Nervous System Survival Mode: Clear Signs You're Stuck in Burnout (and how to SHIFT)
By Mike McPherson on Jan 28, 2026
Most don't even realize they're stuck in burnout...
Recognize the signs when your nervous system is operating in survival and burnout and how to take actions TODAY to shift back to safety.
The Chronic Burnout Checklist
We developed this assessment after working with hundreds of clients on their nervous system. Check how many of these you're dealing with regularly:
Physical Signs:
□ You're exhausted but can't fall or stay asleep. □ You get sick frequently or take forever to recover. □ Your muscles stay tight (especially jaw, shoulders, neck). □ You struggle with digestive issues (bloating, IBS, etc). □ Your heart races even when you're "relaxing".
Mental Signs:
□ Your mind races constantly. □ Small problems feel catastrophic. □ You have trouble focusing or making decisions, even simple ones. □ You forget things more than usual. □ Everything feels foggy and mentally exhausting.
Emotional Signs:
□ Little things trigger disproportionate reactions. □ You feel irritable, anxious, or overwhelmed daily. □ You struggle to feel joy even during good moments. □ You snap at people you care about without meaning to.
Habitual Signs:
□ You rely on caffeine, sugar, or alcohol to manage your mood. □ You scroll social media or binge-watch to "decompress". □ You skip workouts even though you know they'd help. □ You start strong then abandon new habits within weeks. □ You push through exhaustion instead of resting.
If you checked 3 or more in each section, your nervous system likely lives in survival and burnout.
Why This Matters (More Than You Think)
The nervous system doesn't lie. It shows you exactly what it needs through these signals.
When you ignore these burnout symptoms and keep pushing, you create a dangerous downward spiral:
Eventually, this leads to chronic health issues, depression, or complete system shutdown.
But here's the good news we've discovered through our work on stress recovery:Your nervous system can shift, and it can happen quickly.
That can sound too good to be true when you've felt stuck for months or sometimes years, but when you address the nervous system head on shifts can happen in a matter of weeks.
We're talking about:
- Using breath as a tool to reset your nervous system response.
- Understanding what's disrupting your sleep.
- Simple somatic practices for emotional processing.
- Mindfulness techniques based on your specific state of being.
- Specific targeted frequencies to send safety signals to your cells.
We don't want to add more to your plate, we want to help you understand your body's language.
What Else We've Seen Work (Science + Practice)
In our research, we found that certain frequencies help the body shift from sympathetic dominance into a parasympathetic state. Mike's intuitive work confirmed what the data showed, people need tools that resonate WITH their biology, not against it.
This led us to develop specific protocols combining:
