Energy Levels during lockdown – The crashing reality of Isolation Fatigue
As the UK goes through another month of lockdown we might feel a collective sigh of frustration and a crashing drop in energy levels as we prepare to adapt our daily routines yet again.
If like me, you’ve experienced varying energy levels throughout lockdown, had days where you just cannot understand why you feel so stagnant, stuck, demotivated and basically knackered, you might feel reassured to know that this is a common experience.
Quarantine and the uncertainty that has been created in our lives with the onset of Covid has caused many of us to feel an underlying strain and low level but relentless tiredness. When our boundaries are removed, we lose the sense of any separation between our working hours, our family life and our personal space. The added impact of challenges to our ability to make plans, socialise with friends, celebrate life in the usual ways can mean we lose our sense of purpose.
It might be feeling more difficult to stay positive and energised and to wake each morning feeling refreshed and with motivation for the day ahead.
So if you routinely find yourself getting to bed later, or in some cases earlier and earlier, experiencing disrupted sleep, struggling to focus on work or other tasks and generally feeling much lower energy than usual it is likely that the strains of lockdown are taking their toll on many aspects of your physiology.
One of the ways we can help ourselves to cope is first to establish daily routines that bring back some boundaries and structure to the day.
Forget New Year’s resolutions, have a think about your post - covid resolutions.
How do you want to come out of lockdown? Do you want to be fitter and healthier? Do you want to have a new skill or a strategy or outline for what you want life to look like? Making a plan for how you want to spend lockdown and how you want to come out of lockdown can be useful for gaining some peace of mind. When you make a plan it doesn’t need to be rigid. There will be days when we don’t feel like achieving anything and we want to crash and binge Netflix and that’s ok. But on the other days when we feel we want to be energetic and productive a plan of action can help.
For natural and quick ways to raise energy levels and shift focus, exercise is key but it doesn’t need to be anything strenuous, a walk in nature, a gentle stretching session with a focus on deep breathing can quickly rejuvenate the body and move stagnant energy. When we can wake up and enliven the body, the mind will follow.
Equally important is to consider the foods we eat during lockdown and the way we’re eating. Many of us might be eating alone and food should be a great source of pleasure not only fuel. Focusing on foods that can stimulate our senses and raise our energy levels by helping the body to feel light, clean and nourished is key.
Because gut health and the brain are closely linked specific nutrients can help to boost mood and energy levels.
Nuts, seeds, fruits and vegetables containing B vitamins can help to increase energy.
Add in some avocado at breakfast with a couple of poached eggs and some granary toast. A little dark chocolate can also be a great boost. Where possible try to avoid too much caffeine in the morning and wake up the body with a large glass of warm water with lemon slices. This can help to avoid dehydration which is a big cause of low energy and foggy mood.
Consider also supporting your immunity with supplements where required. Most of us will be lacking in Vitamin D through the winter months and a regular intake can help to support and maintain a healthy immune system.
Remember in the famous words of Seamus Heaney ‘if we can winter this one out we can summer anywhere’.
If you’d like to talk out your current Health and Wellbeing struggles, I’m currently running a Winter offer on a one hour nutrition & wellness consultation with follow up diet analysis report and 3 key recommendations to improve immunity and diet, provide more peace of mind and leave you feeling stronger and healthier.
Good health comes from within. Give yourself some TLC this winter, and book your consultation.