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Burnout Statistics: Reported Causes, Common Effects of Burnout, Associated Conditions, and Treatment Prevalence

August 19, 2026
Burnout Statistics: Reported Causes, Common Effects of Burnout, Associated Conditions, and Treatment Prevalence
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Top Reported Causes of Burnout in the General Population
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References
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Research compiled by Othership | Last updated: July 2026

Burnout is one of the most common complaints reported by those involved in consistent labor or study. Defined as a state of severe physical, emotional, and mental exhaustion caused by long-term, unmanaged stress, burnout is common across age groups and areas of employment. Everyone involved in ongoing education or a long-term career, from students to professional employees, can suffer burnout, and the effects of burnout can be wide-ranging, even leading to potentially serious medical complications.

The guide below examines a variety of statistics related to burnout in the general population, particularly among the workforce. It examines the causes and prevalence of burnout in the general population, common effects of burnout, conditions associated with burnout, and statistics related to the treatment of burnout. All data was compiled in July 2026 from publicly-available corporate wellness and medical sources, including mental health and physical health journals.

Causes and Prevalence of Burnout in the General Population

Burnout is extremely common among the general population, and it can be caused by a wide variety of factors. Most sufferers of burnout report common causes such as poor communication, work overload, toxic management, and job insecurity. Burnout is most frequently reported among younger populations, and statistics show that reported burnout has been increasing steadily in recent years.

Top Reported Causes of Burnout in the General Population

Cause Percentage Among Respondents
Poor Workplace Communication ~80%
Lack of Belonging or Connection 55–78%
Job Insecurity 54%
Unfair Treatment 44%
Unmanageable or Heavy Workload 35%
Lack of Reward or Recognition 32%
Work-Life Boundary Erosion 26–49%
Toxic Management Practices 24%
Labor Shortages or Understaffing 19%
AI-Related Job Displacement Fears 13%

Sources: Table 11

Prevalence of Reported Burnout by Age Group

Generation/Age Group Reported Burnout Range
Gen Z (~18–27) 66–72%
Millennials (~28–43) 58–77%
Gen X (~44–59) 53–62%
Baby Boomers (60+) 37–48%

Sources: Table 22

Year-Over-Year Burnout Increase: 2020-2026

Year Reported Figure/Notes
2020 79% of workers across 26 countries felt “at or beyond workload capacity.”
2021 21% increase in reported burnout between December 2020 and July 2021
2022 25–59% burnout symptoms, a reported 13.5% rise over 2021
2023 Roughly 38% of employees globally reported feeling burned out
2024 52% of employees said they felt burned out
2025 43% of employees globally reported burnout, up from 38% in 2023
2026 66–83% of employees report burnout

Sources: Table 33

Common Effects of Burnout

Burnout can result in a number of common ailments affecting both the body and the mind. Sufferers of burnout frequently report symptoms such as fatigue, cognitive weariness, lack of motivation, depression, and anxiety. These symptoms are common in younger generations, as are general feelings of poor quality-of-life.

Top Common Effects of Burnout

Effect Reported Figure
Physical Fatigue 44%
Cognitive Weariness/Impaired Concentration 36%
Emotional Exhaustion 32–51%
Reduced Motivation or Interest 26%
Reduced Work Effort and Performance 19%
Absenteeism and Presenteeism 89% from presenteeism (showing up but operating at reduced capacity)
Mortality Risk (Broad) Chronic stress contributes to an estimated 120,000 U.S. deaths annually
Comorbid Depression/Anxiety ~50%

Sources: Table 44

Frequency of Burnout Effects by Age Group

Metric Gen Z Millennials Gen X Baby Boomers
Experiencing at least one symptom of burnout 72% 77% 62% 38%
Rated their personal wellbeing as above average 45% 47% 56% 84%
Feel unsupported in balancing life and work 68% 61% 57% 45%
Reported above-average stress levels 51% 37% Unreported
Reported age of peak burnout (if reported) ~25 years old Unreported 42 years old (average American burnout age)

Sources: Table 55

Conditions Associated With Burnout

Aside from classic symptoms, the effects of burnout can also lead to or exacerbate various medical conditions. Burnout has been shown to have statistical connections to conditions such as cardiovascular disease, Type 2 diabetes, musculoskeletal disorders, insomnia, and gastrointestinal issues. These conditions are caused by a variety of physiological effects that burnout causes, and several common medical conditions related to burnout have been on the rise in recent years.

