Stress and Burnout

How Stress Leads to Burnout

The body's fight-or-flight response was designed for short emergencies followed by a return to rest. Long workdays, packed schedules and constant demands keep many people in this state for hours, days or even years. Over time, stress hormones such as cortisol stay elevated and the body loses its ability to adapt. Burnout can show up as physical or mental exhaustion, energy slumps during the day, trouble sleeping, muscle aches and stiffness, weight gain, cravings for sweet or salty foods and low motivation. Many people put these changes down to age when they are really signs of how the body is coping with stress.

How Joshua Treats Stress

Acupuncture is thought to release the body's own neurotransmitters and endorphins, helping the body shift out of fight-or-flight and into a relaxed state. Its effects are cumulative. Many people notice subtle changes after several weeks, such as staying calmer at work or coming down from stress more quickly.

Joshua asks where each person holds stress, most often in the shoulders, neck, glutes or jaw, and treats those areas along with the stress itself. Back "Shu" points are used to relax and energize at the same time, which suits patients who feel exhausted. Cupping can help release tight muscles. Joshua also looks for the underlying pattern, such as an organ system that is overworked or depleted, and supports it with acupuncture, Chinese herbs, supplements and diet and lifestyle advice.

Self-Care Tips

• Go to bed a half hour earlier during the week to give your body the extra rest it needs.
• Eat some protein with vegetables every four hours, and include a small portion of complex carbohydrates such as rice or potato with dinner to help you relax at night.
• Press on the tight spot in the center of your jaw muscle for about a minute a day while breathing deeply.
• Try gently bouncing on your knees for three to five minutes, a simple exercise in the spirit of Qi Gong that may help calm the mind and boost energy.