Chronic fatigue syndrome can make it hard for you to do the things you usually do. One minute you feel fine, and the next you’re overcome with a profound fatigue that makes it difficult to do much of anything. In fact, it's pretty common to experience relapses when it comes to chronic fatigue.
1. Exercise
Exercise is extremely beneficial, but it's important not to overexert yourself. After all, too much exercise can be devastating to a CFS patient and can trigger a deep relapse.
When you add exercise to your routine, start out slow. Try several short bouts of low-impact activity each day. Start with stretching and strengthening exercises using only your own body weight. Shoot for one minute of activity followed by 3 minutes of rest. Break exercise into a few brief sessions a day.
Try these types of exercises:
- Hand stretches
- Sitting and standing
- Wall push-ups
- Picking up and grasping objects
As you get more comfortable with these exercises, you can gradually increase how long you exercise.
2. Nutrition
What you eat has a huge impact on how your body runs and functions. Eating a healthy balanced diet can help you manage and even reduce the symptoms of chronic fatigue. Additionally, there are many foods you should avoid if you have chronic fatigue. Eat plenty of colorful vegetables, lean meat and fish, whole grains, and low-fat dairy. And try to cut back on saturated fats and limit sugars and processed foods that can cause your blood sugar levels to fluctuate wildly.
These foods include:
- Sugar and White Flour
- Artificial Sweeteners
- Alcohol
- Caffeine
3. Soothe Stress
Stress can have many negative affects on the body, especially for those with CFS. In fact stress caused by everyday problems, such as financial matters, family conflicts, and work issues, are known to worsen chronic fatigue symptoms and prompt a CFS relapse.
So try your best to find ways to help manage your stress. You can try talking with loved ones or make an appointment with one of us or join a support group. Additionally relaxing techniques like TaiChi (my favorite), meditation, or yoga are also good stress relievers. Just experiment a little and find a stress reliever that works for you.
4. Schedule
Make sure to pace yourself. Set up a fixed number of daily chores and activities that you can accomplish without relapsing. Schedule rest periods in between these activities to serve as an energy booster. Creating and following a daily routine also can reduce your stress levels by giving you a certain amount of planned predictability.
If there are any special occasions coming up, make sure to set aside enough time for you to rest. And most of all, make sure not to overexert yourself! Doing too much when you feel well is one of the most common reasons for relapse among CFS patients.
The Chronic Fatigue Takeaway
In short, chronic fatigue is a debilitating disorder that cannot be linked to any underlying medical condition. However, making little changes to your lifestyle and eating right could help ease the symptoms.
Have you experienced chronic fatigue?
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