The Difference Between Fatigue, Burnout & Nervous System Shutdown

You’re not lazy — your body is trying to protect you.

Before You Read

If you’ve been feeling tired but wired, stuck in a fog, or unable to do the things you once managed with ease… Let’s start here:

You’re not broken. You’re not lazy. And you’re definitely not alone.

You might be experiencing fatigue, burnout, or nervous system shutdown — and knowing the difference can be the first step in finding your way back to yourself.

This post is here to gently walk you through each one, and to give you small, practical tools to begin softening the edges.

Fatigue: Your Body is Running on Empty

Fatigue is often misunderstood as “just being tired,” but it runs deeper than that.

What It Feels Like:

• Constant tiredness, even after sleeping

• Sluggishness, heaviness in your limbs

• Difficulty focusing or thinking clearly

• Low mood and irritability

What Causes It:

• Hormonal imbalance (e.g. adrenal fatigue, thyroid issues)

• Poor quality sleep or chronic sleep deprivation

• Undereating or poor nutrition

• Emotional load that’s been building quietly over time

Journal Prompt: Where in my daily routine am I ignoring what my body actually needs?

Burnout: You’ve Been “Pushing Through” for Too Long

Burnout happens when you’ve spent too long doing more than your body, mind, or heart can handle — and you’re still trying to keep going.

What It Feels Like:

• Physical and emotional exhaustion

• Detachment or numbness

• Feeling unmotivated or resentful

• Tension in your neck, shoulders, or gut

What Causes It:

• Overworking or caregiving with no rest

• Constant “fight or flight” stress response

• Lack of support, boundaries, or recovery time

• Internal pressure to be everything for everyone

Journal Prompt: What am I holding on my shoulders that isn’t mine to carry? What boundary could I set to protect my energy right now?

Nervous System Shutdown: The Freeze Response

Sometimes the body doesn’t just get tired — it shuts down entirely. This is your nervous system’s way of protecting you when it no longer feels safe to stay in “go mode.”

What It Feels Like:

• Numbness or disconnection from emotions

• Feeling like you're “outside your body”

• Forgetfulness or foggy brain

• Total lack of motivation or flatness

• Withdrawing from others or hiding

What Causes It:

• Long-term stress or unresolved trauma

• Chronic dysregulation of the nervous system

• Unsafe environments or relationships

• Years of suppressing emotion or over-rationalising pain

This isn’t your fault. This is survival mode. And it can be healed — gently, with time and safety.

Journal Prompt: When was the last time I felt truly safe in my body? What does safety look like for me now — physically, emotionally, mentally?

Why It Matters to Know the Difference

If you're trying to solve nervous system shutdown with “more sleep,” or treat burnout with a bubble bath, you’ll still feel stuck.

Each of these states requires a different kind of support. And the more you understand what your body is asking for, the more compassion and care you can give it.

Where to Start — Gently

You don’t need to overhaul your life to start feeling better. But you do need space to come back into your body with honesty and calm.

That’s why we created the free Aléora Wellness Reset Mini Planner — to give you a soft place to begin.

What’s inside: ✓ Daily check-in pages ✓ Gentle prompts for nervous system healing ✓ Space to name your feelings, without pressure ✓ Mini wellness routine ideas ✓ Designed to help you rebuild safety from the inside out

Download the Reset Planner here (Google Docs Link) 100% free. No pressure. Just a safe space to begin again.

You’re not lazy. You’re not failing. You’re likely protecting yourself the only way your body knows how.

There is healing for you here. And it starts with understanding, softness, and the decision to keep listening — even when things feel quiet or hard.

You don’t have to do it all. You just have to start where you are.

We’re here for you.

— With care, Aléora