Pandemic Fatigue

Feeling hopeless? You might be experiencing Pandemic Fatigue

One of the most common complaints I am hearing at the moment is that people are feeling hopeless. And it’s understandable given the current situation. We are not designed to be in situations of sustained stress with such unpredictability and uncertainty for such long periods of time.

For more than 18 months now, we’ve been dealing with social distancing, mask wearing, lockdowns and quarantining, home-schooling, working from home and adjusting to working online, job losses and financial stress, either being at home alone and feeling lonely or feeling smothered and overwhelmed by having too much time with family and not enough personal space, to having our hope and plans for the future being squashed in an instant. It all takes a toll and can leave us feeling physically and mentally exhausted, and this exhaustion is being referred to as ‘pandemic fatigue’.

Whilst it affects each of us in different ways, common signs and symptoms of pandemic fatigue fall into three categories: emotional, physical and performance.

Emotional symptoms include:

• anxiety
• depression
• feeling hopeless
• feeling powerless or trapped
• irritability and frustration
• lack of motivation and enthusiasm
• nervousness
• tearfulness
• feeling a sense of dread
• withdrawing and not wanting to be around others
• difficulty looking forward to tomorrow

Physical symptoms include:

• fatigue
• headaches
• lack of appetite
• sore muscles or muscle tension
• increased use of alcohol or other substances

Performance symptoms include:

• failing to meet deadlines
• lower workplace commitment
• more absences
• performing work duties more slowly.

A couple of initial tips to help you beat pandemic fatigue:

• Minimise your exposure to the stressor – be aware of your intake of news, and where possible switch off. Make sure you have some screen-free time every day.
• Make sure you are remembering to breathe fully, and if you can, set a reminder to pause and take a few deep breaths each day.

• Make sure you’re eating well and still getting enough exercise, preferably outside in the sunshine and fresh air.
• Rest: switch off from mobile devices or computers prior to going to bed. Give yourself time to relax and unwind from the day to ensure you get a good night’s sleep.