The GAIA Study
The Third Degree Burnout – A Survivor’s Guide documentary includes findings from the GAIA Study. This study was produced by Nivi’s nonprofit The Virsa Foundation Inc., with its JIVINITI Research and Communications Advocacy Program, in partnership with Ipsos Global Affairs.
While the study investigated the connections between burnout, dietary preferences, and COVID-19 experiences of Americans during the pandemic, its insights are universally applicable. The patterns revealed — linking lifestyle, nutrition, and resilience — reflect challenges and opportunities seen across the globe.
“Third Degree Burnout – A Survivor’s Guide invites us to stop seeing burnout as a personal flaw, and instead as feedback from a broken system. We can’t heal the planet without healing ourselves — and we can’t do either until we understand we’re part of the same system.”
- Nivi Jaswal-Wirtjes
The GAIA Study is the largest nonprofit research initiative of its kind, with more than 14,000 participants. Its findings demonstrate:
Burnout is not confined to one country or profession; it is a shared human experience with measurable health, social, and economic consequences.
Dietary choices and lifestyle factors play a pivotal role in shaping vulnerability and resilience to stress, illness, and recovery.
The interplay between public health crises and personal wellbeing calls for systemic solutions that cross borders and cultures.
By integrating the GAIA Study into the documentary, we connect hard data with human stories, making the case that burnout is both a personal struggle and a planetary crisis — and that solutions must be pursued collectively.
Learn more about this research study by clicking the TAB below.
