The hidden cost of back-to-school stress – expert explains how to cope by ‘rewinding your day’

September 7, 2025

Google searches for “burnout” have surged to record levels this August, rising 28% in just five days, with parents and children struggling to cope. Sleep expert Martin Seeley shares advice as cities like Manchester, Newcastle and Nottingham lead the search for relief.

While summer is often seen as a time to unwind, new research reveals that for many, it’s far from stress-free. With colleagues away on holiday, mounting workloads, and longer days disrupting routines, searches for “burnout” hit a record high in August. And the pressure doesn’t ease in September; many teams remain short-staffed, and the return to school brings added stress for parents juggling work, routines, and childcare.

Martin Seeley, Senior Sleep Expert at MattressNextDay, said, “September can be one of the most challenging months for mental and physical wellbeing. The return to work and school routines often brings a sudden spike in stress. Earlier wake-ups, busier schedules, and the pressure to ‘get back on track’ after summer cause this, especially when you’re balancing both your own work life with your child’s transitions at school.

“An increase in stress can cause raises cortisol levels, which is intended to keep us awake in short bursts, like during moments of danger or high pressure, but when these levels remain consistently elevated, it can make it especially difficult to fall and stay asleep. Without quality rest, managing the demands of work and daily life becomes much harder, increasing the risk of burnout, so it’s important you’re listening to your body and trying to manage stress levels as best you can.”

4 expert-backed tips to lower stress levels and improve sleep

1. Use box breathing to reset your nervous system

An effective tool for managing stress is a technique called box breathing. “It’s a powerful method that works by controlling your breath and activating the parasympathetic nervous system,” says Martin. “You simply inhale for four seconds, hold your breath for four, exhale for four, and pause for four, then repeat. It’s used by Navy SEALs to stay calm under pressure, and it’s just as useful for people dealing with nerve-wracking situations in daily life.”

2. Take time for exercise and socialising

While it can be difficult to find time for things when you’re feeling the symptoms of burnout, Martin emphasises the importance of pushing yourself to engage in activities outside of work and family life to break the cycle of burnout, even if it’s just for 30 minutes a day. Martin says, “Exercise has long been shown to help combat stress and improve our sleep. A daily walk or regular exercise activity will aid burnout recovery.  Not carving out time for hobbies and activities and neglecting time with friends and family can worse the effects of burnout, so put time aside to do these things if you’re feeling the effects.”

3. ‘Rewind your day’ to stop overthinking

If you find yourself lying in bed running through “what if” scenarios, a simple mental trick can help break the cycle. “Try mentally rewinding your day in reverse,” suggests Martin. “Start with what you did right before getting into bed, then walk backwards through each moment – brushing your teeth, dinner, and so on.”

This technique helps focus your mind on something neutral and structured, rather than letting it spiral into anxiety. “It’s a great way to distract your brain from worrying thoughts and engage the kind of mental processing it does naturally during sleep.”

4. Make your room a cool, calm environment for sleep

“Your sleeping environment has a huge impact on your ability to fall and stay asleep,” says Martin. “A cooler room, around 16 to 18 degrees Celsius, helps lower your body temperature, which is essential for triggering sleepiness.”

He also recommends using lavender aromatherapy, a weighted blanket, or blackout curtains to create a calming, cocoon-like space. “These little environmental tweaks send powerful signals to your brain and body that it’s time to rest. Even a lavender pillow spray can activate calming areas of the brain.”

UK cities struggling most with burnout

MattressNextDay conducted a study to find the areas in the UK struggling most with burnout and found that residents in the following cities are searching for ‘burnout’ related queries more than anywhere else in the UK: