Burnout is not just being tired
Burnout builds slowly. It often starts with long hours and high standards, and ends with exhaustion that a weekend off cannot fix, a growing cynicism about work you used to care about, and a sense that you are running on empty. It is common among tech workers, healthcare staff, teachers, parents and caregivers across the Eastside and Seattle area. Burnout affects the body as much as the mind, which is why we treat both.
Signs of burnout and chronic stress
- Exhaustion that does not lift with rest
- Feeling detached, cynical or numb about work or family
- Reduced performance, forgetfulness and brain fog
- Sleep problems, often waking in the early hours
- Irritability, anxiety or low mood
- Headaches, muscle tension, digestive problems or frequent illness
- Relying on caffeine to get going and alcohol to switch off
Burnout overlaps with depression, anxiety, thyroid problems and other medical conditions, so a careful assessment matters. Read more in why burnout isn’t just being tired.
What happens in the body
Long-term stress keeps the body’s stress systems switched on. Over time this can change cortisol rhythms, sleep architecture, appetite, blood sugar control and immune function. People often describe feeling “wired but tired”: exhausted during the day and alert at night. Correcting sleep, rebuilding recovery time and supporting the body’s stress response are as important as talking through the pressures themselves. See cortisol, stress and anxiety.
How we treat burnout
Assessment
We review workload, sleep, diet, caffeine and alcohol, exercise, relationships and medical history, and check for contributors such as thyroid problems, low iron, vitamin B12 or vitamin D, and depression. See lab testing for mental health.
Therapy and boundaries
Therapy helps untangle perfectionism, people-pleasing and over-responsibility, and supports practical changes such as setting limits, delegating and negotiating workload. For some people it includes planning a period of reduced hours or leave.
Restoring sleep and recovery
Sleep is usually the first target. We use behavioral sleep methods and build recovery into the day rather than saving it all for weekends. See sleep and insomnia.
Nervous-system regulation
Breathwork, relaxation training and biofeedback help the body shift out of constant alert. Short daily practice adds up.
Nutrition and movement
Regular meals, enough protein, less reliance on caffeine and gentle, consistent movement rebuild energy. See nutritional psychiatry.
Medication when needed
When burnout has tipped into depression or an anxiety disorder, medication may be part of the plan. See medication management.
Our providers are licensed naturopathic physicians and mental health counselors led by Dr. Koichi Tanji, ND, LMHC. In Washington, controlled substances such as ADHD stimulants and benzodiazepines are outside naturopathic prescribing scope, so when one is part of the right plan we coordinate with your prescribing physician or nurse practitioner.
Recovery takes time, and it is possible
Most people start to feel some relief within a few weeks of better sleep and fewer demands, but full recovery from significant burnout often takes several months. We track energy, sleep and mood together so you can see progress even on hard days.
Related reading: burnout recovery, fatigue and brain fog and men’s mental health.
Getting started
We see patients in person at 2135 112th Ave NE, Suite 201, Bellevue, and by secure telehealth anywhere in Washington. We are in-network with Premera, Regence, BlueCross BlueShield, Aetna, Cigna and Kaiser PPO. Most people begin with our Biopsych Assessment. Book online or call (425) 278-6166.
If you are in crisis or thinking about harming yourself, call or text 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline) or call 911.
