Have you noticed how external factors influence the different facets of your condition? It never ceases to amaze me how much seasonal shifts affect my energy levels. I’m sharing the everyday strategies I use to maintain my energy levels and fight fibro fatigue.
The wheel of seasons has definitely turned here in Darwin, with humidity starting to creep up. Our glorious Dry is a thing of the past for another year. And I suspect that the change in seasonal energy is rolling out everywhere although your experience is likely to be quite different to mine.
One thing is common across the board though, at this time of the year energy reserves are severely tested. For many of us living with chronic illness fatigue is already a constant companion, so adding seasonal shift to the mix can be the straw that breaks the camel’s back.
To fight fibro fatigue: start with the essentials
Here are 5 simple yet powerful things you can do to top up the charge in the battery and safeguard against draining it dry.
Put yourself at the top of the list
This is absolutely key. Your needs not only come first, the obligations others put on you must be managed to support you, not anyone else. This can mean saying no more often, delegating and taking radical responsibility. That is owning what’s yours and kindly redirecting what’s not yours to where it belongs in truth.
Hydration
it’s vital that your water intake meets your body’s functional needs. This is approx. 2 litres a day for most women. You can expect that to increase slightly as we head into the warmer months. For us in the Top End, the Build Up could see water requirements increase to 2.5-3 Litres a day.
Nutrition
Eat fresh fruit and veg as your mainstay and “supplement” with the requisite protein and grains that are right for your constitution. If possible, eat what’s in season local to you. I find that hard because I love stone fruit, and they definitely don’t grow in the tropics. I’m know for not being particularly strict on this rule!
Sleep
Always a touchy subject for insom- and painsom-niacs, and I count myself in this category. Do what you can to get as much quality sleep as you can. This article has some great tips if pain is disrupting your sleep.
Things that I’ve found incredibly helpful for improving my sleep are:
- Long, slow stretching before bed.
- Being well hydrated.
- Eating early so that your stomach is empty when you go to bed.
- Epsom salts bath if I’m particularly jittery or experiencing high pain.
- Sticking to a regular bed time as much as possible.
- Reading not screening before bed.
- Sun block out blind or curtains.
- Making sure the room temp is right for you (this can take some negotiation with your partner, unless they’re snoring and you banish them to another room cause they’re contributing to your wakefulness. 😉)
- If you happen to drink it, no caffeine after midday.
- Regular exercise, which brings me to the next point…
Regular exercise
I touched on this briefly in my last newsletter: the importance of muscles for your overall health. Exercise is an obvious contributor to muscle health. It’s also a good way to improve the quality of your sleep. Now when you’re operating with a deficit of energy and mobility this idea can sound ludicrous, I hear you. But it is one of the key things you can do to improve not only the quality of your sleep but the quality of your experience when you live with chronic illness.
My 3 top tips when it comes to exercise are these:
- Start small and be kind to yourself, but also be truthful.
Are there days that you are merely shirking rather than truly unable? This is an opportunity to start expanding your personal boundaries and really get to know yourself. - Find exercises that you enjoy.
Don’t force yourself to do anything as this will undermine any of the wins that exercise makes for you. The key is to be light and playful and enjoy the things that you know are helping your body. - Mix it up.
It’s important to include a mix of strength, cardio, flexibility, social interaction and fun. Aim for building your stamina at a pace that supports rather than depletes.
None of this is rocket science, I know, but it’s the little things that accumulate and they can either be the things to build you up, or they can be the things that bring you down.
I’d love to know what you do to support yourself in this funny, transitional time of the year.
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