This is what happens to the brain when you experience a burnout

Today, the phenomenon of burnout has become an all-too-familiar reality for many individuals, especially in work environments. While the physical and emotional manifestations of burnout are widely recognised, the impact it has on the brain, one of the most important organs in our body, is often overlooked. 

Neha Cadabam, senior psychologist and executive director at Cadabams Hospitals and Mindtalk, “In the brain, high stress hormones like cortisol can shrink the hippocampus, a key area for memory and learning. This can make it harder to concentrate, remember things, and make decisions.”

Another area affected by burnout, she adds, is the prefrontal cortex (PFC), the CEO of your brain. It handles planning, focus, and managing emotions. Burnout weakens the “connection between the PFC and the amygdala, your fear center”. This can make you feel constantly overwhelmed, with negative emotions like frustration and irritability taking over. 

Effect of chronic stress and burnout on a person’s cognitive abilities and emotional health

Chronic stress and burnout are like a one-two punch to your cognitive abilities and emotional well-being. Here’s how they are affected, according to Cadabam:

Cognitive Abilities: As mentioned earlier, burnout shrinks the hippocampus, leading to memory problems, difficulty concentrating, and trouble making decisions. It’s like trying to run a marathon with a sprained ankle – things just get slower and more challenging.

Emotional Health: Burnout weakens the connection between the PFC, which helps regulate emotions, and the amygdala, the fear center. This can lead to feeling constantly overwhelmed, irritable, and frustrated. It’s like your brain’s “chill” button is broken, and negativity keeps getting turned up to eleven.

Burnout can also dampen your motivation and enjoyment of life, she says. “This is because chronic stress reduces dopamine production, a feel-good chemical released when you achieve something or experience something pleasurable.”

Cortisol can also dampen dopamine production (Source: Freepik)

Role of stress hormones in burnout

Cadabam explains, “Stress hormones like cortisol are like firefighters – they’re there to help in a crisis. But in burnout, cortisol becomes a chronic overeacter, constantly flooding the brain.”

This has a negative impact on several areas:

Hippocampus: Chronic cortisol shrinks the hippocampus, leading to memory and learning difficulties.

Prefrontal Cortex (PFC): High cortisol disrupts communication between the PFC and the amygdala, making it harder to focus, manage emotions, and feel calm.

Reward System: Cortisol can also dampen dopamine production, making it difficult to feel motivated and find enjoyment in activities.

Effective ways to help the brain recover from burnout

“Techniques like mindfulness meditation, exercise, and spending time in nature have all been shown to reduce stress hormones,” Cadabam recommends. 

Activities that challenge your brain in a positive way, she continues, including learning a new skill or playing a game, can help strengthen neural connections. 

Finally, don’t underestimate the power of sleep. When you sleep, your brain consolidates memories, processes emotions, and recharges for the next day. 

Disclaimer: The copyright of this article belongs to the original author. Reposting this article is solely for the purpose of information dissemination and does not constitute any investment advice. If there is any infringement, please contact us immediately. We will make corrections or deletions as necessary. Thank you.