The Science of Overwhelm, what’s Really Going On in Your Brain
Introduction:
Ever felt like your brain just stops working when there’s too much to do? You sit staring at your laptop, knowing exactly what needs to happen, yet you can’t move forward and somehow, even simple decisions feel impossible.
That’s not weakness or poor time management. It’s your brain in survival mode.
Overwhelm isn’t just a feeling it’s a neurological response. And when you understand what’s really happening in your brain, you can start to take back control rather than constantly firefighting.
The Science of Overwhelm
When you’re juggling business decisions, family commitments, and the endless mental list of “what needs to happen next”, your brain is constantly scanning for danger, even when nothing is truly threatening.
Here’s what’s going on:
The amygdala, your brain’s built-in alarm system, is designed to detect threats. When you’re overloaded, it starts to misfire, treating a full inbox or forgotten school form like a sabre-toothed tiger.
Cortisol and adrenaline flood your system, preparing you to act fast. You might notice your heart racing, your thoughts speeding up, or a sense that you can’t relax even at night.
Meanwhile, your prefrontal cortex, the part responsible for logical thinking, planning, and problem-solving, begins to shut down. That’s why you can’t make decisions or remember what’s on your to-do list, your brain is quite literally hijacked.
It’s not laziness. It’s biology.
Why Women Experience Overwhelm Differently
Research shows women often experience chronic stress differently to men and not because we’re less capable. It’s because of mental load and emotional labour.
High-achieving women are managing two (or more) worlds at once:
The visible workload of running a business or career, and
The invisible labour of remembering birthdays, school trips, meal plans, home admin, and emotional needs of everyone around them.
This constant split focus means the brain rarely gets to rest. Over time, it leads to:
Decision fatigue
Shortened attention span
Reduced memory recall
Emotional exhaustion
You’re not “failing to cope” you’re trying to operate at 120% without any mental white space.
The Subtle Signs You’re Approaching Burnout
Burnout doesn’t always look like collapse. Sometimes it looks like:
Snapping at your partner or kids over small things.
Feeling detached or unmotivated about work you normally love.
Struggling to make even small decisions (“What’s for dinner?” becomes too much).
Forgetting appointments or losing track of priorities.
Feeling permanently ‘on edge’ but too tired to do anything about it.
If any of that feels familiar, your brain is waving a red flag. It’s time to pause before your body forces you to.
Awareness Is the First Step
The good news? Awareness changes everything. Once you understand that overwhelm isn’t a personal flaw, you can approach it with compassion rather than guilt.
Start by identifying your unique triggers, what sends you into that spiral of stress and mental overload. For one woman it might be back-to-back meetings; for another, it’s managing home logistics on top of a demanding business.
That’s exactly why I created The Ultimate Overwhelm Audit a simple, evidence-based tool that helps you identify what’s draining your energy and what can be delegated, streamlined, or removed entirely.
Because when you can see where your overwhelm really stems from, you can finally start creating calm not just chasing it.
Closing:
You don’t have to keep surviving in a constant state of alert.
Your brain isn’t broken it’s just overworked.
With the right support, systems, and space, you can shift from reaction to regulation, and start feeling in control again.
Take five minutes today to complete The Ultimate Overwhelm Audit and uncover what’s really behind that mental noise. It’s the first step towards a calmer, clearer, more grounded version of you.