If you have a burnout, your energy level is low. Is it wise to exercise or is it better to wait until you feel a bit better? Santé asked doctor and coach Juriaan Galavazzi.
Juriaan Galavazi:“When you use more energy for a long time than you absorb, you can end up in a burnout. It's basically your body's last resort to say, now it's done. If it no longer works, many people step on the accelerator even more. With the idea:if you persevere for a while, it will get better later. While stepping on the brakes is precisely the solution. To "recover" you might go on vacation for two weeks, meditate or do yoga exercises. Many people feel uncomfortable standing still for too long. But on average it takes six months to two years or longer to recover from a burnout.”
Read also: '3 mindfulness exercises to get through your burnout'
“I am certainly in favor of exercise during a burnout, provided it does not become yet another item on your to-do list. Sports is often performance-oriented; for example, while running you want to achieve a certain speed or distance. If that doesn't work, you've failed. It's nice to put in a good performance and to receive recognition and appreciation for it, that's how you grow. But if you need this achievement to feel good, it puts a lot of pressure on it again. If you normally run five kilometers in half an hour, but now it takes you forty minutes, that's good enough too. Sports can also be a pitfall. By exercising, you create all kinds of substances that make you feel good, with the risk that you go beyond your limits for much longer, because after that it 'will go well again'. Athletes therefore often run into a harder burnout. Rather use the energy you get from exercise for the right purpose:recovering from your burnout.”
“Don't you like sports? Then you can replace it with moving. Go for a walk, ride a horse or take a bike. Do not do things that are too much resistance. A sport in which a lot is expected of you, for example in a team, usually does not benefit your recovery. But if you can clear your head during boxing training and also have nice social contact, it can also be healing. Choose an activity that emphasizes enjoyment and relaxation. Whichever way you choose, make sure you feel good about it and listen to your body.”
Juriaan Galavazi (46) is a doctor and coach at his own practice, Doctor Juriaan. With his coaching programs he helps people to become physically and mentally stronger. His book From Complaint to Opportunity was published in 2019 (€ 22.50 Kosmos Uitgevers)
