How to get out of burnout with yoga?
Yoga, one of the natural remedies for burnout or also called professional exhaustion.
France really started to take an interest in burnout in 2002. A bit behind its neighbors. Indeed, the Scandinavian countries considered burnout as an illness in the 90s. Even more incredible, Denmark examined this overwork in the 70s. A real scourge in a society where performance takes precedence over professional well-being. Result? Exhaustion at work and a decrease in self-confidence due to an overload of tasks to be completed in a minimum of time. You may be tempted to stuff yourself with medication in the hope of just hiding the problem. In addition to psychotherapy, you can practice yoga and meditation regularly to soothe your body and mind. In this article, discover how yoga is one of the keys to getting out of burnout and finding a little more serenity.
What is burnout?
You may have already suffered from it without knowing it! Burnout is a professional exhaustion, on a physical, mental and emotional level. What are the causes? Among other things, work overload, pressure, lack of recognition from your hierarchy, routine and little autonomy are at the origin of burnout. As a result, you feel constantly stressed and tired. And vacations do not solve it. You have the feeling of losing control, without achieving results. Here is a list of the symptoms of professional burnout:
- Sleep disturbance (e.g. insomnia, nightmares),
- Eating disorder (such as loss of appetite, bulimia, anorexia),
- Digestive disorders (including constipation and diarrhea),
- Low energy,
- Muscle pain,
- Headaches,
- Dizziness,
- Hair loss,
- Frequent yawning,
- Tinnitus,
- Decreased immune defenses,
- Hypertension or on the contrary hypotension,
- Irritability or even anger,
- Loss of self-esteem and confidence,
- Lack of motivation,
- Sadness that can lead to depression.
Get out of burnout without antidepressants thanks to yoga
Yoga is a series of postures ending with meditation. Mindfulness meditation is known to reduce anxiety, simply by focusing on your breathing. Indeed, Jon Kabat-Zinn (professor of medicine born in New York) showed how to tame stress thanks to his Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction program. In France, it is Christophe André (French psychiatrist) who introduced mindfulness as a therapeutic method to fight against anxiety.
As one of the solutions to burnout , yoga releases tensions from the body, while calming the mind. Among the benefits of yoga, find the fight against stress and anxiety, improved sleep, increased energy, muscle stretching, stimulation of the immune system, better self-confidence and improved concentration. In short, you will have understood, this practice is a solution to almost all the symptoms of burnout. However, yoga is not a substitute for psychological help.
Don't hesitate to practice this discipline daily, for at least 15 minutes, either at home with the many applications available on the web (like Gotta Joga or Yoga Connect) or classes at the studio in your city. When? For example, in the evening before going to bed to promote sleep and generally when you feel stressed.
Some exercises to overcome burnout
In general, Restorative Yoga is the perfect yoga for burnout . Why? This gentle yoga offers postures, with yoga accessories , soothing the mind and body tensions. It is an ideal moment to relax, on a yoga mat , far from the stress of everyday life.
However, there are also asanas to combat burnout :
- The sun salutation,
- Corpse Pose (Savasana),
- The Child (Balasana),
- The Stork (Uttanasana),
- Downward facing dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana),
- The cobra (Bhujangasana),
- The tree (Vrikshasana),
- The fish (Matsyasana),
- The lotus.
