Student Athlete Burnout: Signs, Causes and How to Recover
Fall comes with a lot of changes: a new school year, the start of a new season, new clothes and school supplies, new routines and more!
This can be a lot to navigate, especially for student athletes. All of these new changes and routines can leave you feeling stressed, anxious and eventually... burnt out?
What is Burnout?
Burnout isn't just feeling tired. It’s accumulated stress without recovery that impacts your psychological and physical wellbeing. Burnout occurs when an athlete experiences emotional and physical exhaustion, a decreased sense of accomplishment and no longer values or enjoys their sport.
It can stem from taking no days off, having high expectations and pressure to perform, perfectionism, lack of autonomy and fun, poor nutrition and sleep, or imbalances and stressors outside of the sport.
Recognizing the Signs
You work too hard, train too much, and don't get enough rest and relaxation so your body begins to speak up.
Burnout may manifest in many ways:
lack of motivation during training or competitions
mood changes - irritability, anxiety or depression symptoms
body image dissatisfaction
sport devaluation (detachment from sport)
feelings of incompetence or inadequacy
appetites become suppressed, motivation vanishes and performance plummets
You begin to notice a cycle of constantly pushing yourself and training without seeing any improvements.
Physical signs of sport-related burnout may include:
muscle tension
disrupted sleep
headaches/migraines,
dizziness
a weakened immune system
prolonged recovery after training
frequent tiredness/fatigue
chronic pain
overuse injuries
decreased performance.
Fixing the Problem
It sounds too simple: start prioritizing your physical and mental health again.
This can happen whether you choose to continue participating in sport or not.
Find someone to talk to. Lean on your support network and find a therapist who specializes in burnout and working with athletes. No matter where you are in your athletic journey you will always have support.
Prioritize rest and wellbeing. This can look thousands of different ways; find what works for you.
First, focus on physical rest and recovering from injuries- dial in on sleep, rehabilitation, and nutrition.
Then, begin looking for joy outside of your sport. This is a great opportunity to try that thing you always wanted to try but were spending all your time and energy on your main sport.
Mental skills training. Learn new skills to help retrain negative thinking/inner dialogue and cope with anxiety, negative body image and depression. Mental skills can include rebuilding resilience, setting goals and mindfulness.
Success in sport doesn't have to come at the expense of your mental health.
If you’re an Athlete and experiencing burnout, it’s okay to take a break from your sport to prioritize your physical, mental and emotional well-being.
I’m Alexis, an LMSW in St. Louis and St. Charles, Missouri.
I specialize in athlete mental health and can teach you tools to combat burnout and develop a more balanced relationship with your sport.
