Sunday, April 21, 2024

How To Get Energy With Chronic Fatigue

Must Read

Meal Plan And Prep When You Can

Why You’re Always Tired – The REAL Reasons – Dr. Berg

One of the best ways to ensure a nutritious diet is to meal plan and prep food ahead of time. On days that you have more energy, plan out what you will eat for the rest of the week and prep your basic ingredients or cook the meals all the way through. Your meals will be all ready to go. You wont have to worry about what youll eat on a given day. Even better: Enlist someone to help you so you can get more done without exhausting yourself.

Symptoms Of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Doctors have narrowed down some of the triggers for chronic fatigue syndrome. Everyone is different, though, and may experience symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome differently, but theCenters for Disease Control and doctors classifychronic fatigue syndrome as having at least four of the following physical symptoms for at least six months:

  • Post-exertional malaise
  • Unrefreshing sleep
  • Headaches

Chronic fatigue syndrome can only be diagnosed when other diseases have been ruled out, but thats the problem: You may experience fatigue as a symptom of other health conditions.

Boost Your Vitamin D Intake

Many people are deficient in vitamin D, a nutrient that is vital for a healthy immune system and may play a role in energy and fatigue. Your body can produce its own vitamin D when exposed to sunshine and you can get some vitamin D from your diet, such as from fish and fortified milk, but if your vitamin D levels are very low you may need to take a vitamin D supplement. You can talk to your doctor about whether you should get a blood test to check your vitamin D levels.

You May Like: Is Fatigue A Side Effect Of Cosentyx

Sigils Methods 2 Matos Spells And Magic

When the sigil is ready, it is activated by implanting it into the psyche. This is the most difficult part in this process, and Spare offers only very few hints on practical procedures. However, it is crucial that the sigil is internalized in a trance of sorts. This may take place in a state of euphoria , in ecstasy , or in a state of physical fatigue. For the latter example, eyes and arms may be tired by the magician folding his her arms behind the head while standing in front of a

Ask About Flexible Work Arrangements

Do You Have Chronic Fatigue? The Real Reason You Have No Energy

On days when the fatigue overwhelms Marco, he has the option of working from home. Its not an option for everyone but if you think your job might allows it, its worth asking about it, he says. My boss is pretty understanding and I try to limit it to days when the flare-ups are really bad, he explains. My last boss would never have let me do it though, so it really is about your office culture. Here are more tips for navigating work with chronic illness.

Also Check: Best Tea For Adrenal Fatigue

Causes Of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

We still know very little about chronic fatigue, and sadly, the cause is still unknown. While researchers continue to search for the root cause of CFS, there are preliminary findings that hormonal imbalances, poor immune system response, viral infections, chronic low blood pressure and nutritional deficiency are contributing factors.

In addition, research indicates that chronic fatigue syndrome may be linked to oxidative stress, Celiac disease, and food sensitivities or food allergies.

Most researchers believe that its a combination of factors that can vary from individual to individual. Viruses that can cause CFS include HHV-6, HTLV, Epstein-Barr, measles, coxsackie B, parovirus and cytomegalovirus.

What Fatigue Really Feels Like

Think about these scenarios:

  • You had the flu and it knocked you out for a short period. You were too sick to get much done, and definitely too sick to work or play with your children.
  • You had too much fun and a few too many drinks one night, then couldnt get off the couch the entire next day. You felt so weak and tired that you had to call in sick with some made-up illness.

Chronic fatigue resembles these situations, but its worse because it doesnt get better with medicine, rest, caffeine, a greasy breakfast, or time.

Indeed, Dr. Barlett told me that Im not alone in these descriptions.

People with RA will often describe their fatigue as a feeling of being completely wiped out or utterly exhausted or how I feel when Im coming down with the flu, she says. This type of fatigue does not seem to improve with sleep or rest, and very often is a sign that disease activity is increasing. Indeed, in work we did across many countries, almost everyone we spoke with mentioned extreme fatigue as the first and most reliable signs that they are about to have a serious disease flare.

Our fatigue is always there, nagging away.

