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Student Wellness Centre

Burn Bright, Not Out: Strategies for the 2025–2026 Academic School Year

As someone working towards medical school for the last few years, I have experienced academic burnout.  Academic burnout can be defined as the “exhaustion of students’ energy due to long-term academic pressure and burden” (Liu et al., 2023). It can gradually lead to individuals feeling a lack of enthusiasm completing daily tasks such as schoolwork and can cause isolation from all peers (Liu et al., 2023). If you have experienced academic burnout, I want you to know that you are not alone. In fact, according to a 2022 report, 53% of students from undergraduate institutions experienced some form of academic burnout (Adamski, 2023).  

Some examples of symptoms of academic burnout include (Justice Institute British Columbia, 2022): 

  • having little to no motivation to work on school tasks 
  • lacking creativity when completing assignments 
  • having limited confidence in one’s academic ability 
  • being unable to meet deadlines 
  • physical pains, including jaw tension 
  • having elevated anxiety and depression levels 
  • feeling bored 
  • engaging in bad habits such as nail biting    

Note: For more background information on academic burnout, I encourage you to read the wellness@mac blog post titled “Beat the Burnout.” 

As we approach the midpoint of the academic school year, I thought it would be beneficial to offer some evidence-informed tips and strategies for avoiding and managing academic burnout, so you can be your best self.  

Prevention Technique/Tip #1: Engaging in Physical Activity

With our busy schedules, engaging in physical activity may seem daunting. But engaging in physical activity does not necessarily have to mean getting a gym membership and lifting weights every day. Instead, it can mean walking with a friend during lunch or riding your bike to campus. It does not matter how long the physical activity is, nor the type of activity, which gives you a lot of freedom to find something that works in your schedule and interests you. A recent study conducted by Chen et al. (2022) aimed to evaluate the relationship between physical activity and academic burnout. Chen et al. (2022) found a negative yet significant relationship between academic burnout and physical activity among college students. In other words, participants who engaged in physical activity had significantly lower levels of academic burnout than those who did not. The same relationship was observed when evaluating the following factors: emotional exhaustion and low personal achievement. Thus, engaging in physical activity may be beneficial to you as it can help you get back on track when you are experiencing burnout.  

Note: If you do want to go the gym route, the Pulse Fitness Centre at McMaster is a good place to start. McMaster students also have access to sobi bikes if this interests you more. Additionally, attached below is a link to all the recreational walking trails near McMaster campus.  

https://nature.mcmaster.ca/mcmaster-forest/trails/ 

Prevention Technique #2: Mindfulness-based Interventions (MBI)

Mindfulness-based interventions are designed to enhance physical and mental health and revolve around mindfulness (Good Therapy, 2018). These types of interventions are deemed as both safe and beneficial in specific environments including healthcare settings, schools, and workplaces (Zhang et al., 2021). One study, in particular, by Gan et al. (2023), investigated the effect of MBI in treating academic burnout among college students. These researchers were able to uncover that MBI can significantly decrease burnout. What is interesting to note is that this decrease stayed consistent over time. In other words, a decrease was observed post-intervention and three months after. The specific component of these interventions which drove the reduction in academic burnout was mediation, according to Gan et al. (2023).   

Note: The Student Wellness Centre offers counselling services which can include Mindfulness-based Interventions.  Consider calling the SWC to book an appointment with a counsellor to see if MBI is right for you! 905-525-9140, ext. 27700 

Prevention Technique #3: Quality Sleep

Quality sleep occurs when (Evie, 2023):  

  • You can fall asleep within 30 minutes.
  • You sleep completely through the night without any interruptions.  
  • The amount of sleep that you are getting matches the recommended amount of sleep needed.  
  • See the Canadian 24-hour movement guidelines for sleep recommendations here csepguidelines.ca/ 
  • The sleep that you are having matches your internal clock (circadian rhythm). 
  • In the morning you feel as though you are well rested and full of energy to conquer the day.  
  • You have high sleep satisfaction.  

According to an article by Davidson (2023), as sleep quality improves, so does academic burnout among college students in Canada. This study also helped shed light on how prevalent academic burnout is among college students. There are a few ways that you can improve the quality of sleep you are experiencing (Mercy Cedar Rapids, 2018): 

(1) Limit the number of stimulants (caffeine) consumed four to six hours before bedtime. Food consumption should also be limited near bedtime.  

(2) Maintain a consistent sleep schedule (i.e. going to bed and waking up at the same time throughout the week).  

(3) Create a dark sleep environment where there are limited screens just before bedtime. Also consider wearing blue light glasses if you must utilize your screens as they help to block light that can disrupt our natural clock and prevent melatonin from releasing. Melatonin is a hormone that aids in your ability to fall asleep.  

