Chronic fatigue syndrome can drain your energy and make simple everyday tasks feel like a chore; to the point where living a healthy and productive life feels nearly impossible.
There are different cases of CFS, from mild to severe. A person with mild CFS may often need to take extra days off work to rest, while a moderate case of CFS may mean reduced mobility and disturbed sleep patterns. Severe CFS can affect everything from your concentration to your mobility, and even minimal tasks such as brushing your teeth can be challenging.
The good news, however, is that chronic fatigue syndrome doesn’t have to define who you are, and you can still be productive by focusing on little things that can make the symptoms more manageable and enhance your quality of life.
Here five tips for getting the most out of your days, despite chronic fatigue syndrome.
1. Identify your triggers
Everyone has triggers; things that bring on intense CFS symptoms. By identifying your own triggers, you can take steps to avoiding things that aggravate your condition and you’ll be able to organize your day more efficiently.
For some people certain foods may trigger symptoms, others may have environmental or chemical sensitivities. Your physician may be able to help you identify your triggers, but keeping a daily diary of your symptoms and when they started can also help you to identify patterns.
Stress is also thought to be a big contributor to CFS symptoms, so try to eliminate stress from your life as much as possible. Avoid situations that are psychologically demanding; try to keep your schedule flexible and start working on tasks well before the deadlines so that you don’t feel pressured.
2. Pay attention to your food
Believe it or not, nutrition also plays an important role in your ability to cope with CFS. Certain foods like caffeine and sugar may give you a short term buzz, but once the initial effect has worn off, your energy levels will crash and you’ll be left feeling drained and exhausted.
In general, try to avoid junk food and prepare as much as possible of your food from scratch using whole grains, fresh fruits and raw vegetables and high-energy sources of protein such as beans or peas.
It’s also important to note that some foods, even if they are considered to be healthy, may not be the best for you. Everyone reacts differently to different foods, and CFS often causes food sensitivities or allergies that can worsen your condition.
Things like dairy or gluten for example may affect you adversely. Keep a food diary to determine which foods give you the most energy and which ones cause you discomfort.
3. Take notes
CFS is also known to cause memory loss in some individuals, so if you find it difficult to remember things or often walk into a room only to forget what you came to do, it may be a good idea to start noting down everything that you intend to do in order to maximize your time and efforts.
You should do this at the start of the day by making a checklist in a notebook or on your tablet or smart phone. Then throughout the day you can check off what you’ve already done, and remind yourself of what needs to be done next.
You can also keep track of everything from shopping lists to the names and details of new people you meet at work or school.
4. Rest before you are exhausted
One mistake that many CFS sufferers make is pushing themselves to the limit, which causes them to crash at the end or middle of the day. Rather than working to the point of exhaustion, it is far better to take regular breaks and rest stops before the symptoms become unmanageable.
Overexerting yourself also means it will take a lot longer to recover, so in the end you are getting less done than you would have if you took a break and rested on time.
Improving the quality of your sleep at night is also important to your energy levels during the day. Take steps to shut out distractions at bedtime. For example, you may want to use earplugs or a white noise machine to block out noise and eyeshades to keep out the light.
It’s also best to avoid tech gadgets right before you go to bed as they can interfere with your sleep patterns. Don’t watch television in bed and leave your mobile phone and laptop or other gadgets out the bedroom.
Other things like herbal teas with honey or lavender potpourri may also improve your quality of sleep, so experiment with a few things and find out what works for you.
5. Be realistic: don’t compare your activity levels to other people’s
It’s important to be realistic about how much you can accomplish in a day. Don’t compare your activity levels with those of your friends or family, as this will only cause stress and dissatisfaction.
Make a point of measuring your progress by your own past efforts and not someone else’s. By staying realistic about what you can do and leaving room for good and bad days, you will be able to greatly reduce your stress levels and enjoy life more fully.
