Root Down to Rise: Tools for Burnout Recovery

Modern life, although filled with many conveniences, can often be an overwhelming experience to walk through for many. Multiple deadlines, children with busy schedules, and family pressures can all contribute to someone reaching their limit but feeling as if there is no choice but to carry on.

Our adrenals are two triangular shaped glands that are found on top of the kidneys. These glands play an important role in producing hormones such as adrenaline, cortisol, and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA).¹ While all of these hormones are needed in the body, having too much cortisol being released in times of stress can cause dysregulation of the hypothalamus pituitary adrenal axis (HPA axis) which is the communication system between the adrenal glands, pituitary glands and hypothalamus.²

When this occurs our body can face multiple symptoms physically, emotionally and mentally that are difficult to recover from without support. Symptoms such as:

• sleep disturbances, fatigue
• food cravings (feeling like you need sugar to make it through the day).
• blood sugar irregularities
• lacking motivation
• brain fog
• mood issues such as mild anxiety, irritability, everyday stress, etc.^3,4

When these symptoms begin to appear, it is time for some inward reflection on how to restore your wellbeing with practices to elevate your health.

Below are 5 tips to consider when life becomes overwhelming:

• Reflect- what is taking up too much mental space for you currently? Are you able to cut back in any areas? (i.e. speak to your employer about your workload, or voice your concerns to your partner about ways to manage your children’s commitments more evenly etc.) If you keep your stressful environment the way it has been, the stress will remain. Nothing changes if nothing changes- something has to give.⁵
• Seek-advice from a healthcare practitioner, counsellor or qualified naturopath, nutritionist or herbalist. They can guide you on what steps to take next. This may range from counselling sessions to doing functional testing to see where your levels are at. Your healthcare practitioner may like looking at your adrenals, hormones, thyroid panel⁶ or a hair tissue mineral analysis.⁷ These can all provide a deep insight into what your body may be asking for.
• Rest– this is an essential non-negotiable to help you rebuild. Rest does not need to be earned; it is a human right. In any way it is possible to weave more of this in your day, make it a high priority.⁸
• Nourishing food-may your food be rich in all that will replenish you. Think protein rich, quality fats (nuts, seeds, wild caught fish, or avocado), colourful fruits and vegetables. Now is the time to build upon your eating practices and eating every 2-3 hours to balance your blood sugar levels.⁹
• Spend time in nature– Whether it is planting your bare feet on the earth, enjoying the ocean sea breeze or getting a chance to immerse yourself in the wilderness will see your cup beginning to refill.

As a foundation, following the above may help build you back up when deep burnout has settled in.

Herbal medicines can also be our protectors during these weary times:

Saffron– the crimson threadlike stigmas are used to calm the nervous system, support a healthy mood balance ¹⁰ and support a deep restorative slumber (what every exhausted person needs, a refreshing sleep!).¹¹

Bacopa- (otherwise known as brahmi) for over 3000 years this herb has been used in Ayurvedic practices. The whole pant can be used to calm the mind while concurrently enhancing cognition, memory and supporting brain health.¹² This gentle tonic can help clear a busy mind and provide a cool calm clarity to those who are struggling with mental recall. ¹³

Marigold– the sunshine-like flowers of this gorgeous plant are rich in lutein, an antioxidant that helps to protect damage from blue light from screens that we are constantly exposed to (hello- doom scrolling!). We know that this exposure can impact our sleep cycle and reduce melatonin.¹⁴   Ideally, screen time should be reduced, where possible, however if you are someone who needs to be digitally connected-protecting your precious eyes can help you get the rest you need.

If you need a formula to support mind relaxation, healthy mood balance, relieve symptoms of stress and enhance a deep sleep look no further than RestoraCalm Night.  This contains L-Theanine,saffron, marigold, lutein and zeaxanthin to tackle help you tackle your day ahead.  Find this supplement at the pharmacy counter from our WholeLife pharmacist.

Please remember, before beginning any new supplement please always speak to your preferred healthcare professional for individual guidance and always read the label and follow the directions for use.

References:

• Dutt M, Wehrle CJ, Jialal I. Physiology, adrenal gland [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2023 May 1 [cited 2025 Jul 4]. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK537260/
• Karin O, Raz M, Tendler A, Bar A, Korem Kohanim Y, Milo T, Alon U. A new model for the HPA axis explains dysregulation of stress hormones on the timescale of weeks. Mol Syst Biol. 2020 Jul 16;16(7):e9510. doi: 10.15252/msb.20209510. PMID: 32672906; PMCID: PMC7364861.
• Parker G, Tavella G, Hopcraft M. Exploring the validity of the Sydney Burnout Measure. Psychiatry Res. 2023 Sep;325:115240. doi: 10.1016/j.psychres.2023.115240.
• Mayo Clinic. Adrenal fatigue: What causes it? Mayo Clinic. 2023 Jan 1. Available from: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/addisons-disease/expert-answers/adrenal-fatigue/faq-20057906**:contentReference[oaicite:4]{index=4}
• Mayo Clinic. Burnout [Internet]. Rochester (MN): Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research; c2023 [cited 2025 Jul 4]. Available from: https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/adult-health/in-depth/burnout/art-20046642
• Adrenal fatigue [Internet]. [cited 2025 Jul 4]. Available from: https://nutripath.com.au/?s=adrenal+fatigue&asl_active=1&p_asl_data=1&customset[]=acf-taxonomy&customset[]=product&asl_gen[]=excerpt&asl_gen[]=content&asl_gen[]=title&qtranslate_lang=0&filters_initial=1&filters_changed=0
• Watkins J, Lie D. Hair mineral analysis in clinical practice: a review. J Environ Public Health. 2014;2014:978139. doi:10.1155/2014/978139.
• Medic G, Wille M, Hemels ME. Short- and long-term health consequences of sleep disruption. Nat Sci Sleep. 2017;9:151–61. doi:10.2147/NSS.S134864.
• Monnier L, Colette C. Glucose variability: Where it is important and how to measure it. Diabetes Care. 2012;35(Suppl 2):S247–S251. doi:10.2337/dc12-1610.
• Jackson PA, Forster J, Khan J, Pouchieu C, Dubreuil S, Gaudout D, et al. Effects of saffron extract supplementation on mood, well-being, and response to a psychosocial stressor in healthy adults: a randomized, double-blind, parallel group, clinical trial. Front Nutr. 2021;7:606124. doi:10.3389/fnut.2020.606124.
• Lopresti AL, Smith SJ, Drummond PD. An investigation into an evening intake of a saffron extract (affron®) on sleep quality, cortisol, and melatonin concentrations in adults with poor sleep: a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multi-dose study. Sleep Med. 2021;86:7–18. doi:10.1016/j.sleep.2021.08.001.
• )Gouthami NS, Jain SK, Jain NK, Wadhwan N, Agrawal C, Panwar NL. Exploring the Neutraceutical effects of Brahmi (Bacopa monnieri) in agriculture: potential applications and benefits. Environ Ecol. 2023;41(4C):2947–2954
• Stough C, Downey LA, Lloyd J, Silber B, Redman S, Hutchison C, et al. Examining the nootropic effects of a special extract of Bacopa monniera on human cognitive functioning: 90 day double-blind placebo-controlled randomized trial. Phytother Res. 2008 Dec;22(12):1629–34. doi:10.1002/ptr.2537. PMID: 18683852.
• Culver MF, Bowman J, Juturu V. Lutein and zeaxanthin isomers effect on sleep quality: a randomized placebo-controlled trial. Biomed J Sci Tech Res. 2018;5(4):7018–7024. doi:10.26717/BJSTR.2018.09.001775.