Student Blog: Burnout: Top 5 Symptoms

Hello readers! I'm back with another post on BURNOUT. If you're a college student, or any type of student (or a typical functioning adult), you probably know what I'm talking about. Burnout is a feeling that is almost unavoidable and sometimes it sneaks up on you before you even realize it is happening. My last blog post about burnout listed and explained valuable solutions for overcoming this kind of fatigue (you can read it here!) but this time I want to talk about some common symptoms of burnout that are often overlooked. Maybe you will identify with some of these symptoms and be able to reel in your burnout before it becomes too overwhelming. Just to be clear, this is not some sort of scientific or medical analysis on burnout symptoms! These are just some symptoms I've experienced or seen others experience when they're in a temporary stage of burnout. Let's get into it:

1. Extra naps or waking up too late!

Ok, I've kind of been experiencing this recently and I'm actively trying to get out of it so take it from me! When I'm feeling burntout during the semester or just in my daily life aside from school, I'm 1000% more likely to A) take naps more often or B) wake up later than usual. It definitely takes time and effort to get out of a rut of sleeping at inconvenient intervals throughout the day, especially when there are tasks that need your attention, or having trouble getting out of bed in the morning. If naps are your kryptonite, make sure you get yourself out of your dorm during the windows of time that you want to nap in most often! Go to the library, gym, dining hall, call a family member, spend time with friends, etc.! You have to distract your brain in order to push through the exhaustion. As for waking up in the morning, my #1 solution to this: setting a MILLION alarms until you just can't hit snooze anymore and picking the most irritating alarm sound you can find. It sounds so cliche but just do it. All that being said, rest is still important so don't think I'm encouraging you to become an insomniac! :)

2. On the opposite end, not being able to sleep at night. :(

I've also struggled with this one. I can't tell you how many nights my anxiety has kept me awake for hours and it is so irritating. A quick fix for this that sometimes calms me down is taking a hot shower. I have literally left my dorm at 3-4 A.M. sometimes to shower and that may sound totally crazy but sometimes you just need to calm your body down and heat helps me do that. Some people also meditate or try to read before bed to tire themselves out. Another tool I've used to help me fall asleep is white or brown noise, even using earplugs can help you fall asleep if you need absolute quiet to silence your mind. My last possible solution to this symptom is literally just waiting it out. Don't go on your phone, don't turn on the TV; sometimes all you can do is just sit there and wait until you fall asleep or allow yourself to be awake for some consecutive nights until the exhaustion hits you a few nights later. 

3. Getting sick more often

I've seen some of my friends go through this (getting sick when you're mentally burnt out or drained or being more susceptible to getting sick). All the help I can offer is: sleep is your fuel. Literally, sleep fuels and recharges your body for the next day. Without a sufficient amount of sleep, you probably won't heal as fast as you could. Another tip: staying hydrated! Water is a remedy for so many things! I believe the reccommended amount of water to consume is 8 cups a day but you should fact check me if you're looking for a concrete answer :P. 

4. Messy room or living space

I was definitely more burnt out during my second semester of college as opposed to my first. One thing I noticed during my second semester is that it was far more difficult for me to keep my living space clean and organized than it was during the fall and I think I'd attribute that to some instances of burnout (among other factors). At first, I didn't realize why I couldn't keep my space clean and I got angry with myself about it sometimes. However, when I was most drained... that was when my room looked the worst. So, if the disorganization is piling up around you and you can't understand why, you might be in a state of burnout and you don't even realize. 

5. Removing yourself from social situations

I'm usually a pretty social person but, when I'm burnt out, I tend to alienate myself a little bit from my normal social activities. I'm sure a lot of people can resonate with that. Listen, if it's a rut that you feel like you can get yourself out of, by all means do it. However, sometimes it takes more than that to get you back to where you want to be. Maybe talking to a friend in your friend group about it is a solution or, if it's really serious, seeking some counseling. This info is not coming from a therapist so take it with a grain of salt but I'm a therapy supporter so... do with that what you will! :)

That's all I've got for today! Thank you for reading and stay updated for more.