Iulia says
I don’t know if I got chronic fatigue syndrome but sometimes I am tired even if I get enough sleep, like 9 hours per night or even more. In my case, vitamins help a lot.
sherry yoerger says
READING WHAT EVERYONE HAS SAID, HAS HELPED ME A LOT , JUST TO KNOW IAM NOT CRAZY, IVE BEEN DEALING WITH THIS PROBLEM FOR AROUND 4 YRS, MY DAUGHTER WAS, battling breast cancer surgery at that time, I thought I was doing very well , holding it together, then my son had emergency surgery , on his back, after his surgery, guess it all caught up with me , I went through Anxiety attacks, , cant get enough sleep, cant go to the store , my fatigue takes ove, I have a pain in middle of my chest , straight through to my back, , a long story short , iam Not getting any better, my throat hurts so bad all the time. , there isnt one dr in this town , or in seattle , that has been able to help me, iam sooo tired , ifeel like this must be the way iam going to die, I have no life, I used to be soo active, up at 4 am , bed at 11:00pm I felt great, I know about the age thing, but iam 67 going on 40, now all of a sudden iam 120 yrs old, I cant stop crying, I hurt everywhere. Thanks for listening .
Anne Pearce says
i have had joint pain for years but over the last 12 months i have had a heavy workload
with different shifts throughout a day which has caused stress as a single parent…my tiredness and all over pain is got worse..i am fine on waking except for joint pain but over last 6 mths come lunchtime i am unbearably fatigued and struggle to do simple tasks and stand for long and just want to sleep…all the time my limbs feel heavy and weak….
Sierra says
I am 20 year old living in an 80yr old body. Am I the only one who deals with slight pain in the face and eyes when the tiredness comes over me? My drs will not diagnose me. They say Its just anxiety and I should start taking medication. Which is true to some degree but this fatigue never goes away. I’ve noticed all forms of gluten and yeast and even dairy affect me. I have to pee all the time. I’m constantly sighing. And can’t be out with friends past 9. I can’t remember anyone’s names after I meet them and my family doesn’t understand why I’m gaining weight or need at least an hour nap everyday. It’s taken over my life and I want to change it! Thank you for posting so I don’t feel so alone. I hope to get over this bit don’t know if there’s any hope.
Mary says
I got a Chronic Fatigue Syndrome diagnosis about 8 year ago. I forced myself to keep moving, even though my body felt like dead weight sometimes. I was like that for 5-6 years, and started to improve a little. I really don’t have body pain, but every day in the afternoon I get that pain behind/ around eyes. I use a lot of heat to feel better–heating pad and I make rice packs with flannel that I put cheap, dry rice in and microwave for a few minutes. I put on face and neck. I also have improved with weekly acupuncture, which is rather expensive but hey, it helps. I started using CBD products recently and it does seem to relieve some anxiety. I am often ‘spacy’ though and I sure get frustrated. To everyone out there: here’s a hug and some positive thoughts. Scientists are doing research, and maybe they’ll figure it out soon. Don’t give up!!!
Anne says
I can strongly relate to all of the above comments. I have have been battling extreme fatigue for 8 years. I was diagnosed after 4 years with PMR and put on prednisone. A couple of weeks ago I saw a rheumatologist who told me it is CFS not PMR. Now the symptoms fit. A shower in the morning drained me for the rest of the day. Doing only 3 loads of laundry feels like torture. I am in often bed by 6:30 in the evening then up every 2 hours because the bathroom calls my name. I feel just as bad when I wake up as when I went to bed. Sometimes life feels hopeless, but I keep going because I want to see my youngest grandchild grow up. Hope is what keeps me going!
theresa says
Hi folks!
I live in the upstate New York area, near Albany N.Y.
I struggle with many symptoms that lead me to believe I have CFS.
Do any of you know of a doctor or facility that knows about his condition and could help diagnosis it?
I am so sorry for everyone’s struggle. It is really hard.
Thank you,
Theresa