Why high performers burn out faster than everyone else (and how to fix it)
Reading Time: ~7 minutes
What’s Inside:
The real reason high performers burn out faster than others
The hidden metabolic link between stress, energy crashes, and burnout
Case study: How Sara reversed burnout with metabolic optimisation
The Fix – 5 powerful strategies to boost energy & resilience
The Brain Bombs hack for afternoon energy crashes
Limited 1:1 Feel Human Coaching spots open + 4-Week Metabolic Reset coming soon
Burnout predominantly happens to high performers – it’s even been dubbed “overachiever syndrome” everymindatwork.com. In one study, 20% of top-performing UK business leaders had their mental health affected by corporate burnout. High achievers push hard and excel, but that same drive can make them hit burnout faster and harder than others. The result? An exhausted, frazzled feeling that no amount of willpower or coffee can fix.
If you’re a go-getter who’s felt inexplicably drained, you’re not alone. This article dives into why high achievers experience burnout more intensely – and why the root cause isn’t just “working too hard” or stress. Surprise: burnout is as much a metabolic problem as it is a mental one. We’ll explore the hidden science (in plain English), share a real case study of recovery, and give tangible fixes you can start using today. Let’s get you back to feeling and performing at your best.
The hidden science behind burnout: It’s not just stress, it’s metabolic
When we think of burnout, we think of stress, overwork, and mental exhaustion. But under the hood, burnout involves a very physical, biological breakdown – essentially, an energy crisis in your body. Here’s what’s happening inside a burned-out high performer:
Chronically high cortisol (Stress hormone) levels: High achievers under constant pressure often live in “fight-or-flight” mode. Cortisol, your primary stress hormone, stays elevated for too long. Normally, cortisol gives you a quick boost by releasing glucose (sugar) into your bloodstream for energy. But too much for too long backfires. Cortisol prompts the liver to dump sugar into your blood and at the same time makes it harder for insulin to pull that sugar into cells (i.e. it causes insulin resistance)
Blood sugar dysregulation & energy crashes: Ever ride the “blood sugar rollercoaster”? It’s common in burnout. You grab a muffin or a latte for a quick pick-me-up, feel a burst of energy, and then an hour later you’re crashing hard. Here’s why: a quick carb or sugar load spikes your blood glucose, giving a brief high, but your body responds by pumping out insulin which then over-corrects and drops your blood sugar too low. The crash leaves you fatigued, shaky, irritable, and reaching for another caffeine or sugar hit
Metabolic inflexibility – The “Fuel Switch” Problem: A less talked-about factor is metabolic inflexibility – basically, your body’s lost flexibility in switching between energy sources (carbs and fat). A healthy metabolism is like a hybrid car that seamlessly switches between gas and electric depending on what’s available. But high stress and poor diet can make your body stuck in “sugar-burning” mode all the time. When you burn only glucose and never tap into fat stores, you become dependent on constant carb intake. If you skip a meal or work through lunch (sound familiar, high performers?), your blood sugar crashes because your body isn’t switching to fat-burning. The outcome: you feel weak, brain-fogged, and ravenous. Being metabolically inflexible is linked to low energy, brain fog, and stubborn weight gain
The cortisol curveball (Eventually “flatlining”): Interestingly, in long-term burnout, cortisol can start running low at the wrong times – your stress response system is so overworked it’s blunted. Researchers refer to a breakdown of the body’s stress-response balance as allostatic load – basically the wear-and-tear from chronic stress. This overload derails multiple systems: blood sugar control, blood pressure, inflammation, even immunity
In short, burnout isn’t just about long hours. It’s a state where your stress hormones, blood sugar, and cellular energy factories (mitochondria) are all out of whack. High performers feel it acutely because they push these systems to the max. The good news? By recognising the metabolic side of burnout, we can target fixes that go beyond bubble baths and Netflix – and actually restore your energy biochemistry.
Case Study: Sara’s Burnout & Recovery Story
To see how this plays out, let’s look at a real-world example. Meet Sara (name changed for privacy), a 38-year-old sales director and quintessential high performer. By all traditional measures, she was killing it – leading a big team, nailing her quarterly targets, and even training for half-marathons on weekends. But privately, Sara was struggling:
Afternoon crashes: Every day around 3pm, Sara would hit a wall. “Like clockwork, my brain would shut down in the afternoon,” she said. She’d find herself rereading the same email and fighting the urge to nap at her desk.
