Tips for Fighting Fatigue

To recap- I asked my IG fam their best tips/tricks to fighting fatigue and these were the top 4 answers. In this post I will dive deeper into 1 + 2 and particular tips to better help us all fight fatigue!

Focusing on Rest/Naps and Exercise/Yoga in this post *insert jazz-hands*

Let’s get into it, shall we?! 

Rest + Naps

From what I gathered, listening to our bodies is key when it comes to fighting fatigue! This is something I often preach and try my hardest to practice.

It’s definitely easier said than done. Sometimes I have to just get sh*t done, so resting every time by body conks out isn’t always an option. Ya feel? With that being said, I’m a huge advocate for listening to our bodies. They speak to us, we just need to tune in to it. I also tend to focus on preventative ways of dealing with fatigue!

Pro tip: Take breaks throughout the day to make sure you don’t overdo it. Nothing wrong with frequent breaks! This means also planning rest periods even on “good” days too!

Personally, this beast shows up whenever it pleases, for as long as it pleases.. And when it hits, it hits hard. I’ve learned not to fight it! Typically, when I suffer from fatigue, I do a quick review of what my last few days consisted of- what was I eating, did I sleep enough, was I pushing myself beyond my limits, etc. 9/10 times I was not on my best behavior, thus landing myself on fatigue island. Yay me.

When I end up in that oh so lovely place, I absolutely do my best to rest and reset. If this means taking naps, then that’s exactly what I do. I grab my ReLeafpacks, cool myself down, put Harry Potter on the tv, and just rest. I try to give my body exactly what it needs; what it’s asking for. I’m gentle with myself. I know how easy it is to become upset with ourselves, our bodies, when they don’t behave the way we wish they would. But resting IS healing too. It takes time to accept the fact that sometimes we can’t just go-go-go. Having to teach ourselves that REST IS PRODUCTIVE takes time! Give yourself grace with this.

Story time: I remember this day vividly. It was December 2019, for my husbands’ birthday I planned a surprise party for him. Hubs had been begging me to go mini golfing for what felt like an eternity. So, I planned for his birthday to be at this great mini golf place in Naples where we would go for dates in high school. I’m terrible at keeping secrets, but I never once let him in on what was going on! I was so proud of myself! 3 hours before we were supposed to leave, I got hit with fatigue… HARD.

I was so upset, so irritated with myself. I was determined to this surprise party for Hubs. So, I took a nap. Yep! I napped! And it was glorious! I had set a timer with enough time for me to get presentable and it worked! I think it was a mixture of pure determination and the rest/nap combo that helped! I was able to get Hubs to his surprise party and yes, he was happily caught off-guard! #success

Sometimes rest, a quick nap, and resetting is helpful when it comes to tackling fatigue. It’s not a magic potion, BUT it is something!

Exercise + Yoga

Move it to lose it! Seriously. It sounds crazy that movement helps keep fatigue at bay because when I’m suffering from fatigue, I can barely move my arms let alone imagine working out! But it’s true, I promise you! Exercise is fantastic for keeping fatigue away. No matter how little or how much movement you do- anything is better than nothing.

Some excellent tips from fellow Chronic Illness Warriors include:

• Walking

• Light movement

• Gentle stretching

• Jogging

• Swimming

• Breath work

• Yoga

The last point leads me to another top response and one that I personally take part in- yoga! Yes, yes, yes, I know you must’ve heard to try yoga for your fatigue, MS, or other chronic illness- but I can personally attest to the magical properties of yoga. After my injuries, my practice of yoga changed drastically. It went from a hot power yoga goddess, to gentle stretches with a focus on breath and mindfulness. The beauty of yoga is it is extremely adaptable so its user friendly for all. Yoga allows us to check in with our bodies and get to root problems. It’s the practice of deepening our connection between mind, body, and soul. I wasn’t shocked when yoga was one of the top responses to combating fatigue.

The link below will take you to an article from The National Multiple Sclerosis Society- specifically on how yoga has helped lower fatigue in MS Warriors!

This link will bring you to an article from YogaCampus and focuses on how yoga can help with CFS (chronic fatigue syndrome) a great informative read! Also links back to the central nervous system which also directly links to Multiple Sclerosis!

Next time I’ll dive into the next major tips to fighting fatigue- clean eating, vitamins (my favorite) and meditation (my other favorite)! Actually, I feel like this entire list/all these tips are useful for not only fighting fatigue, but a decent guide to living with Multiple Sclerosis! Go figure!

All my love,

Ashleigh Rose