Living through the pandemic for over one year now, many of us have experienced pandemic fatigue at this point. Pandemic fatigue is a feeling of exhaustion as an effect of the challenges in our daily life because of Covid-19.
It is understandable that today’s challenges have left you feeling drained. Ranging from the fear of becoming infected with Covid-19 and losing loved ones, financial hardship, feeling overwhelmed with restrictions, or simply the daily struggles of pandemic life. That’s why it’s crucial that you can recognize pandemic fatigue as well as the simple things you can implement to make your daily life more manageable.
Understanding pandemic fatigue
Pandemic fatigue is a result of struggling with intense emotions daily, which automatically drains your energy. These intense emotions generally include fear, anxiety, loneliness as well as hopelessness.
To know whether you suffer from pandemic fatigue, experts have suggested looking out for a sense of inner weariness as well as helplessness, sadness, worry, frustration, and irritability.
In terms of habits, you may notice changes in your eating and sleeping pattern, experience trouble focusing, and you may also feel nervous and irritable. Other behavioral changes include lack of motivation, unable to control racing thoughts, and withdrawal from others.
Reducing pandemic fatigue
Living with pandemic fatigue can decrease the quality of your daily life. Therefore, it is critical to take care of your mental and physical health to restore your energy so you can manage and reduce your levels of pandemic fatigue.
Be kind to your body
Self-care starts by sleeping and eating well. Sleeping for at least 7-9 hours has been proven to reduce stress. It also keeps your immune system strong. Furthermore, make sure that you maintain a healthy diet and make time for regular exercise that triggers your body to release endorphins to boost your mood.
Manage your stress levels
While we are aware that you might hear this one very often these days, calming and soothing activities are proven beneficial in lowering your stress level. Dedicate a minimum of 15 minutes per day for an activity that effectively calms your mind. The most popular choices include yoga, breathing exercises, mindful meditation, nature walks, and gardening.
Acknowledge and accept your emotions
Ignoring your feelings does not make them go away, nor would they make your emotional health improve. Thus, it might seem complicated, but it is vital to acknowledge your feelings. To accept them, and allow yourself to experience and process them.
Once you have made this conscious step, try refocusing your mind and energy on things that are within your control to help make you feel better. If you believe that your feelings interfere with your daily activities for several days, please call your healthcare provider.
Limit your news consumption
Staying up to date on the news related to the pandemic is a good thing. However, depending on your level of anxiety, too much news may contribute to negative emotions and drain your energy. Thus, it’s essential to acknowledge your default state and limit your news consumption per day. You will find out the limit that works best for you.
Your Trusted Medical Assistance
Prime Plus Medical is a stand-alone medical facility dedicated to providing excellent medical services for locals, expatriates, and tourists in the heart of the coastal area of Canggu, Bali. Our 24-hour walk-in facility accommodates the high demand for the wide range of medical services that can be provided by urgent care centers.
We sincerely hope that you cope well with the pandemic life we are sadly still in. May you always stay safe and healthy, and stay kind to yourself.
Indonesian 
English