Me and Dizzy have just done another little post for Overcoming MS, on 7 ways to manage fatigue, which we thought we would also share here. 🙂 xx
7 ways to manage fatigue
Fatigue is one of the most common symptoms of MS, affecting around 80% of those diagnosed, and it can have a massive impact on day-to-day life. One of the problems is that fatigue affects everyone differently, and that can make it really hard to explain to others!
People with MS can be affected by fatigue both mentally and physically. It can range from feeling tired to having a complete lack of energy, which causes your body to feel super heavy. It can also make other symptoms worse – for me this means extra dizziness.
Unfortunately fatigue isn’t something that we can completely get rid of, but there are ways of helping to manage it. Dizzy and I have compiled a little list of our top tips for helping to manage life with fatigue.
Sleep
Sleep, sleep and more sleep! It’s really important to get a good night’s sleep so that this does not cause an increase in fatigue. I find it helpful to ‘switch off’ an hour before bed time, and to do something relaxing in this time, such as reading a good book.
Prioritizing
By prioritizing tasks and activities it can help reserve energy levels for the things that we want or that are needed to be done. This is a tricky one, if you’re like me you always want to be able to do more, but it’s important not to overdo it.
Making a list of the tasks you need to complete each day and deciding which are the most important can also help with this.
Relaxing
Life is stressful for all of us, and living with a chronic condition can make it even more stressful. We can’t avoid stress completely but we can take time out to relax.
Stress can cause an increase in fatigue so having stress-free times throughout the day can help to give us a little more energy.
Looking after you
Eating a healthy, well-balanced diet and drinking lots of water are both important for helping with energy levels.
Exercising
For me, a lot of the time even the thought of exercising is exhausting. However, it has been proven that even a small amount of regular exercise can help to fight fatigue.
Sometimes it’s not always possible to do much, but even some gentle yoga or stretching can make all the difference.
Keeping cool
Heat can cause an increase in fatigue. If this affects you then it is important to try and stay cool throughout the day, especially in the summer!
Listening to your body
Listen to how your body is feeling and if you feel tired take the time out to rest. It can be really useful to have periods throughout the day to rest and have short naps (or two-hour naps if you’re like me…).
This can help you to then have more energy during the rest of the day.
What are your top tips for coping with fatigue? 🙂 We’d love to know so we can add them to our list. 🙂 xxx
These are all great tips guys. I love seeing Dizzy keep up with her yoga. Yesterday was a beautiful sunny day so I downed tools and went to the beach for a couple of hers and really relaxed. Today I feel less tired and got on with my blog. It is raining cats and dogs outside… 🌼🌼🌼 xxx
Dizzy is being very good with her yoga. 🙂 She’s recently taken up skipping too!
Going to the beach sounds lovely. It was really miserable here yesterday but sunny again today, so we went for a little walk. 🙂 I hope the sun returns to you soon. 🙂 xxx
Dizzy is a wonder. I hope the weather stabilizes for us all and you get more lovely walks xx
I shall tell Dizzy you said so. 🙂 xx It’s gone back to not so good weather today. Me and Dizzy will be staying indoors. 🙂 xxx
Looks like Dizzy’s having fun doing yoga. Dizzy’s friends are so cute!!
Dizzy is! She loves her yoga. 🙂 And thank you, I shall pass on your compliment to them. 🙂 xxx
🙂
Tell her I say hi!! Have a great day & happy May!! (I don’t think anyone says “Happy May”)
Hehe, I’ve never heard it before, but I like it. 🙂 Happy May to you too. 🙂 xxx
Thanks for stopping some great tips. Dizzy and friends look adorable all tucked into bed.😊
Don’t know where “stopping” came from…must’ve accidentally hit one of those “suggested” words at the top of the screen and didn’t see it until I had already hit the button to send it.😄
Hehe, and we did realise. It happens all the time on mine. Or predicted text and it just changes it for you. 🙂 xxx
Thank you Terri. They do all enjoy a good nap. 🙂 xx I hope your week’s going well. 🙂 xxx
I have ulcerative colitis and I have found that the fatigue is one of the hardest things to deal with because, unlike other symptoms, I can’t get my head around feeling guilty about needing to take naps during the day!
Fatigue is so hard to deal with, and at times can be so limiting. It is really important to look after yourself though, and by having a nap you will probably have a little more energy later in the day. 🙂 Don;t feel guilty, you’re just listening to your body and that’s super important. 🙂 xxx
I have UC as well as MS, so I wholly appreciate where you are coming from [[[hugs]]].
Fantastic tips, Dizzy! I think I’m the opposite with the heat (my body doesn’t regulate well and seems to be forever cold) and when I’m warmer I cope a lot better. Listening to your body and taking time to rest when it needs to is so important, especially when it’s easy to get frustrated and keep pushing when you’re just not up to it.
