Searches for “burnout” increased by 130%. Searches for “stress symptoms” increased by 140%. Searches for “fatigue symptoms” increased by 150%.
These are alarming statistics, and they highlight the reality of where we are as a society: overworked, overstimulated, and with self-care far down the list of our basic needs.
But what most of us don’t think about is that these short-term stresses and long-term self-neglects don’t just have psychological effects, but physical ones as well.
In fact, burnout can increase your risk of developing serious health problems. And if you knew about burnout, you probably wouldn’t worry about that presentation you have to put together by tomorrow.
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This is a topic that came up during a recent interview I had with world-renowned biohacker Gary Brecka.
Once a gritty entrepreneur who never considered sleep or personal health, his mindset changed when he realized how powerful his attitude and actions towards himself were.
He called the effects of burnout “devastating,” adding that chronic low-grade stress is probably a major contributing factor to chronic diseases such as heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke, diabetes and even mental health conditions.
Additionally, it highlights that up to 80% of autoimmune diseases are found in women.
“Women tend to develop something called caregiver syndrome,” he continues.
“This is where they put the needs of others before their own needs for long periods of time. Maybe it’s their children, maybe it’s their spouse, their career, their co-workers, their girlfriend. They put themselves in the back seat.”
“That doesn’t make self-care non-negotiable. Some women think self-care is selfish. So the first thing they do when they wake up in the morning is immediately go into a stressful environment, immediately start taking care of everyone around them, and then collapse into bed at night.”
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“It causes chronic low-grade inflammation and does major damage to our cell biology.”
In an era where women are told not only to be independent and career-oriented, but also to be housewives and take care of others, it’s a hard pill to swallow for many. Additionally, it can make it even more difficult to live in a world built on stress.
But while we may have limited control over the larger situation, Brecka says there are some important actions we can incorporate into our daily lives to help ease the burden.
“The solution is to make self-care non-negotiable and dedicate the first hour of your day just to yourself,” he says. “You can be selfless outside of the first 30 to 90 minutes of the day.
“Our bodies crave routine. We are circadian creatures. We used to go to sleep and wake up according to the cycles of the sun, but we don’t do that anymore.
“We control everything, including temperature and lighting. We used to spend 90 percent of our time outdoors. Now we spend 95 percent of our time indoors.”
He rates the free mindfulness and breathwork activities found online as some of the most transformative content he consumes every day, admitting: “I have probably never missed a morning breathwork session for 48 months straight. I would miss a commercial flight to not do breathwork.”
It is believed that breathing exercises can actively regulate the nervous system, quickly reduce stress, improve mood and increase emotional control.
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But he says one hack we could all use a little more of, perhaps more important than most, is to treat ourselves kindly.
“Speak to yourself the same way you would talk to a friend,” Brecka insists, pointing out that humans are products of habit.
By making small happiness promises to yourself and consistently participating, you’ll feel the benefits over time instead of overpromising and beating yourself up when you can’t keep to your plans.
“If your friend didn’t drink and had a glass of champagne, would you lie to them about just having a glass of champagne? Well, why would you lie to yourself?” he says.
“Very often, the voice we use internally is the one that hurts us the most, because we have a pattern of consistently breaking small promises over time and not actually trusting ourselves.”
“Starting with small promises and keeping them to yourself will further emphasize that your body is safe,” he added.
Watch the entire hour-long conversation on YouTube.
– YouTube www.youtube.com
This interview has been edited for clarity
Why not read it…
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