When a person is in a state of complete physical, emotional and mental exhaustion, that’s burnout.

There are many factors that can lead someone to suffer from burnout, including overwhelming work demands. Burnout can also result from personal responsibilities like caring for children, aging parents or a sick partner.

Most typically associated with stress, whether from work or family commitments, burnout can also happen from self-created pressure, according to Dr. Sarah Bonza, who specializes in lifestyle medicine at Bonza Health.

“Some of the personal causes of burnout include perfectionism, high personal expectations and work-life imbalance,” Bonza says.

Symptoms of burnout can appear gradually, but tend to grow worse over time. When unchecked, burnout can damage several facets of a person’s health and can become so debilitating that it interferes with a person’s ability to cope with everyday life.

Burnout can impact not just a person’s mental health, but also their physical and behavioral health, causing people to be short-tempered, moody, unfocused and disorganized.

“Physically, as burnout is taking its toll on your emotions, burnout can leave you feeling exhausted and overwhelmed, with little energy for doing the things you need and want to do,” says Ashley Murry, chief clinical officer at Sana Lake Recovery Centers.

Beyond the exhaustion that burnout can cause, many other severe physical health problems can develop, including heart disease and infections.

“Burnout is a chronic stress that causes complications such as hypertension, heart disease and raises the possibility of a stroke,” Bonza explains. “It can also damage the immune system, meaning people can easily get infected from diseases.”

While burnout can be debilitating, there are steps that can reduce symptoms and boost resilience, like getting enough sleep, maintaining a healthy diet, daily exercise, regular breaks, enforcing healthy boundaries and receiving support from friends, family and co-workers. Bonza also recommends creating a routine to help stay organized and avoid unnecessary stress.

“To avoid burnout, it is recommended to exercise, eat well, and sleep well, as well as take breaks when needed,” Bonza says. “One should try to set a routine schedule and also ensure that they make the necessary changes at home or at work to ensure that they are not overwhelmed.”

She adds it’s important to understand the underlying cause of stress, as stress and burnout can be more easily avoided.

“It is also useful to control stressors and learn how to say no and not to take on more than one can handle,” Bonza says.

Another option for anyone who is suffering from burnout is seeking professional help with a psychologist or a counselor.

“Seeking professional help is advisable for anyone dealing with burnout, especially if it significantly impacts their daily life and functioning,” Bonza said. “Mental health professionals, such as psychologists or counselors, can provide therapy to address the underlying causes of burnout and develop coping strategies. In some cases, medication may be prescribed to manage symptoms of depression or anxiety.”