Dr Ula: You can’t pour from an empty cup
- Dr Ula Heywood
- May 22
- 3 min read
Updated: May 26
What if burnout doesn’t look the way you think it does?
You’ve finally sat down.
The dishes are done. The house is quiet—for the first time today. And in the stillness, it hits you.
You’re completely spent.
Not just tired.
Drained. Foggy. Numb. Maybe even wondering, “Is this just how it is now?”Maybe it’s the pressure of keeping everything afloat. Or the weight of always being there for everyone else.
The caregiving. The emotional labour. The silent work of supporting your loved ones while trying to hold yourself together.
You’re not alone.
This is burnout.
And it’s not just in your head—it’s in your hormones, your nervous system, and your whole body.
Burnout isn’t just about work — It’s about the load you carry
I see it every week in clinic—capable, big-hearted people who give everything to everyone else and are left with nothing in the tank.
It doesn’t always look like collapse.
Sometimes it’s snapping at your partner for no reason.
Sometimes it’s lying awake at 2:00 a.m. even though you’re exhausted.
Sometimes it’s crying alone in the car or the bathroom at work.
Sometimes it’s just the quiet, constant hum of not feeling like yourself anymore. The loss of joy in life.
This isn’t just a mindset problem.
It’s a metabolic one too.
The cortisol connection — Your body’s stress engine
Cortisol often gets a bad rap—but it’s actually essential. It’s your body’s main stress hormone, and when it’s in balance, it helps you:
Wake up and feel alert
Manage inflammation
Regulate blood sugar
Stay focused under pressure
Adapt to challenges
In short: cortisol helps you rise to the occasion.
But here’s the problem.
When the stress never stops—when you're constantly running, giving, reacting, juggling—cortisol shifts from being your support system to becoming your saboteur.
It keeps your body in fight-or-flight mode, even when you're trying to rest
It disrupts sleep, fuels sugar cravings, and stores fat—especially around the middle
It throws off your sex hormones, weakens your immune system, and fogs your brain
And eventually? It crashes—leaving you flat, exhausted, and emotionally blunt
If you’re tired but wired…If you’re awake all night but crashing all day…If you’ve tried “self-care” and still feel off...It’s likely a cortisol issue at the core.
And then comes menopause
When we layer perimenopause or menopause on top of this? The load gets heavier.
Declining oestrogen and progesterone make your stress system even more sensitive.That’s why so many women feel like they’re unravelling during this season—physically, emotionally, and mentally.
You might notice:
Shorter fuse
Brain fog
Mood swings
Sleep that just doesn’t refresh you
Weight gain that doesn’t make sense
You’re not losing it.
You’re not weak.
You’re navigating a physiological storm without enough support.
You’re not broken — You’re overloaded
Your body isn’t failing you. It’s trying to protect you.
But it wasn’t built to do this alone.
At Autonomy, we don’t hand you vague advice or tell you to "just slow down."
We give you science, structure, and the kind of support you’ve never been offered before.
How we help women recover from burnout
Comprehensive testing Cortisol patterns, sex hormones, glucose, inflammation, and sleep
A personalised plan Grounded in your biology, designed to work in your real life
Medical & coaching support We walk with you every step of the way
Nervous system tools Breathwork, nutrition, boundaries, movement, and rest
A reconnection to you
Because you are not here to just get through the day
Let someone look after you
If you're sitting at the end of another long day, running on empty again—this is your turning point.
Book your Discovery Consultation today and let’s take a deeper look at your stress hormones, your nervous system, and how to bring your body back into balance.
You’ve looked after everyone else for long enough.
You deserve someone looking after you.
And that’s exactly what we’re here for.
Dr. Ula Co-Founder and Lead Physician, Autonomy
