What if burnout isn’t simply about having too much stress—but about spending more energy than your body has available?
In this episode of Sensitivity Is Your Superpower, I’m joined by my dear friend Dr. Erin Kinney, naturopathic doctor, stress physiology expert, founder of The Kinney Clinic, and author of The Cortisol Cure.
Erin shares her “Cortisol Bank Account” framework, which offers a simple way to think about our daily energy: activities such as working, exercising, parenting, and even doing things we love can be energy expenditures, while sleep, rest, relaxation, and nervous system regulation can help us make deposits.
In this conversation, we explore:
• Why Erin believes cortisol has gotten a bad reputation—and why we actually need it
• How continually spending more energy than we restore may contribute to burnout
• The importance of strengthening both your “stress muscle” and your “relaxed muscle”
• Why blood sugar balance can matter when we’re feeling stressed and depleted
• How exercise needs may change during perimenopause and menopause
• Why learning to listen to your body can be more helpful than forcing yourself through another wellness protocol
One of Erin’s most important reminders is beautifully simple: instead of becoming stressed about being stressed, begin noticing whether the things you’re doing are giving you energy or taking energy away.
🔗 Guest Resources 🔗
Learn more about The Cortisol Cure and Erin’s resources on her website https://drerinkinney.com
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Notable Quotes
[11:00] “Healing can only occur when you earn more energy than you spend.”
[21:10] “Anytime we are resting or relaxing or sleeping…we earn it back.”
[33:45] “The body will whisper and whisper, and then finally the body’s like, ‘Oh my God, she’s not listening to me,’ and it will start screaming.”
[37:17] “Women actually have to work extra hard at working out this relaxed muscle.”
[1:01:55] “The message is: work to earn more energy than you’re spending.”
