Mindfulness for Fatigue
Good Morning. This morning, I was reading a dharma talk (a talk or teaching by a Buddhist teacher). The topic of the talk was on fatigue. Crises cause us to experience strong emotions. Fear or anxiety then create stress hormones that give us energy to meet the crisis. Over time, however, that stress results in exhaustion (both physical and mental). When you physically exert yourself through exercise you are tired, but also experience the release of endorphins that provide positive energy and pain relief. When you wear your body down through emotional stress and the repeated release of stress hormones, it is difficult to recoup. The result is fatigue that sleep may not help with. Even when one could sleep, it may be disrupted. Relaxation gets challenging because it’s not clear if one needs to rest (downregulate your body) or upregulate (get up off the couch to generate positive feelings).
The chronicity of COVID and the other crises this year have resulted in many people feeling deep fatigue. Today is the weekend-for many, the weekend offers a time to recooperate. When you deepen your mindfulness practice, you will find that you can choose practices suited to your personal needs, to major events in your life as they arise, and to your personal preferences.
Today, your task is to identify your level of fatigue. Then, to determine if you need to get active or to self-soothe and calm. So begin by observing your current state. What does your body feel like? Your thoughts? If the remedy for any fatigue you may be having is to get active try #1, if you need something more restorative, try #2.
1. Mindfulness for energy:
Take a brisk mindful walk or click the following link for a visualization practice for energy
2. Mindfulness for equanimity:
Throughout the day, do your best to pay attention to your energy level, your attention, and your awareness of your emotional state. Try to use your breath to upregulate and energize if you are feeling tired or to relax your body and mind if you are feeling overwhelmed or irritated.
Have a relaxing day!
Michele
