Burnout vs. Everyday Stress: How to Know the Difference

Stress is part of life.

A big deadline, a family conflict, or too many things on your to-do list can leave you feeling tense and drained. Usually, once the stressful event passes, your body and mind recover.

Burnout, on the other hand, is different. It’s what happens when stress doesn’t let up and your nervous system has been running on empty for too long.

Many high-achieving, caring, and hardworking people confuse burnout with “just stress.” Knowing the difference is the first step toward healing.

What Everyday Stress Looks Like

Everyday stress comes and goes. You might feel:
- Tight shoulders or headaches during a busy day
- Racing thoughts while you’re under pressure
- Irritability when your schedule feels overwhelming

But with rest, downtime, or a good night’s sleep, your body typically resets. Stress is uncomfortable, but it’s temporary.

What Burnout Feels Like

Burnout builds over time when stress becomes chronic and your body never gets a chance to recover. Symptoms often include:
- Deep exhaustion that doesn’t go away with rest
- Feeling detached or numb, like you’re just going through the motions
- Trouble concentrating or remembering things
- A sense of cynicism, hopelessness, or being “checked out”
- Physical issues like digestive problems, sleep disruption, or frequent illness

Unlike everyday stress, burnout doesn’t lift on its own. You can’t simply push through it, because your nervous system is already depleted.

Why High-Functioning People Miss the Signs

If you’re the type of person who’s always been capable, organized, and dependable, burnout can sneak up on you. You may tell yourself you “should” be able to handle it, or you minimize what you’re feeling because you’re still technically functioning.

But being able to push through isn’t the same as being well. Burnout is a signal from your body that you’ve been in survival mode too long.

How Somatic Therapy Helps with Burnout

Somatic therapy works directly with the nervous system, which is often the most impacted part of burnout. By slowing down and tuning into the body, therapy helps you:
- Recognize and release patterns of tension that keep you stuck in “go mode”
- Rebuild your natural capacity to feel calm and present
- Restore balance so that rest actually feels restorative again
- Reconnect with joy, creativity, and meaning

Over time, you learn not only to recover from burnout but to recognize the early signs so you can prevent it in the future.

You Don’t Have to Do This Alone

Burnout can make you feel like you’re running on fumes, with nothing left to give. But with the right support, your nervous system can heal and your energy can return.

Taking the Next Step

If you’re wondering whether you’re “just stressed” or truly burned out, it may be time to reach out for help.

I offer stress and burnout therapy in Santa Monica, both in-person and online, and I’d be honored to support you.

Schedule a free consultation to take the first step toward feeling more balanced, rested, and alive again.