Caz xx
I have heard others with MS say the same too, that they’re better in the heat than the cold. Maybe I should have put cold down too… 🙂
And it’s true. I think we all try to push ourselves too much at time. But I do love a little nap in the afternoon. 🙂 xxx
I love the picture of them taking a nap!
Thank you Jo. xx Hope you’re having a lovely week. 🙂 xxx
Absolutely – – only way to go!
This was so fantastic advice and will be very helpful! I am really bad at listening to my body and resting, but I am learning! I think I need a donkey like Dizzy to remind me about this daily! I will say I do my best on hot days to stay as cool as possible. The heat makes me feel absolutely horrible!! Thank you so much for these great tips!! I hope you and Dizzy have a great evening!
Thank you Alyssa. 🙂 I think we all struggle with listening to our bodies, especially when theres lots of things we want to be getting on with! I’m the same in the heat, luckily discovered magicool last year which really helps. 🙂 Hope you’re having a great day! 🙂 xxx
I love the little ones doing the yoga! The child pose is one I often do after a gym workout. I agree with you that it is important to get away from screens on computers or phones for an hour before bed. It lets my brain settle. And although I do not have MS there are times when I am stressed or have had very long days that I need to just block in some time off in an afternoon and have a NAP!! I don’t do it often but sometimes it is necessary to pay down my sleep debt with a nap.
Naps are just amazing! Even before having MS I found them so useful for helping with stress and just as a mini recharge. 🙂 xx Hope you and Biasini are having a wonderful week. 🙂 xxx
We finally have some spring weather so we are enjoying that!
We had some last week…it’s gone now… But me and Dizzy are being hopeful that it will return again. 🙂 xxx
This is a really great post! Thank you for sharing these great tips! I do get plenty of rest at night, but I should follow your advice and rest a little more during the day. Maybe 2 hours… yippee! 😉 Hydration keeps me going; I start each morning with a cup of lemon water, and I drink plenty of water and green tea throughout the day to keep my energy boosted.
Hehe, I do love a nap. 🙂 I use to drink lemon water in the mornings but haven’t done so in ages! Thank you for the reminder. I definitely need to keep more hydrated than I do most days aswell. xx Hope you’re having a great day. 🙂 xxx
I am thank you! I hope your day is well too. 😀
I took your advice today and caught some Zs… it was great! I was nominated for the Mystery Blogger Award and I nominated you as well! You deserve it! You can find the details in my latest post. Hope you are having a great day!
I’m glad you did. I try to have a little nap everyday. 🙂 Thank you so much for the nomination. I shall potter over and have a little look now. 🙂 xxx
Thank-you! Hope you enjoy! 😉
Writing (actually typing, because I can not read my own writing these days!) lets me relieve stress. Most people are not type “A” like me. Have to complete my daily to-do list that runs in my head.
I find writing does for me too. 🙂 And reading. 🙂 xxx
Do your excercise and getting out and about as early as possible in the morning before things get difficult. It makes you feel normal, but trying to keep up in the afternoon is frankly depressing and best avoided!
My MS nurse recently said about forcing myself to do abit of exercise in the morning, and I must admit it is really helping. 🙂 I’m the opposite though. Half dead in the morning, and then I perk up in the evening! No idea why. xxx
I understand totally. I am a night owl too, but my muscles in arms and legs are early birds. Wierd huh!?
Thank youm ma’am – and thanks everyone for your helpfu replys as well [[[hugs]][
Mal (NSW Australia)
Thanks Mal! 🙂 xxx
Great tips! This is how I manage my chronic pain and fatigue as well. I love your cheerful spirit 🙂 I believe attitude also makes a huge difference.
Thank you, I think it makes a huge difference aswell, not that I manage it all the time though. xx Glad you liked the tips. 🙂 xxx
This is a really useful list, and I didn’t know about the heat aspect of fatigue. I am an ME struggler, so any and all advice on besting the fatigue is highly appreciated 🙂
Heat can be a big one for people with all different conditions. Some people it can be the cold too though, so might be worth seeing if there is any pattern. 🙂 I hope these tips do help, I was diagnosed with ME over 10 years ago and just managed by sleeping most of the time… xxx
Sleeping generally is a problem with a toddler! I am lucky enough that I only had a relatively mild case…bad enough to ruin my life for some years but not bad enough to stop me ‘living’.
thank you so much for your kind and gentle reminders. sometimes life seems to get in the way of taking care of ourselves………LOVE your pictures, they made me smile!
It’s definitely true about life getting in the way. I often need reminders that taking care of myself should be a top priority. 🙂 xx Hope you’re having a lovely week. 🙂 xxx
YES! it should be a top priority…………
Thank you so much for mentioning our blog in your post. 🙂 xxx
I love the Dizzy yoga poses! 😀 Thanks for a great post.
Thank you Amanda. 🙂 xxx