With a working culture built around clocking in hours, presenteeism and ‘going above and beyond’, it’s no wonder 91% of adults in the UK have reported experiencing high levels of stress in the past year.

But even when we leave work, the stress doesn’t stop, thanks to work emails, messages, social media notifications and news alerts that continue to pop up on our phones all evening. It’s no surprise, then, that burnout is on the rise, and according to Mental Health UK, one in five people have needed time off work due to mental health struggles linked to stress.

However, burnout is more than simply being overworked. Medical biochemist Jane Ollis says that burnout is a neurological issue and that working less isn’t necessarily the solution.

“A huge misconception about burnout is that it’s simply a result of overworking,” says Ollis. “Neuroscience shows that burnout is a physiological response to chronic stress and isn’t something that can resolve on its own by simply taking time off.”

To truly overcome burnout, we need to change our approach to stress, and understanding the neuroscience behind burnout is key to this.

While we might perceive burnout as extreme fatigue, it’s actually a breakdown in the body’s ability to regulate stress.

“Chronic exposure to stress disrupts key brain functions, leading to emotional exhaustion, brain fog and physical depletion,” says Ollis. “With modern digital overload, burnout is more prevalent than ever. Constant notifications, emails and social media overstimulate the brain, keeping the stress response activated long after work has ended. Studies show that constant email notifications and screen exposure trigger the same fight-or-flight response as real threats, keeping your nervous system in overdrive.”

Several things happen in your brain when you experience burnout, including:

• Hyperactive amygdala: your brain’s fear centre is constantly on alert, making stress feel more intense and never-ending. It’s like having a smoke alarm blaring every time you toast a slice of bread.
• Prefrontal cortex suppression: the part of your brain that handles decision-making and focus becomes overwhelmed, which makes it hard to think clearly or even remember simple things. If you’ve walked into a room and immediately forgotten why, burnout might be the culprit.
• Mitochondrial dysfunction: efficient mitochondria (the powerhouses of your cells) keep the brain resilient, regulating neurotransmitters and supporting stress adaptation. But stress drains mitochondria, leaving you feeling completely wiped out and unable to recharge. It’s like your phone battery draining faster than it can charge back up.
• Autonomic nervous system imbalance: your body gets stuck in fight-or-flight mode, which messes with your sleep, digestion and immune system. It’s like your nervous system thinks every email is a threat as dangerous as being chased by a bear.

Because burnout is a physiological state, simply removing the stressor (eg working less) isn’t going to have a lasting effect. Instead, Ollis says recovery has to focus on rebalancing the nervous system and restoring depleted energy reserves.

According to Burnout: The Secret To Unlocking The Stress Cycle by Emily and Amelia Nagoski, burnout results from incomplete stress cycles, which is when the stress hormones remain elevated because the body never gets the signal that the threat has passed. Essentially, burnout occurs when the body doesn’t have the opportunity to properly process and release stress.

This explains why after coming back from a holiday, that sense of calm evaporates the moment you step back into the office or take one look at your inbox – simply taking time off doesn’t rewire your brain.

Cutting back on work can help in some situations, but if your nervous system is stuck in danger mode, you’ll just feel guilty while doing less, says Ollis. Burnout doesn’t resolve on its own; it requires intentional action. Ollis suggests taking these three steps to start rewiring your brain to counteract burnout.

Step 1: complete the stress cycle 

Burnout happens when the body never fully processes and releases stress, according to the Nagoski sisters. To break this cycle, start by moving your body. Your nervous system evolved in a world where threats were sabre-toothed tigers, not email notifications. Physical activity sends a message to your brain that the danger has passed. When you move – running, lifting, dancing – the body interprets it as, ‘Ah, we survived!’ Exercise also burns off excess stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline, which would otherwise hang around making you anxious and jittery, as well as triggering endorphins and serotonin, reinforcing the message that all is well. The evening is a great time to do this because it lets your nervous system reset before sleep, but what matters more is consistency. Find what works, and do it regularly.

Deep breathing techniques like box breathing (explained here) can also help calm the nervous system by lowering cortisol levels. Social connections are essential, too – hugging someone you care about or chatting with a friend releases oxytocin, which fights stress. If nothing else works, a good laugh can work wonders.

Step 2: rewire the brain’s stress response 

Your brain has the ability to shift from chronic stress to resilience – in other words, you can train your brain to handle stress better. A key strategy for this is to reframe your stress as a challenge instead of a threat, which is easier to do than you might think:

• Name it: say, ‘This is my body preparing me to perform,’ rather than ‘I’m freaking out!’
• Breathe differently: long, slow exhales signal safety to your nervous system.
• Power pose: changing posture changes perception. Shoulders back, chest open.
• Shift the story: instead of ‘I’m overwhelmed,’ try ‘This is an opportunity to grow.’
• Use past wins: recall a time you handled something tough. Your brain will believe you can do it again.

Just this simple shift can lower cortisol levels. Additionally, focusing on gratitude and small victories can boost dopamine and serotonin, helping you feel more positive and resilient. Mindfulness and meditation can also help strengthen the part of your brain responsible for recovery. If sitting still isn’t your thing, try mindful walking – it’s a great way to meditate while also getting some gentle exercise.

Step 3: restore mitochondrial health and rebalance the nervous system 

Prioritise deep sleep. It’s when your brain detoxifies and restores energy. Deep sleep is like the brain’s cleaning crew clocking in for the night shift. The glymphatic system (your brain’s waste disposal network) ramps up, flushing out toxins, metabolic waste and leftover stress hormones. Think of it like taking out the rubbish – if this doesn’t happen, your brain wakes up groggy, inflamed and prone to stress, so aim for seven to nine hours of sleep and minimise screen time before bed.

A good diet can promote burnout recovery. Omega-3s (from fatty fish) keep mitochondrial membranes flexible, which means better energy production; magnesium (from leafy greens and nuts) is like the oil in the engine, helping mitochondria produce ATP (your energy currency); and B vitamins (from eggs and legumes) are the co-pilots, making sure all the enzymes involved in energy metabolism actually work.

Gentle exercises like walking, swimming and yoga also help reset your nervous system, which tells your brain that it’s safe now and stops the stress loop in its tracks. Low-intensity movement like walking, yoga or stretching engages the parasympathetic nervous system (your built-in ‘rest and repair’ mode). It lowers cortisol, stabilises blood sugar and improves vagal tone (how well your nervous system regulates stress).

Images: Getty