Most Common Burnout-Associated Medical Conditions

Medical Condition Burnout Predictor Status
Cardiovascular/Coronary Heart Disease Strong Predictor
Type 2 Diabetes Strong Predictor
Hypercholesterolemia/Metabolic Syndrome Predictor
Musculoskeletal Disorders Strong Predictor (Particularly Among Women)
Depression/Depressive Symptoms Strong Predictor
Insomnia/Sleep Disturbance Strong Predictor
Gastrointestinal Issues Predictor
Headaches/Chronic Pain Syndromes Predictor
Respiratory Problems Predictor
Increased Psychiatric Medication Use Predictor
Elevated All-Cause Mortality (Under Age 45) Predictor

Sources: Table 66

Effects of Burnout Leading to Medical Conditions

Burnout-Driven Effect Associated Condition Quantified Risk
Elevated Cortisol/HPA-Axis Dysregulation Cardiovascular Disease Heightened
Cortisol Reactivity to Acute Stress Cardiovascular Disease Heightened
Reduced Parasympathetic Activity/Blunted HPA Responsiveness Cardiovascular Disease Heightened
General Burnout Prehypertension, Cardiovascular Disease, Hospitalization 85% increased risk of prehypertension, 21% increased risk of cardiovascular disease, 10% increased risk of hospitalization
Chronic Burnout Coronary Heart Disease 79% increased risk of developing CHD
Reduced/Attenuated Inflammatory (IL-6) Stress Reactivity Cardiovascular Disease Elevated Risk
Sustained/Prolonged Elevated Burnout Symptoms Type 2 Diabetes Elevated Risk
Chronic Stress Activation of Sympathetic Nervous System Musculoskeletal Conditions Elevated Risk
Prolonged Cortisol Elevation Suppressing Immune Function Increased Infection Risk/Impaired Healing Elevated Risk
Chronic HPA-Axis/Sympathetic Activation Gastrointestinal Issues, Stomach Ulcers Elevated Risk

Sources: Table 77

Increase in Frequency of Burnout-Associated Conditions: 2020-2026

Condition Trend
Diabetes/Hypertension-Related Mortality +16.3% annual change from 2018-2022; decline through 2023
Type 2 Diabetes-Related Mortality 16.06% annual increase from 2018-2022; decline through 2023
Cardiovascular Disease Among Diabetics Case counts climbed from 2.7 million to 4.9 million between 2000 and 2022

Sources: Table 88

Burnout Treatment Methods and Statistics

Treatment for burnout can involve a large number of medical and therapeutic practices, including cognitive behavioral therapy, medication, and intentional organizational restructuring. Increasing numbers of people, particularly among younger age groups, have sought out treatment for burnout, and overall statistics show that many burnout treatments are quite successful at remediating symptoms.

Common Burnout Treatment Methods

Method Description
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) Talk therapy that identifies and restructures unhelpful thought patterns
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) Therapy that focuses on accepting difficult thoughts and committing to value-driven action
Mindfulness-Based Interventions Meditation, body awareness, and breathing techniques that reduce reactivity to stress
Individual Coaching One-on-one guidance from trained professionals focused on strategy
Peer Support Programs Structured connection with colleagues
Psychoeducation Instruction about burnout causes, effects, and coping strategies
Workload/Schedule Redesign Structural changes to job demands at the organizational level
Leadership/Manager Training Training supervisors to recognize burnout signs and structure work effectively
Digital Self-Guided Interventions App- or web-based self-paced stress-management content
Medication Management Pharmacological treatment of associated burnout symptoms
Somatic Therapy Body-focused therapeutic approaches addressing physiological burnout responses

Percentage of People Seeking Burnout Treatment by Age Group

Age Group Treatment Prevalence
Gen Z (18–24) ~31.6% in therapy
Millennials (35–44) ~33% currently in therapy
Gen X/Young Baby Boomers (55–64) 16.9% in therapy; 65% of Baby Boomers report never having called in sick due to stress
Older Baby Boomer (65+) >50% have never accessed mental health services

