If you are feeling exhausted or burned out due to the COVID-19 pandemic, you are not alone.

So says Banner Health, which adds it is easy to feel drained because of all the news about the virus and the need to add new rules to your daily routine, including wearing masks in public and social distancing. At the beginning of the pandemic, many people felt some urgency related to Coronavirus and did what they could to stay home and slow the spread of the virus. However, today that feeling of urgency might have decreased.

Pandemic fatigue is a feeling of exhaustion because of the pandemic’s effect on our lives, including quarantining, losing jobs and the fears of becoming sick.

A psychiatrist at Banner Behavioral Health Hospital in Scottsdale, Dr. Gagandeep Singh, said because everyone sees so much information about COVID-19 in the news they begin to ignore it. Those feelings can lead to relaxing the rules and downplaying the current risks associated with the virus.

Singh suggests that people remind themselves that there is a purpose behind washing their hands, wearing a mask and staying home. Also, it is important for people to realize they have control over their actions and can do their part to slow the spread. Singh said though the pandemic is a serious issue, it is okay to laugh. Laughing releases endorphins and helps decrease stress.

Other ways to cope include connecting with friends and family through virtual calls, socially distanced gatherings outdoors and Netflix parties. Letters and socially distanced walks or hikes with friends are other ways to feel linked to others. Singh said it is good to find gratitude during challenging times, including writing down three things that were positive every day.