Whatever name you give it — post-moving exhaustion, PCS fatigue or relocation anxiety — military families feel it every time they’re in the throes of relocating their livelihood.
“I think PCS fatigue is a real thing,” said Desiree Dillehay, an Army spouse whose family recently moved to Georgia. “And only people who are in the military and have moved around truly understand it.”
Dillehay and her family have had to relocate every year since 2019, a reality that has her dreading her next PCS, she said. While moving on an intermittent schedule comes with its own set of worries and anxieties for military families, furniture that gets lost or damaged during the move only adds to the stress. Yet it seems to be an inevitable consequence for many people navigating a PCS.
“We’ve had two very rough moves where we had a lot of damage,” Dillehay said. “You talk about fatigue and that, I think, is where it really comes in at.”
My family experienced something similar on a PCS. Broken lamps, cracked dishes, and scuffed artwork and furniture made the list of documented damage in our new home. Our bed also arrived broken. And that, for me, was when the PCS fatigue really set in.
While there isn’t an official psychological term to identify the burnout felt during a move, people can have emotional exhaustion from moving, said psychotherapist Teralyn Sell, Ph.D. That exhaustion can result in what would likely be called adjustment disorder, she said.
“This is basically when someone experiences depression, anxiety, or both as a result of a significant change in life that they might have difficulty adjusting to,” Sell said.
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In my case, I can simplify it to this: I was ready to sleep in my own bed, and I couldn’t for weeks.
A good night’s sleep has always been important to me. And for good reason. Sleep is a significant part of our human experience as it’s a modulator of both mood and energy, according to Sell. Plus, research shows sleep deprivation and disruption can also play a role in disease and illness.
We live and we learn from each PCS, so in our most recent move, I began to research beds that could potentially survive the remaining moves we have left in my husband’s Army career. We settled on The Thuma Bed, a high-quality platform bed with a modern aesthetic that’s both sustainable and functional. And though I doubt I’m done with PCS fatigue completely, at least I know I have a bed that can also weather whatever this military life throws at it.
What makes Thuma the potentially perfect PCS bed?
The Thuma Bed frame is made out of repurposed wood, and the slats are made from recycled plastics, making this is both a durable and an environmentally responsible purchase.
Assembling the bed is low-maintenance, user-friendly and requires no tools. The pieces of the frame seamlessly lock into place, and two hand-tightened screws secure everything in place.
For the head of the bed, buyers can choose between the PillowBoard or the Headboard. The PillowBoard is a foam interior with interchangeable slipcover options. Bonus: The linen-weave fabric covers are removable and washable. When it’s time to transition to forever-home status, upgrading to the Headboard, crafted from the same recycled wood as The Thuma Bed frame, is a likely option.
This article was written by Sierra Leone Starks, Army spouse.
