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Yawn!!!

Writer's picture: Emma CoyleEmma Coyle

Have you been wondering why you are feeling so tired lately? It might not make sense if you believe you've been doing less than you normally would.


When a dramatic change happens, the process of adjusting to the change takes its toll, both on our physical and mental health.


Think about when you were recovering from an illness. You might not have been very physically active during the period of illness but in fact your body was physically recovering from the illness, from fighting it and overcoming it. This has an impact on your mind too, leaving you feeling run down and tired for even weeks after.


Stress and anxiety can also have this effect on the body and interestingly so can boredom/monotony.

Like any major change in our life, it's going to take time for our bodies (and minds) to adjust to the different pace and way of life and we will go through phases.

Phase 1: - Disengaging from your 'old' way of living and working and establishing 'new' ways of being. Individuals may find yourself feeling low and wanting to cry - this is a very common response It can be helpful to keep a diary of feelings and your thoughts around this time - it will help you track how you are doing

Phase 2: - Around about 3 weeks, some individuals may experience sudden melancholy and a loss of morale. They may worry that this new state of being is going to be permanent. This phase is just passing- it won't last Phase 3: - After about 3 months, many people adapt to their new way of life

Wherever you find yourself in the cycle, there are steps you can take right now to help yourself:

1. Establish structure To avoid feeling low and unmotivated, it can be helpful to set a structure around your day. This can help you to regain control in your life and prevent build up of 'empty' time that does little but highlight your isolation. It is during this empty, unstructured time that people are most likely to feel withdrawn, apathetic, sleep badly and neglect personal hygiene. Scheduling mealtimes and shared activities can be a very helpful tool in preventing social monotony

2. Take regular exercise Going for a walk or doing an online workout may make you physically tired but longer term it actually reduces feelings of tiredness as it improves your quality of sleep. Better sleep means you are likely to feel less tired and in turn less anxious (anxiety being a non-physical symptom of fatigue)

3. Plan ahead and set goals Work towards a happy future date but be prepared to reschedule that date if necessary. Remember those feel good feelings when you were a child and your Birthday was approaching? Try and experience those kinds of feelings again by planning something that you can look forward to. This will also help to reduce anxiety and in turn help you sleep better and feel less tired

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