Coping with Fatigue by listening to what your body is telling you.

 Coping with Fatigue  is not easy, because it is not the same as just being tired, over the years I have really learnt the difference. When you are tired, you can to an extent push yourself beyond that, however the same is not true when you are fatigued. 

I have taken this explanation from a google : Fatigue is more than just tiredness. Fatigue can make it hard to get out of bed in the morning and prevent a person from fulfilling their daily tasks. Physical and mental fatigue are different, but they often occur together. Repeated physical exhaustion can lead to mental fatigue over time.

The above is the reason why some people find it very hard to cope with and that can end up with people getting depressed, because of the frustrations they feel.

Right now many people are experiencing fatigue as the result of Covid 19, the so called "long term Covid " and from what I have read and heard they symptoms are similar to Myalgic encephalomyelitis (not CFS which is different). As I have had this for many years I thought I would share my experiences on how I cope with it and how you might be able to return to a less fatigued state, may be even back to your "normal pre-covid state".

You have to start to learn to listen to what your body is telling you, this is very important, because if you don't then the down periods last longer and longer. 

Have a routine, that is keep to what you did at certain times before you became ill, like having a shower etc and breakfast and other meal times. If you worked then try to fill those hours as. You might not be able to do everything but don't worry about that.

Don't think you are going to be able to exercise as you once did, there is no way you are going to bounce back into that. Do a little at a time and you might find that little gets longer and longer over time. Don't listen to others telling you what to do, I can not stress this enough, listen to your body and do as it allows otherwise you will not improve and may even go backwards, people are well meaning so don't get upset by them.

Mental exercise is more important than physical, it might seem a daft thing to say, but if we use our brains, even by playing video games it helps the body.  How and why I just don't know, only that it does. Again don't over do it.

Change your diet! Cut out sugars and salt as much as possible, that is don't add it to things. If you need sweetener then use honey. As for salt, most processed food contains more than enough of that and you will learn to love the natural taste of fresh food without it. I use butter rather than other products again because it is a natural product. 

I want to stress the importance of natural products and food, because they do help greatly. The removal of man made chemical or processed things really does help, because they are what our bodies were built for. 

Have a treat every so often like choccy, it won't do you any harm and lifts your mood.

If you smoke, stop that damages your body and mind. If you drink then stop or have it at special time, then limit what you drink.

If you can't get out to do physical exercise, then go for a drive if you can or better still get someone to take you out so you get away from the home for a little while. 

THERE IS NO ONE ANSWER TO COPING WITH FATIGUE, BECAUSE WE ARE ALL DIFFERENT IT IS THAT SIMPLE. HAVING SAID THAT I WILL SAY THIS LISTEN TO YOUR BODY AND DON'T PUSH BEYOND, KNOW YOUR LIMITS AND OVER TIME THOSE LIMITS MIGHT EXPAND. IF THIS DOESN'T HAPPEN THEN THAT'S OKAY AS WELL, YOU CAN STILL ENJOY LIFE, JUST A DIFFERENT LIFE THAN BEFORE.

I am sorry for anyone coming here wanting more, I really don't have more to offer, even writing this is pushing my limits, but that's okay as I will go and rest again until my mind and body tell me its okay to do something else.