Person exhausted at workNot only does our gut health affect how alert we feel in autumn, but the upcoming clock changes can also make us feel exhausted.
While eating enough fibre and “staggering” your sleep can help somewhat, it’s still easy to see why new workplace data from RotaCloud found autumn sees more sick leave and absences than average (+5.11% and +1.78%, respectively).
James Lintern, co-founder of the company, said: “While the percentage increases might sound small, in reality this equates to approximately an additional 2.4 million workers being absent from work during autumn compared to the rest of the year.”
Calling this phenomenon “pumpkin spice lethargy,” Joel Beverley, co-founder at RotaCloud, said, “we expect to see more employees struggling with feelings related to burnout, exhaustion, fatigue, lethargy, and malaise” as the seasons change.
The organisation paired with Dr Sarah Jane Khalid, a psychologist verified on healthcare platform Doctify, to explain the signs of autumn burnout.
How can I spot “pumpkin spice” fatigue?
Often, the psychologist said, fatigue – seasonal or not – is caused by burnout.
This may be the case if you feel “constantly tired, even after rest of sleep, because the exhaustion is both physical and emotional”.
That’s because, “Burnout is a psychological condition characterised by chronic physical, emotional and mental exhaustion that’s caused by excessive and prolonged stress,” Dr Khalid explained.
“It’s the culmination of stress that’s built up over time to leave us feeling overwhelmed, emotionally drained, and unable to meet the demands of life placed upon a person, leading to a decline in well-being and performance.”
She said that symptoms include:
- Physical exhaustion and fatigue
- Digestive issues and stomach problems
- Detachment, loneliness, or isolation
- Increased irritability and anger
- Avoiding social events and interactions
- Brain-fog
- Negative thoughts about the future
- Feeling hopeless or useless
- Increased anxiety or worry
- Feeling overly cynical or apathetic
- A diminished sense of enjoyment, both personally and professionally
- Low motivation
- Just not feeling “our normal selves”.
What should I do if I think I’m burnt out?
The first step is identifying the main source of your stress, Dr Khalid shared.
“For some, work may be a huge source of stress – a seemingly insurmountable workload and pressure from colleagues can make them feel like they’re drowning in their workflow with no way out.”
Her rules for recovering from burnout-related “pumpkin spice” fatigue are:
- Sleep for at least seven hours a night
- Take power naps if/when possible
- Meditate
- Drink water
- Eat nutrient-dense food
- Try regular, light physical activity
- Avoid overexertion
- Take ‘micro breaks’ at work
- Rest your eyes
- Give relaxation techniques and mindful practices a try
- Re-evaluate your work/home life schedule: delegate and prioritise certain tasks if needed.
Speak to a professional if exhaustion is sudden, affects your day-to-day life, or has stayed present for months despite changing your sleeping habits.
Help and support:
- Mind, open Monday to Friday, 9am-6pm on 0300 123 3393.
- Samaritans offers a listening service which is open 24 hours a day, on 116 123 (UK and ROI – this number is FREE to call and will not appear on your phone bill).
- CALM (the Campaign Against Living Miserably) offer a helpline open 5pm-midnight, 365 days a year, on 0800 58 58 58, and a webchat service.
- The Mix is a free support service for people under 25. Call 0808 808 4994 or email help@themix.org.uk
- Rethink Mental Illness offers practical help through its advice line which can be reached on 0808 801 0525 (Monday to Friday 10am-4pm). More info can be found on rethink.org.