Reliance on caffeine & sugar: To power through, Sara turned to coffee (often 3-4 cups a day) and grazed on whatever treats were in the office. It gave her some energy… but only briefly. She was on the rollercoaster of spike and crash.
Disrupted sleep: Despite being exhausted,Sara’s sleep was broken. She’d crash at 10pm, then bolt awake at 3am with her mind racing about work. Not exactly restorative rest.
Stubborn weight gain: For someone running half-marathons, Sara was frustrated that she had put on 10+ pounds, mostly around her midsection. No matter what she tried, it wouldn’t budge – and her doctors told her “just exercise more” (she was already exercising plenty).
Brain fog and irritability: Perhaps most alarming for Sara, she felt her mental sharpness fading. She described having “brain fog” – struggling to concentrate or remember little things, and feeling easily irritated. This scared her, as her sharp mind was something she prided herself on.
These symptoms are textbook burnout. In fact, early warning signs of burnout include things like afternoon fatigue, increased use of caffeine, disrupted sleep patterns, changes in eating habits (like sugar cravings), and even unexplained aches. Sara had almost all of them. But rather than a mysterious illness, we saw that her lifestyle as a high performer had pushed her metabolism into chaos.
The Feel Human approach: When Emma came to work with me through my 1:1 Feel Human coaching, our goal was to get her out of this energy black hole by addressing the root causes – cortisol and blood sugar imbalances and poor metabolic flexibility. Here’s how we helped Emma recover her vitality:
Stabilising blood sugar: First, we identified that Sara’s “healthy” diet was actually setting her up for crashes. A breakfast of just fruit, a light salad lunch, then a 3pm cookie for energy meant her blood sugar was spiking and plummeting. We adjusted her meals to include more protein and healthy fats (e.g. eggs and avocado instead of just fruit in the morning, adding grilled chicken and olive oil to her salad). This kept her blood sugar steady throughout the day. Almost immediately, her 3pm crashes started improving because she wasn’t riding the glucose rollercoaster anymore.
Balancing cortisol (stress resets): Sara realised she had zero transition between her intense work day and trying to sleep. I coached her to implement small stress-management breaks. She started doing a 5-minute breathing exercise in the afternoon when she felt stress building. We also set a “wind-down routine” at night: no work emails after 8pm, dimmed lights, and 10 minutes of journaling to offload her racing thoughts. These habits signal to the body and brain that it’s safe to turn off the adrenaline. Within a couple of weeks, Sara reported sleeping through the night more often and feeling calmer. (Fun fact: when your cortisol is lower at night, your body can produce more melatonin, the sleep hormone, so you sleep deeper – key for repair and recovery.)
Optimising metabolic flexibility: Once her nutrition and sleep improved a bit, we worked on gently training her metabolism to be more flexible. We started with 12-hour overnight fasts (basically, stop eating after 7pm and have breakfast after 7am – giving her body a break). Eventually, Sara tried extending to 14-16 hours a couple days a week, based on how she felt. In the mornings on those days, she’d do a light workout or walk before breakfast. This nudged her body to burn a bit of fat for fuel. At first it was hard – she felt sluggish on the first few tries – but gradually her body adapted. This is metabolic flexibility in action: her cells learned to tap into stored energy when food wasn’t constantly coming in. Result? Sara started reporting more steady energy even on busy days, and she no longer had to snack every two hours. Bonus: over 8 weeks, she lost about 8 pounds without “dieting” – likely because her insulin levels dropped and she was burning fat more efficiently.
After about 8-10 weeks of this program, Sara felt like a new person. Her afternoon crash was gone – she had consistent focus through the end of the workday. She tapered down to one cup of coffee in the morning (because she enjoys it, not because she needed it to function). Her sleep was a solid 7-8 hours and deep. The brain fog lifted; she joked that her “sharp brain” was back online, coming up with creative ideas at work that she hadn’t had mental space for in months. And yes, that stubborn weight around the middle began to recede, which was a nice confidence boost.
