Living with chronic fatigue can be a real challenge. It is a complicated disorder characterized by extreme fatigue that lasts for a minimum of six months and is accompanied by other symptoms, such as:
- Feeling tired after 7-8 hours of sleep
- Dizziness and daytime sleepiness
- Difficulty with focus, concentration, and memory
- Lack of energy
- Lack of motivation
If your symptoms are unmanageable without over-the-counter medications, your body might need a combination of medications and lifestyle changes. However, if your symptoms are mild and haven’t started hampering your everyday life yet, it is advised to incorporate some healthy habits in your lifestyle to manage your condition. In this article, we’ve shared four lifestyle changes you can adopt to make a living with fatigue more bearable.
Workout Everyday
While a proper exercise routine is beneficial for every individual, people living with chronic fatigue can struggle with their exercise plan. Hence, in these cases, individualized plans are needed because any workout or exercise can lead to exhaustion, which can worsen the symptoms. Work with a physical therapist or your doctor to create a proper workout plan and follow it dedicatedly. This will help you easily deal with post-exercise fatigue.
Nutrition
What you’re consuming can have a significant impact on your symptoms. Doctors suggest that a diet rich in monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats and avoiding refined carbs ( like the Mediterranean Diet) can be helpful for managing fatigue levels. In addition, eat small and several meals in a day to maintain your body’s natural levels. Furthermore, avoid foods that bring your energy levels down, such as sugar, alcohol, sweeteners, and caffeine.
Try Natural Herbs
Did you know cannabis or weed can help you boost energy levels and concentration? Cannabis is a herbal substance that is known to reduce stress, anxiety, poor sleep, etc. Many adults with chronic fatigue symptoms prefer aaa weed (a weed strain) to smoke marijuana to get temporary but effective relief. Other than that, herbs like ashwagandha, turmeric, ginseng, etc., are also beneficial for managing the symptoms such as poor sleep and daytime sleepiness.
Maintain a Sleep Routine
People living with chronic fatigue generally have poor sleeping habits, as insomnia and disturbed sleep often gets in the way of a good night’s rest. Thus, it is very important to ensure that you follow a proper sleep schedule where you take at least 7-8 hours of sleep every day. If you still struggle, here are a few ways how you can manipulate your mind to get to sleep naturally:
- Make sure your room is neat and clean and smells good
- Meditate 15 minutes before you go to bed
- Take a shower and read a book
- Leave your phone at least an hour before going to bed
Final Thoughts
In a nutshell, chronic fatigue is a complicated condition which needs to be handled with care and precautions. Follow the above-mentioned tips to gain control over your symptoms and live life more peacefully. However, if you think your symptoms are severe, make sure to consult a doctor and get yourself checked for an underlying medical condition.