Overwhelmed? How to Recognise Burnout Before It Breaks You

We live in a world that rarely slows down. Workloads, family demands, and constant connectivity keep our minds on high alert — until one day, we realise we’re running on fumes. Burnout doesn’t arrive suddenly; it creeps in quietly, disguised as tiredness, frustration, or apathy. Recognising the early signs is essential, because recovery begins the moment you do.

What Burnout Really Is

Burnout isn’t simply stress. It’s a chronic state of emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion caused by prolonged pressure and imbalance between demands and recovery time (Maslach & Leiter, 2016).

Research shows that burnout can impair cognitive function, disrupt sleep, and increase risk of depression and anxiety (Bianchi, Schonfeld, & Laurent, 2015).

Typical symptoms include:

• Persistent fatigue, even after rest

• Reduced concentration or motivation

• Emotional detachment or irritability

• Physical tension, headaches, and muscle pain

• A sense of hopelessness or loss of purpose

In short, burnout is the body’s way of saying “enough.” It’s not weakness — it’s physiology.

The Hidden Cost of Ignoring It

Chronic stress triggers ongoing activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, flooding the body with cortisol. Over time, this dysregulation contributes to fatigue, mood instability, and impaired immune function (McEwen, 2017).

A 2022 meta-analysis found that prolonged occupational stress was significantly associated with depression and sleep disturbance (Salvagioni et al., 2022). Ignoring the signs doesn’t make burnout go away; it drives it deeper. Learn more about how recognising early signs can help you take control before burnout takes over.

Why Stepping Outside Helps

One of the simplest yet most powerful interventions for stress recovery is exposure to nature. According to Attention Restoration Theory, natural environments help the brain recover from mental fatigue by engaging effortless attention (Kaplan & Kaplan, 1989).

Empirical research supports this:

• Participants who spent time in nature reported significantly lower stress and negative affect compared with those in urban settings (Bratman et al., 2019).

• Shin et al. (2022) found that even short forest walks reduced cortisol and heart rate variability, markers of physiological stress.

• A 2023 systematic review confirmed that nature exposure improves mood and attention and reduces symptoms of anxiety and depression (Coventry et al., 2023).

Nature literally resets the nervous system — and this is where outdoor therapy in the Lake District excels. The sights, sounds, and space of the landscape provide the ideal conditions to calm an overstimulated mind.

Therapy That Moves With You

At Minds in the Mountains, therapy isn’t confined to an office. It happens through movement, conversation, and connection — supported by nature’s rhythms.

Each guided therapy walk is led by Paul Taylor, BSc (Hons) — a qualified Mental Health Nurse, Motivational Interviewing Practitioner, and Forest Therapist (Silvotherapist) with over 15 years of experience in mental health care.

Sessions may include:

• Walk-and-talk therapy for open conversation and gentle movement

• Forest therapy for sensory grounding and relaxation

• Adventure reset experiences for those seeking perspective and challenge

• Wild-camp therapy (coming soon) for deeper reflection in nature

This approach aligns with research showing that combining movement, nature, and therapeutic dialogue enhances psychological wellbeing and emotional regulation (Jordan & Hinds, 2016; Cooley et al., 2020).

Recognising the Signs Is the First Step

If you’ve noticed you’re constantly tired, short-tempered, or finding little joy in daily life, it may be burnout — not laziness or lack of willpower.

A 2021 study by Sonnentag and Fritz highlights that genuine recovery requires “psychological detachment” from work demands, which is exactly what time in nature provides.

The act of stepping outside — both physically and mentally — is often the beginning of change. It allows space to reflect, breathe, and rebuild balance.

How to Begin

You don’t need a GP referral, diagnosis, or label to take that first step.

Minds in the Mountains offers a place to slow down, reconnect, and recover — supported by evidence, experience, and the healing landscapes of the Lake District.

Visit www.mindsinthemountains.com to learn more about guided therapy walks and start your own path toward calm and clarity.

Reconnect • Reflect • Rebalance

Minds in the Mountains – Guided therapy walks for mental clarity

Because sometimes the best therapy happens when you take it outside.

References

Bianchi, R., Schonfeld, I. S., & Laurent, E. (2015). Burnout–depression overlap: A review. Clinical Psychology Review, 36, 28–41.

Bratman, G. N., Anderson, C. B., Berman, M. G., et al. (2019). Nature and mental health: An ecosystem service perspective. Science Advances, 5(7), eaax0903.

Cooley, S. J., Jones, C. R., Kurtz, A., & Robertson, N. (2020). “Into the wild”: A meta-synthesis of nature-based therapy research. Counselling and Psychotherapy Research, 20(3), 406–423.

Coventry, P. A., Neale, C., Crombie, R., et al. (2023). Nature-based interventions for mental health: A systematic review. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 86, 102036.

Jordan, M., & Hinds, J. (2016). Ecotherapy: Theory, research and practice. Macmillan.

Kaplan, R., & Kaplan, S. (1989). The experience of nature: A psychological perspective. Cambridge University Press.

Maslach, C., & Leiter, M. P. (2016). Understanding the burnout experience: Recent research and its implications. World Psychiatry, 15(2), 103–111.

McEwen, B. S. (2017). Neurobiological and systemic effects of chronic stress. Annual Review of Medicine, 69, 367–383.

Salvagioni, D. A. J., et al. (2022). Relationship between work stress and mental health: A meta-analysis. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(14), 8732.

Shin, W. S., et al. (2022). Forest therapy and stress reduction: Meta-analysis. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, 825182.

Sonnentag, S., & Fritz, C. (2021). Recovery from job stress: The role of detachment and rest. Current Opinion in Psychology, 39, 50–55.