(4) Studies have shown that exercising three hours before bedtime can help with achieving good quality sleep. However, it should be noted that exercising too close to bedtime can cause you to be more alert and increase the speed of your metabolism.   

Note: Harvard University offers a free online course on how to improve your sleep. The Sleep Fix Method also offers a free training module on getting quality sleep.  

Prevention Technique #4: Peer Support

Sometimes, although we might want to speak to someone about our experiences with academic burnout or mental health, we might feel nervous about talking to a mental health professional such as a counsellor.  As such, peer support may be an attractive technique. Peer support is where students receive support and a shoulder to cry on from another student who has undergone specialized training and has an awareness of the importance of empathy when talking to peers. Several techniques are utilized regarding peer support, including active listening, exploring feelings, giving feedback, problem-solving, and finding solutions (Horizon Treatment Services, n.d.). Recently, there was an academic study by Kushendar & Maba (2022) that evaluated the effectiveness of peer support on academic burnout. The researchers found that peer support significantly and effectively reduces learning stress and academic burnout among college students (Kushendar & Maba, 2022). As such, this technique may be a viable option for McMaster University students to reduce academic burnout  

Note: McMaster University offers various peer support programs through MSU. These include the Student Health Education Centre (SHEC), the Women and Gender Equity Network, the Pride Community Centre, and Maccess.  

I know that there was a lot of information presented to you. It is completely normal to potentially feel overwhelmed, but I want you to know that you are not alone and academic burnout is something you can overcome/prevent. For further information on any of these techniques, I suggest contacting a licensed healthcare professional. Additionally, I have included a few more links below to various resources regarding academic burnout, including the Student Wellness Centre. 

Extra Resources

References 

Adamski, T. (2023). Preventing burnout among students. Uniter.ca. https://uniter.ca/view/preventing-burnout-among-students 

Good Therapy. (2018, June 19). Mindfulness–Based Interventions. Goodtherapy.org. https://www.goodtherapy.org/learn-about-therapy/types/mindfulness-based-interventions 

Davidson, J. (2023). Part of the Health Psychology Commons, and the School Psychology Commons Recommended Citation Recommended Citation Davidson (p. 48). ir.lib.uwo.ca/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1056&context=brescia_psych_uht 

Evie. (2023, December 6). Quality vs Quantity of Sleep: Which Is More Important? Evie. https://eviering.com/blogs/news/sleep-quality-vs-quantity 

Gan, R., Xue, J., & Chen, S. (2023). Do Mindfulness-Based Interventions Reduce Burnout of College Students in China? A Randomized Controlled Trial. Mindfulness, 14(4). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671-023-02092-w 

Horizon Treatment Services . (n.d.). Why is Peer Counseling Important – Horizon Services. horizonservices.org. horizonservices.org/why-is-peer-counseling-important/ 

Justice Institute British Columbia . (2022). Have questions? Contact the Senior Manager of Student Learning Support & Disability Resources. Understanding Academic Burnout. jibc.ca/sites/default/files/2023-05/StudentResources-AcademicBurnout-2023.pdf 

Kushendar Kushendar, & Aprezo Pardodi Maba. (2023). Peer Counseling as A Coping Strategy for Academic Stress and Burnout in Final-Year Students. COUNS-EDU: The International Journal of Counseling and Education, 7(4). doi.org/10.23916/0020220740540 

Liu, Z., Xie, Y., Sun, Z., Liu, D., Yin, H., & Shi, L. (2023). Factors associated with academic burnout and its prevalence among university students: a cross-sectional study. BMC Medical Education, 23(1). doi.org/10.1186/s12909-023-04316-y 

Mercy Cedar Rapids. (2018). Improve Your Quality of Sleep with 4 Simple Tips – Mercy Medical Center – Cedar Rapids, IA – Mercy Medical Center. Mercycare.org. https://www.mercycare.org/healthy-living/health-education/improve-your-quality-of-sleep-with-4-simple-tips/ 

Morin, A. (2024). My Teen Refuses to Go to Counseling—Now What? Verywell Mind. verywellmind.com/what-to-do-if-your-teen-refuses-to-go-to-counseling-2610463 

Zhang, D., Lee, E. K. P., Mak, E. C. W., Ho, C. Y., & Wong, S. Y. S. (2021). Mindfulness-based interventions: an Overall Review. British Medical Bulletin, 138(1), 41–57. doi.org/10.1093/bmb/ldab005 

 

 Mental Health & Mental Illness,  Stress Management