Sources: Table 99

Success Rate of Burnout Treatment Methods

Method Effect Size/Outcome
Mindfulness-Based Interventions SMD = −1.43, very large positive effect on burnout
Mindfulness-Based Training Large reductions in emotional exhaustion and depersonalization; increased personal accomplishment
Minimal-Guidance Digital Mindfulness Program Moderate-to-very-large effects at 4 weeks sustained through 8 weeks; low dropout rate of 4.4%
Mindfulness-Based CBT Small-to-moderate improvements in burnout and emotional exhaustion
Cognitive-Behavioral Intervention Best-performing category; strongest overall results
Student-Focused Interventions Large effect, some inconsistency across studies
Organizational Interventions Small-to-moderate effect, but significant improvements over 12 months
General Therapy ~80% of people pursuing therapy claimed that it was helpful

Sources: Table 1010

References

1Table 1:

  1. Khrystenko, V. (2026, May 13). 40 employee burnout statistics & trends in the workplace (2026). WorkTime. https://www.worktime.com/blog/statistics/employee-burnout-statistics-trends-in-the-workplace
  2. Shah, D. (2026, June 12). 40 Workplace Stress Statistics 2025–2026: Burnout rates, causes, costs, and what HR must act on. Springworks Blog. https://www.springworks.in/blog/workplace-stress-statistics
  3. Therapy, G. (2026, June 24). 45+ workplace mental health statistics for 2026. Grow Therapy. https://growtherapy.com/blog/workplace-mental-health-statistics/
  4. Kaelani, L. (2026, February 27). Over 75% of workers suffer from burnout in 2026. Metaintro. https://www.metaintro.com/blog/over-75-percent-workers-suffer-burnout-2026
  5. Therapy for Burnout Statistics 2026 | Rates, Causes & Key Workplace Facts. (2026, June 1). The Global Statistics. https://www.theglobalstatistics.com/therapy-for-burnout-statistics/
  6. Riganese, F. (2026, July 8). Employee Burnout Statistics 2026 [Rates, Causes & Trends]. www.makerstations.io. https://www.makerstations.io/employee-burnout-statistics/

2Table 2:

  1. Khrystenko, V. (2026, May 13). 40 employee burnout statistics & trends in the workplace (2026). WorkTime. https://www.worktime.com/blog/statistics/employee-burnout-statistics-trends-in-the-workplace
  2. Employee burnout statistics 2026: 50+ Facts Every Manager should know. (2026, March 31). eMonitor. https://www.employee-monitoring.net/resources/employee-burnout-statistics-2026
  3. Seramount. (2025, July 15). Millennials and Gen Z-ers face steepest mental health challenges in the workplace | Seramount. https://seramount.com/about-us/seramount-news-and-press/millennials-and-gen-z-ers-face-steepest-mental-health-challenges-in-the-workplace/

3Table 3:

  1. Taylor-Chadwick, H. (2023, July 17). 50+ Burnout Statistics That Will Shock You into Action. Runn. https://www.runn.io/blog/burnout-statistics
  2. Flynn, J. (2026, January 30). 20+ Alarming Burnout Statistics [2026]: Stress and lack of motivation in the workplace. Zippia. https://www.zippia.com/advice/burnout-statistics/
  3. Dimochkino. (2025, October 9). 15+ employee burnout statistics in the workplace. HIGH5 Strengths Test. https://high5test.com/employee-burnout-statistics/
  4. 😮 30+ Shocking employee burnout statistics for 2026. (n.d.). https://www.yuna.io/post/employee-burnout-statistics
  5. Wellhub. (2025, November 13). Employee burnout in the US: Symptoms, impact, prevention, stats | Wellhub. https://wellhub.com/en-us/blog/wellness-and-benefits-programs/burnout/
  6. Shah, D. (2026, June 12). 40 Workplace Stress Statistics 2025–2026: Burnout rates, causes, costs, and what HR must act on. Springworks Blog. https://www.springworks.in/blog/workplace-stress-statistics
  7. Kaelani, L. (2026, February 27). Over 75% of workers suffer from burnout in 2026. Metaintro. https://www.metaintro.com/blog/over-75-percent-workers-suffer-burnout-2026
  8. Therapy, G. (2026, June 24). 45+ workplace mental health statistics for 2026. Grow Therapy. https://growtherapy.com/blog/workplace-mental-health-statistics/

