Do you feel like you’re constantly running on empty, no matter how much you rest? The culprit might be an invisible energy thief: chronic stress. A clinical expert explains that the physiological demands of constant stress can drain your vitality, leaving you in a state of perpetual lethargy.
Our society often praises the “hustle,” but this non-stop drive puts our bodies into a state of emergency. To cope with this perceived threat, your body produces stress hormones, which is an energy-intensive process. It’s like leaving a high-performance engine running in neutral all day long—you’re burning fuel without going anywhere.
This constant energy expenditure is what robs you of your vitality. The psychologist notes that your body also diverts energy away from “non-essential” processes like proper digestion and deep sleep cycles, further contributing to your fatigue. This is why chronic stress leads to burnout, a condition characterized by profound physical and emotional exhaustion.
To catch this energy thief, you need to set some traps. Mindful micro-breaks interrupt the stress response, conserving your energy. Sharing your burdens with others lessens the mental load, which has a physical effect. Setting boundaries at work prevents others from draining your energy with their negativity. By actively managing stress, you can plug the leaks and reclaim your stolen vitality.