How To Prevent Job Burnout: Using The Allostatic Load Stress Calculator
How to prevent job burnout starts with recognizing the early signs of chronic stress. Persistent anxiety, trouble sleeping, irritability — these are more than just symptoms of being tired. They’re signals that your body has been operating in overdrive for too long.
A new study by Moodle, conducted with Censuswide, shows that 66% of employees are experiencing signs of burnout in 2025. The reasons are clear: 24% say they have more work than time to complete it, and another 24% lack the resources or tools needed to do their jobs properly. Younger generations are especially affected — up to 81% of 18–24-year-olds and 83% of those aged 25–34 report being in a state of chronic stress. Modern science offers a way to assess the accumulated toll through the measurement of allostatic load — a measurable physiological strain caused by ongoing stress, even when no obvious symptoms are yet felt.
But what exactly happens in the body when stress becomes a way of life?
This article was last reviewed by Mai Saleh, Healsens, on January 22, 2023. This article was last modified on 21 January 22, 2023.
Why allostatic load is key to understanding burnout
The body doesn’t passively endure stress — it actively adapts. This process is called allostasis. Each time you face a stressor — a deadline, a conflict, a sleepless night — your body recalibrates to cope. Blood pressure rises, stress hormones are released, and your heart rate accelerates.
🧠 The problem arises when this stress becomes constant — adaptation turns into wear and tear.
According to McEwen and Seeman1, allostatic load accumulates in two ways:
- As an acute stress response (sudden spikes in blood pressure, cortisol, and other stress-related hormones);
- And as chronic overload, when these physiological responses remain elevated over time.
Over time, this leads to regulatory dysfunction and reduced resilience — we sleep poorly, fatigue sets in faster, and recovery slows down. As shown in the study by Guidi et al, a high allostatic load is associated with2:
– impaired metabolism (increased risk of diabetes and obesity),
– dysfunction in immune and hormonal systems,
– chronic low-grade inflammation,
– and elevated risk of depression, cardiovascular disease, and even premature death.
IN THIS ARTICLE
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How to assess your allostatic load
- Blood tests
- Body measurements
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How to Prevent Job Burnout by Measuring Your Allostatic Load
- Using the Healsens App to Track Your Allostatic Load
- Ordering Blood Tests
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Signs and Symptoms of High Allostatic Load
If you engage in a high-stress job or face prolonged personal challenges without relief, this can result in chronic allostatic load. When such a load lasts for years, we can talk about the cumulative effect of allostatic load. Allostatic load isn’t just about numbers on a lab report — it shows up in your daily life. Recognizing these signs is a critical step in understanding how to prevent job burnout and regaining control of your well-being:
- Fatigue — the feeling of being drained even after rest.
- Irritability — increased reactivity, anger, or persistent anxiety.
- Sleep disturbances — difficulty falling asleep, light sleep, or frequent awakenings.
- Digestive issues — bloating, cramps, or symptoms of irritable bowel.
- Weakened immunity — frequent colds or slow recovery from illnesses.
- Brain fog — trouble focusing, forgetfulness, or a sense of mental “slowness.”
When allostatic load becomes too high, the “window of tolerance” of your nervous system narrows. This means you may feel overwhelmed more quickly, experience emotional outbursts, or shut down and withdraw — all of which increase the risk of burnout.
Understanding these symptoms helps you identify when stress is no longer adaptive, but destructive — a key moment in learning how to prevent job burnout.
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How to assess your allostatic load
Allostatic load is a quantitative measure of the physiological burden caused by stress — and a powerful predictor of long-term health outcomes. It reflects the impact of stress on your body by tracking changes in hormone levels, inflammation, and metabolic function. These are the hidden processes we can’t feel directly — but we can detect them through blood tests.
To assess your allostatic load, you can use a specialized blood test package that includes the following markers:
🧪 Blood tests:
- Cortisol — the main stress hormone
- Dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA-s) — balances cortisol, a marker of resilience
- High-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) — detects low-grade inflammation
- Triglycerides (TG) — reflect metabolic health
- Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH) — regulates thyroid function
- Hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) — indicates glucose stability over time
- Albumin — a marker of overall health and recovery capacity
- Total cholesterol — part of lipid metabolism assessment
📏 Body measurements:
In addition to blood tests, it’s essential to consider body composition:
- Waist circumference — elevated values may signal visceral fat and increased metabolic risk
- Hip circumference — used to calculate the Waist-to-Hip Ratio (WHR), one of the most informative markers of fat distribution
These measurements can be done at home with a simple measuring tape — making them an accessible way to track how stress is affecting your body. Combined with blood data, they provide a clear, science-based snapshot of your current state and help guide your plan to prevent job burnout.
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How to Prevent Job Burnout by Measuring Your Allostatic Load
📲 Using the Healsens App to Track Your Allostatic Load
To make it easier to collect and interpret your health data, you can use the Healsens app. It allows you to:
– Enter results from your blood tests and body measurements
– Automatically calculate your allostatic load using science-backed algorithms
– Receive personalized recommendations to reduce stress and improve your overall well-being
If your allostatic load is elevated, the results may help your healthcare provider reassess your current treatment plan or suggest additional diagnostics.
The app is available for download on Google Play and the App Store. It provides free access to core features, including the allostatic load calculation and tracking progress over time.
Ordering Blood Tests
All required tests for calculating your allostatic load can be ordered directly through the Healsens app in Germany, Belgium, and the Netherlands. For users in other countries, it’s possible to upload your test results manually into the app after completing them at any certified lab.
1 Download the Healsens App from Google Play or the App Store, depending on your device.
2 Complete the registration process in the app.
3 Go to the “Risks” page via the bottom menu of the application.
4 Tap on the test you need — ”Allostatic Load Index (ALI)”
5 Tap on the “Add to Cart” button inside the test page and proceed with the ordering process.
Note
If you order a blood test package through other labs, you need to manually enter the blood test results into the app. Because the app has no information about the person placing the order, this is necessary for the correct processing of the results. To receive the results directly in the app, install the app, choose the desired lab test package, and place the order directly from the app. When the order is placed from the app, the system recognizes your profile, and the results can be received automatically!
