Ever found yourself staring blankly at your screen, completely drained, wondering why simple tasks suddenly feel impossible? That's not just fatigue—it's your neurological circuitry sending up emergency flares.
In this transformative exploration of burnout, Dr. Evette Rose takes us on a journey deep inside the brain to understand what's actually happening when we're chronically stressed. Discover how the prefrontal cortex—your brain's CEO—literally shrinks under prolonged stress while your amygdala goes into overdrive, creating that perfect storm of brain fog, emotional reactivity, and total exhaustion you're experiencing.
What makes this episode particularly illuminating is Dr. Rose's ability to translate complex neuroscience into practical understanding. She explains why your brain misinterprets modern-day stressors like emails as life-threatening dangers, keeping your nervous system constantly activated. Those moments when you walk into a room and forget why you're there? That's not random forgetfulness—it's your hippocampus struggling under cortisol overload. The brain fog, indecisiveness, and emotional rawness all suddenly make sense when viewed through this neurobiological lens.
The most powerful message here is that burnout isn't a personal failing—it's biology. Your body is brilliantly signaling for recalibration. Dr. Rose offers practical nervous system resets and concludes with a deeply restorative guided meditation designed specifically to begin healing your overworked brain and nervous system. Whether you're approaching burnout or already deep within it, this episode provides both the understanding and tools to begin your recovery journey. Listen, breathe, and remember: healing isn't a race, it's a rhythm—and it begins with understanding what's really happening beneath your exhaustion.
With love
Dr. Evette Rose
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American Psychological Association. (2019). Burn-out an "occupational phenomenon": International Classification of Diseases. https://www.who.int/mental_health/evidence/burn-out/en/
Arnsten, A. F. T. (2009). Stress signalling pathways that impair prefrontal cortex structure and function. Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 10(6), 410–422. https://doi.org/10.1038/nrn2648
Joëls, M., Pu, Z., Wiegert, O., Oitzl, M. S., & Krugers, H. J. (2006). Learning under stress: How does it work? Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 10(4), 152–158. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tics.2006.02.002
Lupien, S. J., McEwen, B. S., Gunnar, M. R., & Heim, C. (2009). Effects of stress throughout the lifespan on the brain, behaviour and cognition. Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 10(6), 434–445. https://doi.org/10.1038/nrn2639
McEwen, B. S. (2007). Physiology and neurobiology of stress and adaptation: Central role of the brain. Physiological Reviews, 87(3), 873–904. https://doi.org/10.1152/physrev.00041.2006
Porges, S. W. (2011). The polyvagal theory: Neurophysiological foundations of emotions, attachment, communication, and self-regulation. W. W. Norton & Company.
Rose, E. (2020). Metaphysical Anatomy Volume 1: Your body is talking, are you li