The main symptom of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, also known as Myalgic Encephalomyelitis, is bouts of extreme exhaustion and a general feeling of being unwell. Unlike the exhaustion that most people feel, the physical and mental tiredness caused by CFS doesn’t go away after a good night’s sleep.
It’s easy to see why someone diagnosed with the syndrome might struggle to cope at times. If you’re looking for some strategies to keep tiredness at bay for as long as possible, or even to bring you out of a period of exhaustion, here are four tips just for you!
Reduce Physical Stress
Those with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome may find that their bodies are capable of less physical stress than those around them. What might be a simple task for others can cause someone with CFS to stay in bed for days?
Therefore, it is important to be mindful of your own limitations and triggers. Be wary of lifting heavy objects and engaging in vigorous exercise. Also, consider things like sudden changes in temperature, which can cause a surge of adrenalin that can affect the immune system as well as the endocrine system.
You can also reduce stress on your body by keeping it on a schedule, as this will make it easier for you to eat and sleep right. Many people with Chronic Fatigue struggle with insomnia, and maintaining a sleep schedule (or at least a bed schedule) will eventually tell your body when it needs to sleep.
Exercise
While it is incredibly important that you do not strain yourself, those with CFS can benefit from light exercise. If you find yourself immobile for long periods of time, this can lead to blood clots and bedsores.
Exercising is different for those with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome due to their physical limitations. Instead of heading to the gym for a three-hour workout, exercise should be gentle and increased very gradually.
If your current comfort zone is walking for ten minutes, you could try increasing this by one minute per day. Once you have increased the duration of your exercise, you can start increasing the intensity – like jogging instead of walking. Always remember to listen to your body and take lots of breaks.
Energy Healing
Another strategy that could help your Chronic Fatigue is energy healing, a holistic technique that uses the energy of the body and mind to reteach your body to heal itself. And, unlike traditional medicine, which only offers symptom management for CFS such as pain relief and antidepressants, energy healing aims to find the root of the issue.
A healer will take you on an emotional journey that will identify what is stopping your body from healing itself and aim to remove this barrier. By the end of your treatment, your body will have returned to a state of homeostasis and will once again be able to heal itself. Many people have found this process incredibly effective for their CFS.
Healthy Diet
Like we mentioned before, it can be useful to maintain an eating schedule, but what you eat can also affect the symptoms (and their severity) of your Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. It is highly recommended that those with the condition eat a balanced diet that incorporates all food groups.
While it is not recommended for those with CFS to take on elimination diets, for this reason, it can be a good idea to avoid foods that cause nausea. Before making any drastic changes, however, try eating little and often rather than three large meals, eating and drinking slowly, and eating starchy foods.
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome can be a huge burden in a sufferer’s life, but there are ways to manage the difficulties it presents. Whether you decide to adopt a new fitness regime or take a leap of faith with energy healing, these four strategies might just make coping with CFS a little easier.
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The gradually increasing exercise regimen called GET, has been shown to cause relapse in CFS. You should not be suggesting it.