It’s been almost two years since the COVID-19 pandemic began in the United States, and we’re in the midst of yet another surge in cases, hospitalizations, and deaths. Some schools are closing again, almost every business is struggling with staffing due to employees out with illness or exposure, and “Pandemic Fatigue” might be putting it mildly at this point. So, let’s talk about pandemic fatigue. Because if you’re feeling burnt out and run down, you are not alone. Understanding what we’re feeling and the potential causes is how we can start to find moments of joy amid the difficulty.

What is ‘Pandemic Fatigue’?

Dr. Meg Cary at the Oregon Health Authority says that basically, pandemic fatigue is a “natural response to prolonged, all-encompassing stress that demands our emotional, cognitive, physical, and spiritual energy.” The stress comes from the events we are experiencing, as well as from the emotional and cognitive energy required to continually respond to uncertainty and changing circumstances.

The pandemic has resulted in losses. Losses of human life, yes, but even if you haven’t lost someone you know to COVID-19, you’ve probably experienced other losses like the loss of holidays with your family, activities you enjoy, or trips you had planned. Heck, you might just miss seeing the faces of those around you. Mourning for life the way it used to be is completely normal, and contributes to the sense of pandemic fatigue. Grieving is a whole body, mind, spirit process that exhausts us even though it also eventually helps us heal.

What can we do about it?

Clearly, we can’t just snap our fingers and get rid of the pandemic (oh, how we wish we could). COVID is here to stay. What might help is identifying the specific things you are fatigued by. When we can better diagnose what has caused our fatigue, we can better address it. If your emotions are coming from a feeling of loss, it‘s important to acknowledge who or what was lost, allow the emotions that come up, and grieve.

If complex decision-making is what is fatiguing (What kind of mask should I wear? Should I let my child go to school? How can I balance family and working from home?), find ways to take a break from having to make decisions. ‘Outsource’ some decisions by assigning different tasks or areas to other family members— for example putting your partner in charge of laundry, or your kids in charge of the dishwasher— to give you one less thing to think about. Consider signing up for a meal kit delivery service a couple times per week so you don’t have to think about what’s for dinner. Additionally, it might feel good to do something with a clear start and end like a puzzle, an adult coloring page, or even cleaning the bathroom. These types of activities are predictable with clearly observable outcomes so you can see your success! (Activate those feel-good brain chemicals!)

What does pandemic fatigue feel like?

The symptoms are wide-ranging and will be different from person to person. Just as we are all going through unique challenges posed by the pandemic, our reactions will be unique to us. Sleeping too much or too little, loss or increase of appetite, hyper-focus or lack of focus, irritability or apathy can all be indicators of pandemic fatigue. If you’re experiencing noticeable changes in your usual habits, feelings and behaviors, you might be experiencing pandemic fatigue. Kids might start acting younger and doing things that they have not done for months or years, or displaying heightened emotional reactivity.

If you are stuck in a feeling or are doing things uncharacteristic of you, like isolating from loved ones, disengaging from activities, using drugs or alcohol excessively, you should talk to someone. Confide in a loved one, or use one of the many mental health resources that have become more visible and accessible during the pandemic such as TalkSpace, BetterHelp, or Lines for Life. You don’t have to be experiencing crisis to get help. All of these resources offer services for people who just need to talk through a rough patch or a rough day. Experiencing pandemic fatigue and asking for help do not make you weak or mean that you’re failing — it’s completely normal, and you’re not alone.

Here’s a couple tools to put in your Pandemic Fatigue Self-Care Toolkit:

• Check in with yourself. Every day. A couple of times a day. What are you really feeling? Am you tired because you’re doing a lot of complex decision making? Have you slept well? Have you eaten enough? Are you hydrated? Really try to push yourself to figure out the root cause of your feelings.

• Connect with who and what matters to you at least once every day.

• Take care of your whole self. Maybe you cannot take care of your full self every day, but make a point to take care of yourself at least in a small way every day. Maybe a one-minute stretch, maybe a 30-minute talk with a close friend, maybe a prayer or meditation. Prioritize your sleep. Take a moment outside. This is a relay. A really long relay. We need to be able to pass the baton and step out to rest.