It’s fair to say that 2020 wasn’t a year most of us could have predicted. Since then COVID-19 has been a part of our everyday life, taking its toll on us mentally, physically and emotionally.
I read an interesting article suggesting that people are finding it harder to stay positive, with 60% of people in the UK saying they are finding it harder to stay positive daily compared with before the pandemic.
I did some more digging to understand why most of us were feeling so down and came across the phrase ‘pandemic fatigue’, referring to a feeling of increasing stress, emotional exhaustion, despair and irritability as the pandemic drags on!
Which is not surprising, some of us have been grieving, experiencing job losses, loss of income or have been working in disrupted conditions.
We might not be able to escape signs and symptoms of a pandemic but what can we do to alleviate ‘pandemic fatigue’.
Our bodies are at the moment in a constant state of stress (described as a burnout) which can have severe long-term impact especially on our energy levels.
As you are reading this blog, pay close attention to your body, where are you storing your stress, in your shoulders? In your jaw? Or In your back? Let go of everything, breathe in, breathe out and relax.
I like to start my online massage sessions by asking my clients to listen to their bodies. Our bodies often tell us more than we think. Massages can be a great way to relax the body and in turn reduce anxiety, tension and stress which all have negative effects on energy levels, our moods and emotions. Physical contact has greatly reduced this pandemic and as things begin to open up, receiving a massage and experiencing the act of touch can also be very soothing and comforting having a positive effect on emotional state and giving us that energy boost for the week ahead.
‘Pandemic fatigue’ has also taken its toll on our mental state. With as much as 1 in 3 people saying they haven’t been coping.
At the beginning of the lockdown I shared in my blog 2 recipes to help manage mental fatigue. My bath salts and body oil recipe included the following essential oils, Rosemary, a cognitive stimulant that can help improve memory performance and quality. It is also known to boost alertness, intelligence, and focus. As well as Geranium, which amongst many other things is an essential oil shown to help alleviate depressive moods and boost energy levels. At my therapy rooms I am currently working with oils like Eucalyptus Radiata, Grapefruit, Spike Lavender and Roman Chamomile to help with emotional and physical burnout and for myself I have been using Damiana and Elemi blending with citrus oils.
It’s ever so important that we are taking care of our mental and physical health for a time when we can all enjoy the ‘new normal’.
I will leave below a few products and treatments designed to boost energy levels and help manage physical and mental fatigue.