4Table 4:

  1. Flynn, J. (2026, January 30). 20+ Alarming Burnout Statistics [2026]: Stress and lack of motivation in the workplace. Zippia. https://www.zippia.com/advice/burnout-statistics/
  2. Karakolias, S. (2025). Seeing burnout coming: early signs and recognition strategies in health professionals. Frontiers in Public Health, 13, 1721220. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2025.1721220
  3. Wellhub. (2025, November 13). Employee burnout in the US: Symptoms, impact, prevention, stats | Wellhub. https://wellhub.com/en-us/blog/wellness-and-benefits-programs/burnout/
  4. Khrystenko, V. (2026, May 13). 40 employee burnout statistics & trends in the workplace (2026). WorkTime. https://www.worktime.com/blog/statistics/employee-burnout-statistics-trends-in-the-workplace
  5. Therapy, G. (2026, June 24). 45+ workplace mental health statistics for 2026. Grow Therapy. https://growtherapy.com/blog/workplace-mental-health-statistics/

5Table 5:

  1. Seramount. (2025, July 15). Millennials and Gen Z-ers face steepest mental health challenges in the workplace | Seramount. https://seramount.com/about-us/seramount-news-and-press/millennials-and-gen-z-ers-face-steepest-mental-health-challenges-in-the-workplace/
  2. CNN Newsource, CNN Newsource, & By CNN Newsource. (2025, March 17). Survey reveals Gen Z experiences burnout earlier. ABC17NEWS. https://abc17news.com/cnn-regional/2025/03/17/survey-reveals-gen-z-experiences-burnout-earlier/
  3. Afshar, M. F. (2025, March 19). US gen Zers and millennials are burning out, poll finds. Newsweek. https://www.newsweek.com/gen-z-millennials-burnout-health-2046613

6Table 6:

  1. Salvagioni, D. a. J., Melanda, F. N., Mesas, A. E., González, A. D., Gabani, F. L., & De Andrade, S. M. (2017). Physical, psychological and occupational consequences of job burnout: A systematic review of prospective studies. PLoS ONE, 12(10), e0185781. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0185781
  2. Melamed, S., & Kushnir, T. (1992, February). Burnout and Risk Factors for Cardiovascular Diseases. ResearchGate. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/21763927_Burnout_and_Risk_Factors_for_Cardiovascular_Diseases
  3. Kontoangelos, K., Raptis, A., Lambadiari, V., Economou, M., Tsiori, F., Katsi, V., Papageorgiou, C., Martinaki, S., Dimitriadis, G., & Papageorgiou, C. (2022). Burnout Related to Diabetes Mellitus: A Critical Analysis. ScienceDirect. https://www.sciencedirect.com/org/science/article/pii/S1745017922000068
  4. Mák, K., Kapus, K., Tóth, G., Hesszenberger, D., Pohl, M., Pusch, G., Fejes, É., Fehér, G., & Tibold, A. (2021). Neuropathic Low Back Pain and Burnout among Hungarian Workers. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(5), 2693. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18052693

7Table 7:

  1. Salvagioni, D. a. J., Melanda, F. N., Mesas, A. E., González, A. D., Gabani, F. L., & De Andrade, S. M. (2017). Physical, psychological and occupational consequences of job burnout: A systematic review of prospective studies. PLoS ONE, 12(10), e0185781. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0185781
  2. Melamed, S., & Kushnir, T. (1992, February). Burnout and Risk Factors for Cardiovascular Diseases. ResearchGate. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/21763927_Burnout_and_Risk_Factors_for_Cardiovascular_Diseases
  3. Kontoangelos, K., Raptis, A., Lambadiari, V., Economou, M., Tsiori, F., Katsi, V., Papageorgiou, C., Martinaki, S., Dimitriadis, G., & Papageorgiou, C. (2022). Burnout Related to Diabetes Mellitus: A Critical Analysis. ScienceDirect. https://www.sciencedirect.com/org/science/article/pii/S1745017922000068
  4. Mák, K., Kapus, K., Tóth, G., Hesszenberger, D., Pohl, M., Pusch, G., Fejes, É., Fehér, G., & Tibold, A. (2021). Neuropathic Low Back Pain and Burnout among Hungarian Workers. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(5), 2693. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18052693

