You used to be able to bounce back. A good night's sleep, a weekend, a short break — and you'd feel like yourself again. Lately, none of it seems to land. The tiredness has settled in somewhere deeper, and the weekend ends without the recharge you were counting on.

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Maybe it's work that's hollowed you out — the always-on demands, the sense that no matter how much you do, it's never quite enough. Maybe it's caring for someone, or holding a household together, or simply carrying too much for too long. Whatever the source, the things that used to give you energy now mostly take it.

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If you've quietly been telling yourself to just push through, this is worth pausing on. Burnout isn't a sign you're weak or not coping well enough. Often it is the nervous system’s response to carrying too much for too long without enough safety, rest, emotional support, or recovery.