Not all yoga helps with burnout—some may actually make it worse.
If you’ve ever walked out of a fast-paced vinyasa class feeling wired instead of relaxed… you’re not alone.
When we’re navigating burnout, our nervous system is already in overdrive. High-intensity flows, while energizing, can keep us locked in sympathetic activation—that “go-go-go” state of doing, pushing, and performing. For those in recovery from chronic stress or exhaustion, this can actually add to the burnout rather than relieve it.
I was a heated, power vinyasa yogi for over a decade ... the entire time I was in a deep burnout cycle. I was going 3-5x a week and teaching twice as much.
I would push my body to the limits, thinking I was sweating out all of the stress. But I wasn't. I was keeping myself in an activated sympathetic nervous system. In some ways, yes, this was a discharge, but it wasn't giving my body a chance to rest and therefore recover.
What I learned after shifting my practices post plant medicine experiences, was that the most healing kinds of yoga for burnout are slower, more intentional practices that invite the body to downshift into rest mode.
🪷 Restorative Yoga uses props to support your body so you can fully let go.
🪷 Yoga Nidra guides you into deep states of conscious rest.
🪷 Breathwork slows your heart rate, anchors you to the present, and re-patterns stress responses.
🪷 Mantra calms mental chatter and creates a rhythmic healing focus for your mind and body.
These are the practices that activate the parasympathetic nervous system—your body’s rest, digest, and heal mode. This is where real recovery begins.
If you’re ready to move beyond surface-level relief and into true nervous system healing, start with these gentle, grounded approaches. Your body doesn't need more stimulation—it needs safety, stillness, and support.
With breath and ease,
Megan
Sacred Yoga & Sound
P.S. Your burnout isn’t a failure. It’s a sacred signal. Let’s listen with love. 💛
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