I recently read a really great article about a concept called 'surge capacity' (see: https://elemental.medium.com/your-surge-capacity-is-depleted-it-s-why-you-feel-awful-de285d542f4c)
This article reminded me of that pretty constant feeling of exhaustion I have been feeling and so many others have disclosed. Why is it that we feel so tired when we are stuck at home so much? Why is it that I am getting more sleep now than I have in years (theoretically, of course, because there are so many nights now where I just cannot sleep, or sleep well), and yet, I still feel exhausted? It isn't necessarily that "I need a cup of coffee" type of exhaustion, or the kind that manifests in constant yawning and a desire for a nice nap. It is just constant fatigue. Right? Know what I am talking about? Feeling it? So many people are reporting this phenomenon right now. So, what is it?
Pandemic fatigue. Surge capacity. We can talk about it in several different ways, but the end result is... stress. Our body produces cortisol, a stress hormone, when we are stressed out. This hormone helps us battle a bear or prepare to run from danger when the stress is about our life being in danger. But we also produce cortisol when we perceive danger such as catching a deadly virus, or fear for our safety during civil unrest, or a feeling of ongoing dread for an upcoming election, or uncertainly about how long we will have to deal with the multitude of challenges because of an ongoing pandemic. Job loss, housing and food insecurity. Loss of social connection. A shortage of leisure activities. All of these things have our cortisol production at an all time constant flow, which is exhausting, not only for our energy levels in general, but for our endocrine system that monitors and manages that fight or flight stress response. Adrenal fatigue, which if a common result of constant cortisol production from stress, can change our sleep quality, metabolism, and sex drive. Because our metabolism may be impacted, we may experience a change in hunger or eating habits, which can lead to weight gain or loss. We may also experience difficulty in focusing, problem solving, and emotion management. All of those things rely on our body's ability to metabolize the food we eat, so produce the needed nutrients for our body and brain to function.
So, it is no surprise that we are seeing so many people report sleep issues, weight changes, difficulty learning or focusing ('brain drain' and 'brain fog'), changes in eating habits, intimacy, emotion regulation (I have been so impatient and cranky!), and general fatigue.
Okay, so now for more good news. Ha ha. If you are experiencing any or all of these things, you are not alone. It is a very common phenomenon right now, especially as we see this pandemic continuing for so long. The extended stressors can have a cumulative effect, building up over time to become larger issues. But, all of the posts I have shared with you to date have provided tips that can impact your surge capacity, for the better. While it is safe to say there is no magical fix for our pandemic fatigue, doing little things on a regular basis, like getting outside, moving regularly, meditating, journaling, being kind and compassionate to yourself and others, monitoring screen time and exposure to bad news, finding ways to exercise your internal locus of control by taking action (in covid-19 friendly ways), all of these things can also cumulatively impact your exhaustion, for the better.
So, don't look for a magic solution to your fatigue - it doesn't exist, just like there is not magic solution for all of the contexts that have gotten into this situation. But, we can, in the words of many wise people, make baby steps toward progress. We will get through this. Probably not as soon as any of us would like, but we will get through this. My husband recently said he is able to maintain some sense of hope and optimism by occasionally stepping away from the daily grind, the daily stress, and look less myopically at what is happening. To look at the big picture, past the 2020 shit show (which may evidently also be the 2021 shit show). Now, I am not suggesting we take a skip along 2020 with rose colored glasses about how things we will be great again. No, no, no. I am very concerned about where we find ourselves in the US and in the world right now. And the contexts we are in right now are not going to fix themselves. Change happens because people take action. I am simply saying that we can occasionally refuel ourselves with some hope by recognizing that all the effort we put forth right now will eventually, hopefully, result in more positive results. The pandemic will eventually be under control, we eventually will be able to 'go' to work again, we will eventually be able to socialize again, and worry less about our bank accounts. We eventually will be able to recognize progress in the reduction an eventually (dare I say) absence of systemic racism. Just like our pandemic fatigue, our surge capacity, did not happen over night, progress will not be obvious over night, either. But we can all make little decisions (or big decisions) every day that will contribute to our individual and collective improvement.
Hang in there. Make incremental steps each day, for yourself, your family, your community, your country, and your world.
Be well, stay safe, and take care.
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