Read Also: Hair Loss Fatigue Weight Gain

Causes Of Extreme Fatigue

Many people struggle with fatigue, which has many causes some obvious, others not so much. Causes of chronic fatigue include poor quality or not enough sleep, a bad diet, not exercising, and metabolic and hormonal imbalances. It becomes a vicious cycle when fatigue sets in and worsens your fatigue.

But you can manage your fatigue when you first figure out the root causeor causes of feeling tired all the time. Some reasons why you might feel extreme fatigue include:

  • Adrenal burnout
  • Thyroid imbalances
  • Other hormonal imbalances like testosterone, estrogen, and cortisol
  • Being a perfectionist
  • Being around overly critical or negative people
  • Not having a positive mindset
  • Food sensitivities
  • Mitochondrial dysfunctions mitochondria are those little power plants in your cells. Malfunctioning mitochondria can create massive energy crashes.
  • Overexercise a good workout should leave you feeling energetic and strong. Overexercising or overtraining can have the opposite effect, creating chronic fatigue that zaps your energy and mood.
  • Toxicity including things like environmental pollutants, but also less-obvious toxins, including mold, mercury from amalgams, and electromagnetic fields from electronics.

This list goes on, and oftentimes multiple factors create or worsen fatigue. On the other hand, chronic fatigue might result from one primary reason, like poor sleep, stress, a bad diet, or not getting the right nutrients. These five strategies may help you boost your energy.

Fatigue Is Not Being Lazy

Burn Out to Brilliance. Recovery from Chronic Fatigue | Linda Jones | TEDxBirminghamCityUniversity

You wouldnt call someone recovering from a heart attack or undergoing cancer treatment lazy. Yet chronic fatigue which is due to underlying medical reasons has this way of making those it impacts appear lazy.

Fatigue robs us of our ability to think clearly and of our motivation. We are not being lazy when we cant get out of bed, go to work, run errands, or play with our children. We are physically and mentally unable to.

You would never call someone dealing with a debilitating illness lazy if you knew what they were going through on an everyday basis. Some of our most severe symptoms are invisible, which is part of the problem.

You May Like: Reasons For Fatigue And Sleepiness

S To Overcoming Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Naturally

Getting well requires undoing the things that contributed to your misery in the first place. Once you minimize or eliminate the root causes , amazing things happen. Cells are reenergized. Normal communication pathways become re-established. Immune system functions rebound. Adrenal and thyroid functions normalize. Nerves and neurotransmitters calm, and the brain starts functioning again.

Healing can take place, and symptoms, including fatigue, gradually resolve.

But to get well, you must want to be well more deeply than anything you have ever wanted. Ultimately, becoming well is your responsibility, and you alone must put the effort forward to make your recovery happen. This doesnt exclude having positive relationships with healthcare providers, family, and friends, which are all much to your benefit. But when you leave behind a total dependence on others to rescue you from misery, and take a stand to regain wellness that is rightfully yours to enjoy, you become a new person with a renewed purpose in life. That renewed purpose will carry you back to wellness and beyond.

Even with renewed spirit, however, youll need a plan to follow. The following guidelines provide the basic outline for the strategy I used personally to recover wellness, and that Ive since shared to successfully help thousands of others. You can follow in their footsteps.

Some Illnesses Cause Fatigue

Sometimes, fatigue can be the first sign that something is wrong in your body. For example, people with rheumatoid arthritis, a painful condition that affects the joints, often complain of fatigue. People with cancer may feel fatigued from the disease, treatments, or both.

Many medical problems and treatments can add to fatigue. These include:

  • Taking certain medications, such as antidepressants, antihistamines, and medicines for nausea and pain
  • Having medical treatments, like chemotherapy and radiation, or recovering from major surgery
  • Infections
  • Chronic diseases like diabetes, heart disease, kidney disease, liver disease, thyroid disease, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
  • Untreated pain and diseases like fibromyalgia
  • Anemia
  • Sleep apnea and other sleep disorders

Managing a health problem may make the fatigue go away. Your doctor can help.

Read Also: Is Fatigue A Sign Of High Blood Pressure

What To Do If Your Fatigue Lingers Or Gets Worse

A person is considered to have long COVID when symptoms havent gone away after four or more weeks of falling ill, according to the CDC.

