I don't know about you, but I've been getting sleepy during the day while I'm at work. My doctor has suggested I get tested for sleep apnea. She could be right, but it could be something else.
According to research by California Almonds I could be experiencing “pandemic fatigue”. For sure the pandemic has weighed heavily on my mind and that of my family and we're not alone. According to the research 45% of those surveyed say they have felt more tired over the last year. I was surprised to read that it’s hitting younger people even harder with 68% of 18- to 24-year-olds saying they are feeling more tired than usual. How tired? This research shows the average adult experiences fatigue about 3 and a half hours a day.
How are we coping? Caffeine and sugary snacks. Forty percent of those surveyed down four or more cups of coffee a day and more than 30% rely on sugary snacks to keep themselves going. That explains the surge of energy and the sudden loss of it a short time later landing right back in the tired zone. That could also explain, in part, the weight gain so many of us have experienced in the past year. So when someone says they are tired of the pandemic they really , physically, are tired.
I'll tell you one thing, the after work "nappy hour" for me has turned into an absolute necessity. The sleep I get from that nap can range from a twenty minute power-nap to a full-blown, deep sleep that lasts around ninety minutes and comes complete with weird dreams. At least I'm not sleeping at work, which could cost me my job, and I'm not dreaming about the pandemic.