Burnout has a nasty habit of sneaking up on you. Sure, you’re exhausted and stressed out, but you’re still standing, right? You keep pushing forward, then bam, burnout hits and you’re out for the count. 

That might be how it feels in the moment, but the reality is that there are many, many moments before the crisis point of burnout that should give us pause – we either don’t notice them or just dismiss them as nothing major. 

That’s a mistake. By becoming more aware of the low points that arrive as burnout starts to build, we can take action more speedily and tackle the issues before they overwhelm us. 

If you think of a longer path to burnout, there are landmarks to watch out for on the way. One of these is energy imbalance and all the signs and symptoms that accompany this state. 

“An energy imbalance is when you don’t have a sufficient amount of energy to achieve what you need to during any given day,” Karina Antram, a coach, dietitian and author of Fix Your Fatigue, tells Stylist. “When this happens, exhaustion can set in quickly.”

Antram reveals some common signs you’re experiencing an energy imbalance:

• regularly feeling ‘not yourself’
• disturbed sleep – sleep is an energy-intensive process and fatigue often leads to poor sleep leading to further fatigue
• needing more sleep than normal or napping during the day
• struggling to exercise or experiencing slow recovery from exercise
• feeling weak, dizzy or having headaches
• being more forgetful, not thinking clearly or having ‘brain fog’
• feeling more emotional than normal
• moodiness or feeling more irritable than normal
• not feeling as resilient or feeling unable to handle stress

Ignore these symptoms or do nothing to treat them, and you’re on the highway straight to burnout. But while you’re hurtling down that road, there’s a huge impact on the way. 

“There is a big impact on your quality of life,” Antram explains. “If you don’t have energy, you can’t live your life to the full, fulfil your potential, impress in that job interview or start that side hustle. Address any underlying causes and don’t stop until you get your answers. Your mind and body will thank you for it later.”

Once you notice the signs of energy imbalance, it’s time to do something about them. But what does that look like? Antram talks us through it. 

Rule out any medical causes

We shouldn’t accept feeling tired and run-down all day. If you’ve noticed symptoms of energy imbalance, it’s vital you talk to a medical professional to rule out any physical causes. 

Up your nutrients

“Increase the amount of nutrients in your daily diet,” recommends Antram. “Take some glass jars and fill them with a variety of ‘nutrient toppers’ such as chia seeds, pistachios, cashews, almonds, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, nori flakes, coconut flakes, etc, and add these to your smoothies, salads, porridge and vegetables.”

Tune into your cycles

Get to know how your energy levels dip throughout the day and month, according to your chronotype and menstrual cycle. It can help to keep a journal to track this and notice patterns. 

Once you’ve figured that out, it’s all about adapting your life to better fit your personal energy cycles. How could you tweak your work, your movement, your mealtimes, to better use your energy? 

”Move in a way that feels good and in line with your cycles,” says Antram. “Our energy naturally ebbs and flows throughout the month according to where we are in our cycle. If you are premenstrual, exercise more gently and listen to how your body feels. Exercise should be nourishing, not depleting all your energy stores.”

Prioritise true, deep rest

Rest isn’t an option, it’s absolutely vital, and it’s something you need to take seriously. That means getting the right amount of good quality sleep, yes, but also creating space for all types of rest, including mental and emotional rest. True rest requires time and consideration. Give that to yourself. 

Tackle the root cause

Treating the symptoms might slow the tide of burnout, but it won’t stop it. To truly tackle an energy imbalance, you need to figure out the root cause and treat it at its heart. 

“Get to the root cause,” Antram says. “Why do you think you have an energy imbalance? What has caused this feeling of fatigue? Has something stressful happened or a triggering event? Dive deep and try to ascertain the root cause. Becoming your own private investigator is important if you want to regain your energy.”

Fix Your Fatigue by Karina Antram is out now.

Main image: Getty