In the fifth of our series on specific areas of mental health and performance, John discusses how the pursuit of excellence in high performance sport often walks a fine line with exhaustion. Links to further helpful information are provided at the end of the column.
In high performance sport, the pursuit of excellence often walks a fine line with exhaustion. Burnout is more than just feeling tired. It’s a state of physical, emotional, and mental fatigue caused by prolonged stress, overtraining, lifestyle dynamics, and lack of recovery. Athletes may begin to feel detached, experience a reduced quality of life outside of sport, lose motivation, or feel a dip in performance that no amount of training seems to fix.
Burnout can result from many factors: constant pressure to perform, insufficient rest, unrealistic expectations, significant amounts of travel, financial worries, social disconnection, and even a loss of enjoyment in the sport itself. When athletes are expected to push through without time to recharge, both the brain and body begin to suffer.
Recognising the signs early is critical. Symptoms may include persistent fatigue, mood changes, sleep disturbances, reduced appetite, declining attention/focus, isolation, loss of confidence. Athletes may feel emotionally drained, irritable, or even question themselves and sport participation itself.
Recovery starts with permission to rest, not just physically, but emotionally and mentally. True recovery includes quality sleep, proper nutrition, supportive relationships, and psychological rest supporting primary brain health/resiliency processes. Strategies such as structured time off, and reconnecting with the purpose and joy of sport can all support healing. More importantly we must understand recovery in sport is not an add-on but an essential part of the process. More training isn’t always better. A better process that integrates meaningful recovery is.
Rest is not a weakness; it is vital for growth. Just as muscles need recovery to rebuild and strengthen, the brain requires downtime to restore energy, support neural development, and foster learning. Without it, the brain cannot self-regulate or support the systems it leads.
Moving from burnout to breakthrough begins with listening, to your body, your emotions, and your needs, and fostering a culture where recovery is not a luxury, but a performance imperative. It’s not about doing less but about doing what matters – sustainably.
For further reading:
Burnout Considerations in Athletes
