Carer burnout: What is it and 10 recovery tips

At a glance

Burnout builds from ongoing stress: Carer burnout is mental, physical or emotional exhaustion that can develop when caring responsibilities and stress become difficult to manage.

Recognise the warning signs: Fatigue, sleep problems, anxiety, irritability, withdrawal, poor concentration and neglecting your own needs can all indicate burnout.

Make recovery a priority: Setting boundaries, managing your time, exercising, eating well, relaxing and using healthy coping strategies can help restore your wellbeing.

Ask for support when needed: Taking time away from caring, arranging respite care or seeking help from a doctor, counsellor or carer support service can support recovery.

What is carer burnout?

Carer ‘burnout’ is a term that means mental, physical or emotional exhaustion that has built up over time. 

The term ‘burnout’ was introduced in America in the 1970s by psychologists Herbert Freudenberger and Christina Maslach, who used it specifically to describe the stress and exhaustion felt by healthcare professionals and those in other caring roles, such as teachers. Since 2019, it has also been recognised by the World Health Organisation.

While many people experience burnout due to stress at work, caring for others is a common cause too. Both paid and unpaid carers can struggle to switch off from their duties and often put themselves at the bottom of their list of priorities. 

Carents, an organisation that supports adults caring for their ageing parents, conducted a survey of over 1000 ‘carents’. They found that:

• 86% of respondents agreed or strongly agreed with the statement: “I have neglected my own health to focus on my parents”.
• 72% of respondents agreed or strongly agreed with the statement: “I have lost my sense of self since becoming a carent”.

Why does burnout happen?

Burnout happens when stress goes unaddressed and gets worse to a point where a person is struggling to cope, leading to mental and physical distress.

When ongoing stress isn’t addressed, it can contribute to burnout and affect both physical and mental wellbeing

Dr Jackie Gray, founder of Carents, says: “Burnout doesn’t happen overnight, it builds steadily when carents put everyone else’s needs ahead of their own for too long. Carents don’t need to be superheroes. Sustainable caring means recognising limits before crisis hits.”

Signs and symptoms of carer burnout

Physical symptoms of burnout

• Feeling fatigued or physically exhausted
• Trouble sleeping as you can’t seem to switch off despite being tired
• Headache
• Stomach and bowel pains
• Nausea
• Tense muscles
• Increased use of unhealthy coping mechanisms, such as smoking, drinking, drugs or junk food
• High blood pressure
• Raised heartbeat
• Low sex drive

Mental symptoms of burnout

• Anxiety
• Irritability
• Lack of interest in your work, usual interests or in others
• Feeling resentful or ‘compassion fatigue’, when you become cynical and desensitised to other people’s problems, often as a result of supporting others for a long time
• Withdrawing from your social life
• Difficulty concentrating and being productive
• Forgetfulness
• Low mood; you may feel panicky or tearful at odd times for no immediate reason
• Feeling dissatisfied or stagnant in your life
• Always feeling like you need to do more
• Neglecting your own needs in order to care for or help others
• Depersonalisation

10 ways to help yourself to recover from carer burnout

Make practical changes to help you recover from this burnout and avoid it happening again in the future. Your current burnout could be a result of months’ worth of stress so give yourself recovery time too.

Recovery can take time, but small changes can help reduce stress, restore some energy and make things feel more manageable.

1.    Think about why you are burnt out

Have you recently taken on more caring responsibilities? When was your last day off? Figuring out what has caused your burnout is the first step to managing it. Sometimes, nothing new has happened—your stress may have just built up over time.

2.    Manage your time

When you care for others regularly, it can feel like you have no time for yourself. Managing your time and setting boundaries can help you take back control of how you spend it and make sure you have some for yourself.

3.    Learn to say no

One challenge of being a caring person is feeling like you never do enough for others or feeling guilty if you say no. Sometimes, people are not asking too much, but you might be juggling too many things at once. Try to pause and think before agreeing to help. Do they really need your help, and does it have to be right now?

4.    Look after your physical health

Taking care of your physical health can also help your mind. Exercise is a proven way to relieve stress, and eating well affects the chemicals in your body and brain. For example, the Mediterranean diet has been shown to reduce symptoms of depression.

5.    Make time to unwind

Where possible, set aside some time to relax. This could be a daily bath, reading before bed, or watching your favourite show, anything you enjoy and that helps you unwind. You don’t have to do it alone; you could have dinner at the table with your partner and the TV off. The important thing is to find something that helps you calm down and recharge.

6.    Practise mindfulness

Mindfulness is a type of meditation that helps you stay present and manage your thoughts and feelings. It can lower stress and anxiety and even help with depression. You can get better at mindfulness by practising every day. You can read more about mindfulness here.

7.    Find a healthy way to relieve stress

It’s normal to look for comfort when you’re stressed, feeling down, or bored. But turning to wine every night or eating junk food can make you feel worse over time. Try to find a healthy way to cope that helps you clear your head and feel better. This could be cycling, gardening, knitting, learning a language, or any activity you enjoy and can look forward to each day.

8.    Find coping strategies for particularly stressful situations

Caring for others often brings stressful moments. Try to find ways to relax and avoid feeling overwhelmed when something tough or unexpected happens. This could be deep breathing, mindful thinking, or taking a few minutes to listen to a calming song.

9.    Take time off

Carer burnout often happens when stress builds up, so sometimes you need a break. This might mean taking time off work, going on holiday, or arranging respite care for a few days. If you help many people, it could be as simple as saying, “I’m not doing that this week, but I can help you next week.”

10.    Seek professional help

If you need extra support with your burnout, you might see your doctor or talk to a counsellor. They may assess you, for example, with the Copenhagen Burnout Inventory (CBI), and suggest talking therapy or other ways to help you recover.

Helplines

Carers UK advice line	0808 808 7777	advice@carersuk.org
Carers Direct	0300 123 1053
Samaritans	116 123	jo@samaritans.org
SANEline	0300 304 7000

Next steps

• Reflect and identify triggers: Review your recent schedule and responsibilities to pinpoint when your stress levels began to escalate, since identifying the root cause is the first step toward recovery.
• Establish boundaries and learn to say no: Assess incoming requests before automatically agreeing, and protect your personal well-being by declining tasks that overextend your capacity.
• Reach out for professional or external support: Contact a general practitioner, utilise dedicated helplines like Carers UK (0808 808 7777), or arrange for respite care to share the physical and emotional load.

FAQs