#185: The Science and Symptoms of Burnout: How to Build Capacity in Midlife with Dr Ashley Margeson ND

Almost every day, someone tells me they're exhausted, tired, or completely burnt out. But burnout isn't just another word for tired - it's a medical diagnosis with real science behind it. It relates to your capacity, your ability to recover, and importantly, it's deeply impacted by your environment and your hormones.

In this conversation with Dr. Ashley Margeson, a naturopathic doctor and burnout expert, we dive into what burnout really is, how it's different from everyday stress, and why women in midlife are especially vulnerable. If you've ever felt like you're carrying a backpack that gets heavier and heavier but you can't put it down, this episode is for you.

Dr. Margeson breaks down the four stages of burnout using a brilliant bank account analogy, explains why our declining progesterone levels in perimenopause shrink our stress buffer, and shares her practical ripples, waves, and currents framework for building capacity when you're already depleted. We also tackle the hard question: how do you recover from burnout if you can't quit your job?

In this episode, you'll learn:

• The symptoms that define clinical burnout (and how it's different from stress)
• The roles of estrogen and progesterone when it comes to burnout recovery and how unpredictable hormones in perimenopause amplify stress and make recovery harder
• The four stages of burnout: savings and investing, paycheck to paycheck, overdraft, and SOS mode
• Ripples, waves, and currents: actionable capacity builders you can use today
• Why organizational policies matter as much as individual actions in preventing workplace burnout

Related Episodes:

• Decision Fatigue and Menopause: Why "What's For Dinner" Maks Your Want to Scream
• Why You're So Tired in Perimenopause and Menopause with Dr. Sarah Vadeboncoeur
• How to Be More and Do Less with Wendy McCallum
• How to Stop the Burnout Train in Midlife with Dr Leigha Saunders

Ready to reduce decision fatigue and increase your capacity with food? If you're feeling overwhelmed by food decisions and decision fatigue is contributing to your burnout, grab my free Menopause Nutrition Capsule Wardrobe guide. It includes 10 recipes and a framework to make deciding what to eat so much easier.

About Dr. Ashley Margeson: Dr. Ashley Margeson is a naturopathic doctor in Nova Scotia whose mission is supporting individuals and organizations in preventing and recovering from burnout. She hosts her own podcast, The Superwoman Code, and is known for her practical, science-backed appr

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