Feeling exhausted?

If you have been struggling with fatigue – you definitely aren’t alone. Figuring out what is causing fatigue is important, perhaps it is burnout or Long-Covid? With a similar list of symptoms, it may be hard to tell.

Long-COVID
While there is still limited research and evidence into Long-Covid, there are a few things health professionals can tell us. Although it’s got a different name, ‘Long-Covid’ seems to be presenting similarly to something that has been seen in clinical practise for years – Post-Viral Fatigue.

Long-Covid Symptoms can include:
– Fatigue or extreme tiredness
– Cough
– Breathlessness
– Joint or muscle pain
– Chest pain
– Headache or dizziness
– Brain Fog/Memory difficulties
– Sleep and mood disturbances

Burnout
Burnout is defined as a state of emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion caused by excessive and prolonged stress. From this definition, it is simple to see what might be happening and causing such increased rates of fatigue.

Take the last few years of extreme unprecedented stress, and add the fact that we’ve gone from social isolation to trying to live a ‘normal’ life that is still not quite normal. As well as that, most of us have now suffered Covid-19. Together these have created the perfect recipe for burnout.

So, what can you do?
If possible, identify what is draining you the most, this could include: physical (exercise), cognitive (work or study), emotional (anxiety triggers), or social (parties or events). Women’s health expert Ashleigh Mason says, “Pacing is a strategy used to reduce the overall load on the nervous system.

“Think of it as spreading your available energy, much like how a marathon runner would pace themselves in order to be able to complete the race. Once you identify which load (or loads, plural) is draining the most of your energy, you can put some things in place to help you feel better.

“This might look like reducing high-intensity exercise and opting for some calming yoga. Other load softening tools might need to include reducing work hours or projects, or spacing out your social interactions a little more and scheduling more me-time.”

Whether it is Long-Covid or burnout that is triggering your fatigue, the great news is that it’s treatable. Ashleigh says, “The tough love news is that many of us are currently trying to function at a rate that frankly, is just unsustainable.

“Ask yourself what it is that you’re feeling, and what it is that you need. Then give yourself permission to do the thing; be that rest, to slow down, or to ask for help. Know that professional support is out there too.”