout and anxiety together because I often see these go hand in hand, in the population I work with. Think 'Type A'. And, depending on the assessment, we may be working to get you out of burnout OR trying to prevent it.
As an evidence-based practitioner, I am always looking for treatments backed in evidence - clinical trials. While 'natural' medicine aka herbs, vitamins, lifestyle changes etc. are underfunded, there is a surprising number of good trials out there. Here is a breakdown of a few I love to use in practice:
#1: Proper assessment !
Ok, ok I know. That isn't a treatment but it is SO important. There are so many diagnosable medical conditions that can present like burnout (which really is like fatigue or mild depression so go figure). I always insist on doing blood work to rule out important conditions like hypothyroidism, anemia, insulin resistance & do a thorough history looking at everything from your hormones and stage of life, to diet/lack of sleep/over or under exercising. When I have the whole picture, I can get you feeling good faster!
#2: Withania (Ashwaghandha)*
Withania is a very well studied herb, with benefits on decreasing 'percieved stress' (Salve et al, 2019) - often a problem in type A/overachievers, improvement in sleep and anxiety in 10 weeks (Langade et al. 2019) and decreased morning cortisol (Lopresti et al, 2019). Clinically I use it to balance out circadian rhythms, increase resistance to stress and improve sleep.
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#3: Lavender*
This herb has been around forever, but when I use it I am talking about oral capsules. Two RCTs in 2010 and 2014 showed a decrease in HAMA (Hamilton Anxiety Scale) in between 4 and 6 weeks. There is also evidence for depression and sleep, so this is a great one when there is underlying anxiety &/or sleep issues.
#4: Magnesium*
Magnesium has become a popular supplement, but with good reason. It mimicks GABA in our brains which causes a calming effect, and we liberate (aka use more) magnesium in stressful situations. We are therefore more likely to be depleted in times of stress.
#5: Protein*
Studies have shown that the higher the percieved stress, the more transfats and processed carbs we eat. Unfortunately this also means we take in less protein. And we breakdown more protein in times of stress. This second part cannot be changed, it is a normal response to stress but what we can do is replenish the lost protein. During times of stress, you should be eating 1.1 to 1.2g of protein per kg/body weight (assuming there is no kidney disease or any other reason you've been put on a protein restrictive diet).
Both Burnout and Anxiety and manageable conditions with the right care <3
*Never, ever start new supplements or a new diet without checking in with your doctor or N.D. These are not medical advice, only a summary of what the evidence is for a few of the treatments that I love.
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What has helped you with burnout or anxiety?