Last month, I worked with Sarah, an SVP of Marketing at a mid-sized tech company who reached out after experiencing some troubling physical symptoms. "I'm constantly exhausted, my headaches won't stop, and I've developed a persistent eye twitch," she told me during our first meeting. "But the strangest part is my doctor can't find anything physically wrong."
What Sarah described wasn't unusual. In fact, it perfectly illustrates how burnout isn't just feeling tired — it's a fundamental disruption in our relationship with our environment and future outlook that manifests physically.
Let me break this down and share how Sarah turned things around.
The Physical Warning Signs Sarah Couldn't Ignore
When Sarah first contacted me, her symptoms had been worsening for months:
- Daily tension headaches that started mid-afternoon
- Disrupted sleep despite feeling exhausted
- A nervous eye twitch that appeared during meetings
- Digestive issues that flared up before important presentations
"I thought I was just stressed about our upcoming product launch," she explained. "But even after the launch went well, these symptoms got worse, not better."
What Sarah was experiencing wasn't just normal work stress. Her body was sending clear signals that her stress response system had been activated for too long.
The Brain-Body Connection She Didn't Understand
I explained to Sarah how burnout creates a dangerous cycle in our bodies. When we're constantly on high alert, our brain's alarm system (the amygdala) keeps our stress response permanently switched on. This floods our body with cortisol and adrenaline day after day.
Under normal circumstances, this system activates briefly during actual danger, then shuts off. But in burnout, it stays on continuously, leading to physical symptoms like Sarah's.
The good news? This cycle can be interrupted with the right approaches.
Two Key Techniques That Changed Everything
Sarah committed to my Never Burnout Again® course, and we focused immediately on two science-backed techniques to reset her stress response:
1. Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR)
Sarah began practicing a simple 5-minute mindfulness routine three times daily. The technique involved focusing on her breath while acknowledging thoughts without judgment.
"At first, I felt silly sitting in my office just breathing," Sarah admitted. "But within a week, I noticed my eye twitch disappeared during these sessions."
Research shows MBSR significantly reduces cortisol levels and stress-induced inflammation. For Sarah, this directly targeted the physical manifestations of her burnout.
2. Strategic Breaks with Breathing Pattern Shifts
The second technique involved taking strategic 90-second breaks throughout her day using specific breathing patterns:
- For moments when she felt overwhelmed: 6-4-10 breathing (inhale for 6 seconds, hold for 4, exhale for 10)
- For afternoon energy dips: 4-0-X breathing (inhale for 4 seconds, no hold, then one explosive exhale)
"I programmed these breaks into my calendar as non-negotiable appointments," Sarah explained. "My team knew these few minutes made me more effective for the rest of the day."
This approach helped regulate Sarah's autonomic nervous system, shifting her from constant "fight-or-flight" to a more balanced state.
The Transformation: From Physical Symptoms to Prevention Mastery
Within three weeks, Sarah reported significant improvements:
- Headaches reduced from daily to just once that week
- Sleep quality improved dramatically
- Digestive issues resolved entirely
- Energy levels stabilized throughout the day
But the most impressive change came during a potentially triggering situation in week four. Her company announced a surprise restructuring that would have normally sent her into a stress spiral.
"I noticed my body starting to react—my heart rate increased and my stomach tightened," Sarah told me. "But instead of letting it escalate, I immediately used my 6-4-10 breathing technique and scheduled a 10-minute mindfulness session later that day."
The result? She navigated the change without any physical symptoms resurfacing.
The Critical Takeaway
Sarah's experience demonstrates something crucial about burnout: The physical symptoms aren't "just stress" or something to push through. They're your body's alarm system telling you something important needs to change.
What's particularly valuable about Sarah's story is how quickly her body responded to these science-backed techniques. Within less than a month, she went from multiple physical symptoms to having practical tools that prevented burnout triggers from escalating.
Most importantly, Sarah learned that these techniques aren't just crisis management—they're prevention strategies she can use for life. Today, she continues to practice both methods and has trained her team in the basics, creating a more resilient marketing department overall.
Until next time, my friends!
PS: Want to know how much you are dealing with burnout right now? Get your free burnout score here.