Its estimated that about 30 percent of people with COVID-19, maybe even more, end up having long-term symptoms, and that can include fatigue, says Gupta.

Try not to get upset if it takes a while for your fatigue to lift. The time it takes for fatigue to resolve can vary from person to person, McClellan says, but you should expect to get better eventually. I think psychologically its good to know that fatigue is something that will go away.

Gupta recommends checking in with your healthcare provider if your symptoms linger. If fatigue or other symptoms get to a point where you cant manage them or care for yourself anymore, you definitely need to seek help, she says.

She also emphasizes the importance of getting the COVID-19 vaccine to reduce your chances of getting sick or developing a severe case if you become infected. People need to be vaccinated. Theres no substitute for that right now, she says.

Get Your Energy Back: How To Fight Chronic Fatigue

How to Get Rid of Chronic Fatigue And Lack of Strength

Chronic fatigue affects millions of people across the globe and can have a devastating effect on our physical and emotional wellbeing and severely impact our mental health. It can be incredibly frustrating when you cant identify the cause of your chronic fatigue, but not all hope is lost. There are things you can do to lessen the symptoms of chronic fatigue and the impact it has on your life.

Recommended Reading: Where To Buy Anti Fatigue Mats

Is It Like Long Covid

Early in the pandemic, we realised some patients had a cluster of debilitating symptoms that dragged on for months, which we now call long COVID.

Some 85% of long COVID patients experience fatigue, making it one of the most common long COVID symptoms.

However, people with long COVID have a range of other symptoms, such as brain fog, headaches and muscle aches. Patients with long COVID therefore experience more than fatigue, and sometimes dont have fatigue at all.

We knew about chronic fatigue syndrome, otherwise known as myalgic encephalomyelitis, well before COVID.

This often develops after a viral infection . So, understandably, there has been concern around the coronavirus potentially triggering chronic fatigue syndrome.

Read more:Explainer: what is chronic fatigue syndrome?

There are striking similarities between chronic fatigue syndrome and long COVID. Both involve debilitating fatigue, brain fog and/or muscle aches.

But at this stage, researchers are still untangling any link between post-COVID fatigue, long COVID and chronic fatigue syndrome.

For now, we know many people will have post-COVID fatigue but thankfully do not go on to develop long COVID or chronic fatigue syndrome.

Eliminate Food Sensitivities And Allergens

More and more research is pointing to a link between food allergies and sensitivities and chronic fatigue syndrome. Allergies to certain foods, pollen, metals and other environmental chemicals may be causing the rising number of individuals with CFS.

According to a study published in the Scandinavian Journal of Gastroenterology, IBS, fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue are linked, and researchers were surprised. In a study of 84 patients that had been referred for unexplained digestive problems, nearly all patients qualified for a diagnosis of IBS, 85 percent had chronic fatigue syndrome and 71 percent had fibromyalgia. The common denominator, researchers in this study believe, is poor digestion and food sensitivities.

Gluten & Other Common Intolerances

For example, one of todays most common food sensitivities is agluten sensitivity. Lactose intolerance, a casein allergy and an intolerance of other common allergens also may be at the root of chronic fatigue. Other common allergens include tree nuts, peanuts, dairy, soy, shellfish and yeast.

I suggestion is to consider taking an IgG test to help you determine the foods that you are sensitive to then you can eliminate them from your diet. By getting rid of your personal known allergens, symptoms of IBS, ADHD, cystic fibrosis, rheumatoid arthritis and chronic fatigue can potentially be relieved.

Candida Imbalance

Casein

H. Pylori

Recommended Reading: Can Mold Exposure Cause Fatigue

Talking To The Doctor About Fatigue

Some fatigue may be inevitable with many chronic illnesses, but that doesnt mean you shouldnt talk to your doctor about it. I asked Dr. Bartlett when someone should bring up their struggles to their doctor.

Any time you feel that your fatigue is interfering with your life you have stopped doing things that you love like painting or gardening because you dont have the energy is an important signal. If you find yourself unwilling to make plans because youre not sure youll have enough energy on the weekend, that is an important sign, she says.

