Burn Out Blog
Burn out does not suit any one - how can Chinese Medicine help you feel better?
It is wild that we are at this time of the year again. I feel like we hit October and next minute it is Christmas because we have so much on. Just as we pile our plates with ham, turkey, prawns, and Christmas pud, we pile our proverbial plates with commitments, both social and work related. And while some can really handle this, others can start to struggle because saying yes to things seems easier than saying no.
I don’t just see people for burn out at this time of the year, it can happen to anyone at any time, depending on what is happening in their lives. Stress is a wild physiological reaction. It can really mess so many aspects of the mind, body, and spirit.
Right now, I seem to be gathering all the burnt out clients in clinic - which is great (well not great that they are burnt out), but it is great that they know where to turn when they are feeling rock bottom. Acupuncture has been shown to reduce stress.
It is as simple as that. So let’s have a little look into burn out and how it might relate to you, and ways in which you may be able to help yourself!
So what is burn out?
Getting to the point of being burnt out doesn’t happen over night. It is something that slowly develops over time, so it can be hard to catch at the start. Hence why I see a lot of people when they are stuck deep in it. Stress can cause burn out, but so can overworking, dissatisfaction, and feeling neglected.
Being mentally, emotionally and psychically exhausted are major factors in burning out.
I find a lot of clients say they feel swamped, drained, and overwhelmed with day to day life. .
The most common signs and symptoms of burn out are:
Low energy
Low mood
Low motivation
Feeling isolated, cynical, apathetic, overwhelmed
Procrastination
Irritability
Disturbed sleep
Lack of attention
Forgetfulness
Burn out can really be seen as a true lack of lust for life.
What is the Chinese Medicine Perceptive?
The main organ system that is affected by burn out is the Kidney system. The Kidney system also incorporates the adrenal gland and reproductive organs. It controls the cognitive function (the brain), governs and bones and the ears (hearing), and extends into the hair. The Kidney system is the sacral root of our body’s life gate as it holds our inherited Qi as well as out Jing (vital essence).
As our Kidney system and it’s Qi becomes depleted we see signs of aging, such as lower cognitive function, osteoporosis, hard of hearing and deafness, and the grey and thinning of hair. The depletion of Kidney Qi is natural and once it is gone, we pass on.
I see Kidney Qi as a deep well. It’s not where we tap in to get our energy straight way - that comes from the food we eat and the sleep we get - rather, Kidney Qi is a deep reservoir we dip into when we are pushing through. But we have to remember that when we dip into Kidney Qi, we are actually borrowing from tomorrow.
Kidney Qi can easily be weakened by lifestyle, diet and environment if we are not careful. We only get a certain amount of our inherited Qi and Jing - neither can be boosted up, so we have to be mindful in our choices in life to ensure we live a happy, fulfilled and healthy long life.
What can drain Kidney Qi?
Sleep deprivation
Substance abuse - and yes, this 100% includes caffeine and alcohol
Missing out on certain nutrients due to poor diet
Long hours of physical and mental exertion without rest
It’s not really a surprise hey? Drain yourself and you are going to feel drained.
How does Acupuncture help?
Ask yourself this - when was the last time you took time out of your schedule to lay still?
Sometimes, rarely, never?
You are definitely resting in an Acupuncture session.
Acupuncture has been proven to reduce stress. Lowering that stress hormone (cortisol) is going to do wonders for you body, soul, and mind.
I would also work on your Kidney system. Yes, I can’t boost your inherited Qi or Jing, but I can work on Kidney Qi - there are also a heap of amazing herbal formulas that can help with that too.
Another thing I can do is keep you accountable.
When you have someone keeping you accountable for your actions, I notice you end up achieving more. Now I am gentle, no growling practitioner, but sometimes I have to give you a little kick up the butt to get you going. It all comes from a place of love! I want to see you be healthy and more importantly - happy!
At home care for burn out
As much as Acupuncture and Chinese herbs are going to get you feeling good, it is not a miracle and if nothing is changing outside of the treatments, then you will be wasting your time.
So here are some things you can start at home and do between sessions with me to help get yourself out of burn out quicker
Diet
The Kidney system is the root of life.
Cooking foods at lower temperatures but for longer, such as stews and bone broths are beneficial for Kidney Qi support. Like always, avoid lots of cold and raw foods and drinks and try not to overeat (bring in mindful eating) and don’t eat too late at night
Foods to avoid:
Refined sugars and artificial sweeteners
Coffee
Alcohol
Highly processed foods
Excessive intake of salt - such as added table salt
Hot and spicy foods
Dairy
Acrid spices like garlic, pepper, chilli (a little if tolerable)
Foods to incorporate:
Bone broths
Celtic sea salt or Real salt: helps with adrenal health but use in moderation
Lobster, smoked fish, oysters, salmon, shrimp, tuna, abalone, mussels, oysters
Venison chicken, kidney, liver
Goats milk
Black sesame seeds, chestnuts, walnuts
Lentils, millet, oats, quinoa
Eat along side all your leafy greens and other coloured vegetables and fruits and get in enough protein to keep up feeling full for longer.
Ditch the Coffee and Alcohol
I thought I would extend on this, because for some, this is going to be some hard truth. That caffeine you are smashing to keep you awake is only allowing you to keep pushing through which in turn is dipping into your energy source.
And alcohol? It might make you feel better at the time, but it is a depressant, so it will make you feel less motivated and more anxious as time goes on.
If you are in burn out - stop drinking both alcohol and high levels of caffeine for at least a month. You can swap to all the non alcoholic drinks you want and you can have decaf or green/black tea for that caffeine habit. You NEED to stop overloading your system with chemicals that are not going to help in the long run.
You might hate me for that, but I can take it haha, as long as you are starting to feel better, then we can chat about have occasional drinks and coffees then.
Sleep
Early to bed, early to rise.
Please for the love your sanity and attention span, STOP SCROLLING on your phone right up to sleep time. Put a timer on that! You are waaaay less relaxed than what you think - your nervous system is firing while you have 15-30 seconds of nonsense thrown at you. You can absolutely scroll, but other times.
Working on good sleep hygiene is helpful for a good night rest.
No screens 1 hour before bed
Soak your feet
Do a guided sleep meditation
Make your bedroom the place you sleep and have sex in only
REST!
Stop taking it all on. You are allowed to rest. Rest means nothing. It doesn’t mean you continue to do chores at home, you lay down or sit down and chill out. Just for a bit.
Chuck on a guided meditation while you are at it. Something that is 5 to 20 minutes long. Once a day to help regulate the nervous system. You know the saying -
’Meditate for 20 minutes per day, but if you are too busy meditate for an hour’
What next?
If you are feeling like you are burnt out and want to do something about it, or perhaps you are starting to spiral into it and want to get a head start on your energy conserving and Jing protecting, then get yourself booked in for a treatment!
Let me help you, help you.
You’ll feel so much better!
x Dr Alice
Small note
Burn out and depression can be quiet similar. If you are feeling like you are really struggling, please speak with your GP and get a mental health plan - it is very important.
Also if you are feeling like it is all too much right now, please reach out to Lifeline.
Their number is 13 11 14
Written by a human
AI is great, but I treat from the heart so I may as well communicate from the heart - expect spelling and gramma mistakes, human, not perfect x