Stress and burnout in men over 40: how to spot it and what to do

The World Health Organization describes burnout as exhaustion, growing distance or cynicism about work, and a drop in how well you do it. In men it often shows up sideways: irritability instead of sadness, an extra drink most nights, scrolling late, skipping the things that used to help. The body keeps score too, with poor sleep, headaches, a tight jaw and a waistline that creeps.

The trap is that these look like character flaws, so men try to push harder. Pushing harder is the one thing that makes burnout worse.

The first move is subtraction. What can come off the plate this month? One commitment, one late night, one evening of email. Burnout is a load problem, and no morning routine outruns a load that is too heavy.

Then add the smallest stabilisers. A daily walk outside. A regular bedtime. Five minutes of stillness. This is the thirty minutes a day from the Whole Life Fitness Manifesto: fifteen moving, five still, ten reading. Small enough to survive a bad week, which is exactly when you need it.

Tell one person the truth: your partner, a mate, your doctor. Men wait far longer than women to ask for help, and the wait is where the damage happens.

If low mood lasts more than two weeks, you lose interest in things you used to enjoy, or you have any thoughts of harming yourself, that is not burnout to manage alone. See your doctor, and in Canada or the US you can call or text 988 any time.