8Table 8:

  1. Siddiqui, H., Imran, Z., Ali, D., Sajid, M., Khan, T. M., Salim, H., Uddin, M. S., Qureshi, S., Farhan, M., & Waqas, S. A. (2025). A rising crisis: Escalating burden of Diabetes Mellitus and Hypertension‐Related Mortality Trends in the United States, 2000–2023. Clinical Cardiology, 48(7), e70167. https://doi.org/10.1002/clc.70167
  2. Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus–Related Mortality in the United States, 1999 to 2023. (2025). https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12212274/
  3. Okorigba, E. M., Akinade, O., Emore, E., Adebayo, A. A., Aghale, O. S., Ekarika, E., Awuji, K., Olawale, O. O., Siaw, T. K., Azipu, R. U., & Okobi, O. E. (2025). Prevalence and hospitalization trends of cardiovascular disease in diabetic populations: An analysis of the United States Diabetes Surveillance System (USDSS) data from 2000 to 2022. Cureus, 17(7), e87886. https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.87886

9Table 9:

  1. Supporting you during mental health awareness month. (2026, May 2). Rula. https://www.rula.com/state-of-mental-health/
  2. Rula Health. (2026, April 27). 5 key mental health trends from Rula’s 2025 State of Mental Health Report. Rula. https://www.rula.com/blog/state-of-mental-health-report/
  3. 2025 state of mental health. (n.d.). https://pages.rula.com/2025_state_of_mental_health
  4. Rula Health & Rula Health. (2026, July 8). Rula’s 2026 report reveals critical mental health trends. Rula. https://www.rula.com/blog/mental-health-trends/

10Table 10:

  1. Menz, S. (2026, May 26). What 10 million therapy sessions reveal about mental health outcomes. Rula. https://www.rula.com/blog/clinical-report-2026/
  2. Effectiveness of mindfulness-based interventions on burnout, resilience and sleep quality among nurses: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. (2025). https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12210539/
  3. Paudel, N. R., C, P. K., Nygård, C., & Neupane, S. (2025). Effect of a mindfulness-based cognitive behavior therapy intervention on occupational burnout among school teachers. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 15, 1496205. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1496205
  4. Li, J., Xue, E., & He, Y. (2023). Investigating the Effect of Cognitive–Behavioral, Mindful-Based, Emotional-Based Intervention and Professional Training on Teachers’ Job Burnout: A Meta-Analysis. MDPI. https://www.mdpi.com/2076-328X/13/10/803
  5. The effects of mindfulness-based interventions on alleviating academic burnout in medical students: a systematic review and meta-analysis. (2024). https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11129439/
  6. Madigan, D. J., Kim, L. E., & Glandorf, H. L. (2023). Interventions to reduce burnout in students: A systematic review and meta-analysis. European Journal of Psychology of Education, 39(2), 931–957. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10212-023-00731-3
  7. Luangapichart, P., Saisavoey, N., & Viravan, N. (2022). Efficacy and Feasibility of the Minimal Therapist-Guided Four-Week Online Audio-Based mindfulness Program ‘Mindful Senses’ for Burnout and Stress Reduction in Medical Personnel: a randomized controlled trial. Healthcare, 10(12), 2532. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare10122532
  8. Wang, Q., Wang, F., Zhang, S., Liu, C., Feng, Y., & Chen, J. (2023). Effects of a mindfulness-based interventions on stress, burnout in nurses: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 14, 1218340. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1218340
  9. Bagasi, A., Harbi, E. K. A., Alabbasi, S. M., Alqaedi, R. O., Alharbi, B. A., & Alhomaid, T. A. (2025). Effectiveness of workplace Mental Health Programs in reducing Occupational Burnout: A Systematic review. Cureus, 17(7), e88715. https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.88715

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