First, she recommends doing a thorough self-care inventory to make sure youre doing everything you can do to manage fatigue on your own.

  • Make sure you are getting enough physical activity and maybe increase your activity if it is on the low end.
  • Be sure you are getting to bed at a reasonable hour every night, no exceptions.
  • Examine what youre eating and try to eat a lighter meal earlier in the evening.
  • Limit how much news youre watching or how much time you spend in front of screens generally.
  • Make sure you are taking all of your medications as prescribed.
  • Assess your pain levels: Have you been in more pain recently? Are there things you can do to reduce your pain ?
  • Consider your work schedule: Have you been working longer hours, or letting work spill over so its taking up too much of your evenings and weekends?

What Is Pots And Why Does It Cause Fatigue

How To Get Over Chronic Fatigue (HELP YOUR METABOLISM!)

POTS is a group of symptoms resulting from dysfunction of the autonomic nervous system. This branch of the nervous system regulates functions we dont consciously control like sweating and blood circulation.

In people with POTS, more blood collects in the lower body when standing upright. The heart beats faster to pump it up to the brain, but with little success. The causes of POTS are unknown, but the problem is thought to lie in the communication breakdown between the brain and the cardiovascular system.

POTS-related fatigue is physical in nature and the mechanism behind it is not fully understood. It may have several causes, including your body working harder to move the blood.

Read Also: Signs Of Dizziness And Fatigue

Top 5 Natural Ingredients For An Energy Boost

Its not unusual for women to rely on caffeine or other stimulants to jump start their day, but doing that simply covers up the problem. Fortunately, there are natural ways to boost your energy, such as herbs that help relieve adrenal stress and lack of energy these work with your body to restore balance, rather than just masking symptoms.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Causes

Researchers have proposed various other CFS case definitions subsequent to the 1994 study. While they share features with the earlier definition, they also differ in the emphasis given to symptoms and severity. So while further research is conducted, the CDC continues to cite the 1994 case definition:

Chronic fatigue syndrome is a debilitating and complex disorder characterized by intense fatigue that is not improved by bed rest and that may be worsened by physical activity or mental exertion. People with CFS often function at a substantially lower level of activity than they were capable of before they became ill.

The CDC case definition goes on discuss the challenge of finding a chronic fatigue syndrome cause:

The cause or causes of CFS have not been identified, and no specific diagnostic tests are available. Therefore, a CFS diagnosis requires three criteria:

  • The individual has had severe chronic fatigue for six or more consecutive months that is not due to ongoing exertion or other medical conditions associated with fatigue .
  • The fatigue significantly interferes with daily activities and work.
  • The individual concurrently has four or more of the following eight symptoms:
  • post-exertion malaise lasting more than 24 hours
  • unrefreshing sleep
  • pain in the joints without swelling or redness
  • headaches of a new type, pattern, or severity
  • tender lymph nodes in the neck or armpit
  • a sore throat that is frequent or recurring

You May Like: Extreme Fatigue And Low Blood Pressure

How Can You Practice These Techniques

Pacing yourself and staying within your energy envelope take practice. You may find that keeping a diary helps. You could start out by simply estimating how much energy certain activities take. For example, ask yourself how much energy does it take to drive to the store or do the dishes? How much does it take to spend 10 minutes reading a book, writing emails, paying bills, or talking to a friend?

You can also use your diary to write down how much energy you thought you would have in a day. Then list your activities. Write down how much energy you thought each one would take, and how much each one actually took.

You may also try using a fitness tracker to track your activities. This can help you learn to estimate how much energy your activities take.

You may want to break your activities down into chunks. For example, you may want to weed your garden. You could divide your area into small sections. Then you can estimate how much energy you would use for each section. Plan to do only the amount of weeding you can do without going outside your energy envelope.

It may also help to think about having planned breaks. Again, in this example about weeding, you would stop and rest after a certain amount of time . Try setting a timer or alarm to go off when it’s time to take a break.

But with practice, it will get easier. Soon you’ll get better at knowing how much you can do in a day and when you need to rest, so you can do more of what you want to do.

More articles

Popular Articles