Most importantly, Sara learned how to maintain this balance. Burnout had been a wake-up call: you can’t redline your engine indefinitely. By treating the metabolic roots of her burnout, she didn’t just put a band-aid on the problem – she fundamentally improved how her body produces energy.
Sara’s story illustrates that you can recover from burnout, and the path isn’t just about taking a vacation (though that can help) – it’s about rebuilding your metabolic resilience. So, what exactly can you do to get started? Let’s get practical.
The fix: How to overcome burnout with metabolic strategies
Recovering from (and preventing) burnout requires a different approach than just “manage your time better” or “learn to say no” (though those are useful too!). High performers need to rehabilitate the body that carries the high-performing brain. The key is to restore metabolic health so you have a stable foundation for high performance. Here are some tangible steps to get started:
1. Stabilise your blood sugar to end energy crashes – Eat in a way that keeps your blood glucose stable. That means prioritise balanced meals with protein, healthy fats, and fiber, and cut back on ultra-processed sugary foods. Spiking and crashing your blood sugar is a recipe for fatigue. For example, swap the mid-morning muffin for some Greek yogurt with berries and nuts (still tasty, but with protein and fiber to blunt the blood sugar spike). Research shows that when your blood sugar swings wildly, it’s followed by a crash that leaves you tired and foggy vibranthealthnd.com . By keeping it stable, you’ll notice more even energy throughout the day. (Tip: If you need an afternoon snack, go for nuts, a piece of dark chocolate, or veggies and hummus instead of candy or pastries. Or better yet, try the ultimate 3pm snack, my Brain Bombs)
2. Optimise your meal timing (Circadian rhythm eating) – When you eat can be as important as what you eat. High performers often skip meals or eat at odd hours due to busy schedules, but our bodies crave consistency. Two quick wins: Don’t eat too late at night, and consider aligning meals with your day’s natural energy curve. Late dinners (9-10pm) can raise your nighttime cortisol and blood sugar levels when your body should be winding down pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov . Ever gone to bed after a heavy late meal and woken up at 3am, mind alert? That’s a cortisol spike. Try to finish dinner a few hours before bed (ideally by 7-8pm) so digestion is done and cortisol can drop. In the mornings, do eat – a nourishing breakfast kick-starts your metabolism and cortisol rhythm for the day (skipping breakfast, for some people, can send stress signals if not done intentionally). Aim to eat meals at regular times so your body knows when to expect fuel. This helps regulate your hormones and can improve energy and even mood. Think of it as putting your body on a schedule – your metabolism loves routine.
3. Master stress management to balance cortisol – This one’s huge: if you’re running on adrenaline 24/7, no biohack or diet will save you. High achievers need to learn how to downshift the nervous system regularly. Chronic high cortisol not only drains you mentally, it actively messes with your metabolism and causes wear and tear on your body sciencedaily.com . Incorporate mini stress-resets into your day. A few ideas: take 5 minutes midday to do deep breathing or mindfulness (even a single session of slow breathing can lower cortisol). Get outside for a quick walk between meetings. Protect at least 30 minutes before bed as wind-down time – no work, no screens that make your brain race. These practices aren’t fluffy wellness extras; they are essential maintenance for your hormonal balance. Lower cortisol = better sleep, better blood sugar, better everything. (As Dr. Andrew Huberman, a neuroscientist, often notes – even two 10-minute bouts of breath-work or deliberate relaxation a day can significantly shift your nervous system out of fight-or-flight mode.) Find what works for you – meditation, journaling, exercise, hobbies – and treat it like an important meeting with yourself. Your metabolism will thank you.
