Top Tips For Fighting Fatigue
A First Steps NZ Resource by Umbrella Thinking
Feeling fatigued? You’re not the only one. Our work and home routines have been transformed by various stages of lockdown and upheaval. It might seem paradoxical that, for those of us who are objectively doing less, our fatigue is nevertheless increasing. But the true picture is much more complex.
Many of us are spending more time than ever on our laptops. When we are not on our laptops, we are on our phones scrolling email. We are on our tablets video-calling friends and family. We are watching TV to unwind. Screens, screens, and more screens. In addition to fatigue, this can lead to psychological disconnection, eye strain, and muscle pain.
We are also more sedentary than ever with limited physical activity throughout the working day. Some of us may be experiencing sleeplessness as our use of blue-light emitting devices encroaches closer and closer to bedtime. Others are suffering from the exhausting and unrelenting crush of anxiety and stress. Our schedules are irregular, our stress response is elevated, and our bodies are suffering.
The good news? There are a number of evidence-based strategies you can try to manage your fatigue.
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