4. Incorporate strategic fasting (Start small) – Intermittent fasting, when done right, is like a workout for your metabolism. It trains your body to tap into stored energy (fat) and be less dependent on constant eating. Start simple: a 12-hour overnight fast (finish dinner by 7pm, have breakfast at 7am). That alone helps give your system a rest. If you feel good, you can occasionally extend to 14 or 16 hours – but you don’t have to do it every day. The goal is metabolic flexibility: by not eating round the clock, you encourage your body to switch into fat-burning mode for a bit. Studies show that intermittent fasting (including time-restricted eating windows) can spur beneficial metabolic changes – your body starts burning fatty acids for fuel and even produces ketones, leading to improved weight regulation and better metabolic markers like cholesterol and blood pressure mdpi.com. High performers often love fasting once they adapt, because it can boost mental clarity (no more food coma in morning meetings). Important: Fasting is a tool, not a competition – if you’re extremely stressed or if skipping meals makes you feel awful, focus on balancing meals first. But even a light version of fasting (12-14 hours overnight) can start improving your metabolic health. (If you want to learn more about fasting, join my Global Fast community)
5. Train your metabolic flexibility – Think of this as cross-training for your energy systems. Our bodies were designed to use both carbs and fats for fuel. Modern habits make us really good at burning carbs (all those snacks and lattes) and terrible at burning fat. To train your fat-burning engine, try exercising in a fasted state once or twice a week – for example, a morning jog or light workout before breakfast. This forces your body to dip into fat stores for energy. Another strategy: mix up your macros on different days. Maybe have a lower-carb, higher-fat day (lots of veggies, quality proteins, avocado, nuts) followed by a moderate-carb day – this variability can push your metabolism to stay flexible. Being metabolically flexible means more resilient energy; you won’t keel over if you miss a meal or have to do a big presentation at 4pm. Instead, your body will smoothly switch gears to keep feeding your brain and muscles. The result is fewer crashes and more sustained high performance. (Plus, metabolic flexibility helps with body composition – it’s easier to burn off stored fat when your body remembers how to do it!)
Bottom Line: These strategies attack burnout from the inside out. By stabilising blood sugar, taming cortisol, and training your body to be metabolically flexible, you’re fixing the engine, not just the paint job. High performers often try to think their way out of burnout or push through it – instead, I challenge you to biohack your way out by focusing on these fundamental habits. When your metabolism is working for you, not against you, you’ll be amazed at how much more energy and enthusiasm you have for all those big goals.
Ready to Feel Human again? (Work with me & upcoming metabolic reset)
Burnout can feel overwhelming, but it is fixable – especially with the right guidance and support. Imagine waking up feeling recharged, powering through your day with clear focus (no 3pm slump!), and actually having gas left in the tank for your life outside of work. That’s what metabolic recovery can do for you.
If you read this and thought, “This is me,” I’m here to help. I specialise in coaching high performers through exactly this journey. I offer 1:1 Feel Human coaching, where we’ll dive into your specific routine, labs, and lifestyle to craft a personalised plan to rebalance your cortisol, blood sugar, and metabolism (so you can get back to kicking ass at work and enjoying life). Limited spots are available for March – I intentionally keep my client load small to give each person the attention they deserve.
Call to Action: Shoot me a DM or comment if you’re interested in working together 1:1. We can hop on a quick free consult to see if it’s a fit. Don’t wait until burnout lands you in the doctor’s office; proactive action now can save you months of recovery.
Teaser: 4-Week Metabolic Reset Program – Coming Soon: I also know not everyone is ready for 1:1 coaching right off the bat. That’s why I’m excited to announce my upcoming 4-Week Metabolic Reset program. It’s a structured, guided program where I’ll lead a small group through the foundational steps of metabolic healing – from optimising nutrition and meal timing to beginner-friendly fasting and stress-hacking strategies. Think of it as a jumpstart to feeling human again, especially if you need a bit of community and accountability. This program is perfect for those who want to reset their system in a safe, supported way before diving into more advanced metabolic work. Keep an eye out for official dates and details (or let me know you’re interested, and I’ll make sure you get an invite!).
Final thoughts: High achievers like you aren’t doomed to burnout. You just need a new playbook – one that includes metabolic health as the secret sauce for sustainable success. Fix your metabolism, and you’ll find that you can perform at a high level without running yourself into the ground. I hope the research and tips in this article empowered you with a new perspective and some actionable steps. You don’t have to settle for feeling exhausted all the time. Address the root causes, and you can truly thrive.
Here’s to reclaiming your energy, your performance, and your human vitality.
Stay resilient,
Dorota
Nutritionist |Biohacker
P.S. Want an easy, low-sugar snack that supports your brain and metabolism? Try Brain Bombs—your new go-to for sustained energy and focus.