The sharp, blaring trill of the
alarm reverberates against every surface of the room. You think “Is it that
time already? Just five more minutes…”. Your bed is so snuggly and warm and the
shock of merely poking your toe out from under the covers is more pain than
anyone can bear on a chilly February morning. It’s early and it feels as if you
haven’t slept at all (though you’ve had at least nine hours, ten on a good
day). It’s mornings like that when I need more than a good breakfast and a
heavy dose of caffeine to wake your bones and to say that your eyes feel like
lead would be an understatement.
Oh, the joys of fatigue and the added joy of hearing everyone say that they get that tired all the time too. For anyone that doesn’t actually have fatigue, but struggles more commonly against the common wave of tiredness that hits the vast majority of mankind, this is something difficult to comprehend. Fatigue is more than a yawn and feeling a tad sleepy. It is a deep rooted sense of exhaustion that etches it’s way between every joint and muscle and even in places that you didn’t know used up energy (like your cheeks, God it can be so hard to make facial expressions when you’re fatigued). It can seem effortful to lift your arm up to grab something and at times it can feel so bad that you could spontaneously go into REM sleep mid-conversation.
Now, I know this is a common symptom of a lot of conditions out there and I’m wondering what people out there from all different kinds of background and lifestyles do to manage it.
Personally, I do find opening a window (much to my colleagues dismay at times when in a meeting; I’m so sorry guys) and getting a blast off cool air makes me feel more alert. It can be very easy to feel achy and dozy when in a warm room and when I work with some children, it’s good to start sessions with a quick jump up and down and a shake-up. Not only do they usually find it thoroughly entertaining to watch a grown up get a bit silly, but it does make for a bit of movement to try to wake me up.
I rave about food all the time, but for me I find that having regular snacks keep my energy levels higher and give me a little boost along the day. Obviously, nourish yourself with beautiful, wholesome delights and don’t stuff your face with rubbish (guilty! I won’t say I don’t do that at times). At work, I find whole grain cereal bars to work a treat as well as nuts and dates for a quick energy boost. I probably do eat a bit more than others out there, but that’s why it’s important to keep active. This may sound contradictory to a sufferer of fatigue, but I find that regular exercise does generally give me more energy. Obviously, listen to your body and if it’s crying out for a nap, give it one, but actually, even a short walk up street can give you that little push to carry on with your day, kicking up your metabolism and giving you a serotonin (happy hormone) fix. Exercise also releases endorphins that trigger positive feelings that are similar to the effect of morphine! Sounds crazy, but having natural endorphins pumping around your body making you feel good can intercept your perception of pain, as they have a sedative and analgesic effect too. So, exercise is good for pain, good for energy and will help you feel good and relax for a better night’s sleep. Please consult your doctor before you exercise if you suffer with a health condition and make sure you read the signs your body gives you to take it easy, slow down or stop.
Caffeine: friend or foe? It really depends how much your drinking and there better ways to get an energy kick. With MS, you have to bear in mind that caffeinated drinks are deemed as an irritant and may aggravate your system, making you more likely to develop a urinary infection and therefore increasing your chance of relapse. Adding to this, they are a diuretic and therefore don't count as part of your daily water intake and can leave you dehydrated causing headaches and more fatigue. So far, it doesn't sound like a big cheer for a cuppa. But, I'm a fan of a coffee and within moderation, it helps me to relax and it is actually therapeutic have my hot drink. Giving myself that 15 minutes to have my coffee (or even better, green tea, so antioxidant), allows me to spend a mindful moment catching up with myself, slowing down and seeing where my mind is at for the day. Focusing on the warm sensations of a bold cup of coffee is calming for me and with more than 40 flavours of this beloved bean, I intend to taste loads of them this year and indulge in the richness that is a wonderful cup of coffee. I feel it is the ritual of having a caffeinated drink that gives me the boost as opposed to the caffeine itself, though I will say sometimes you just need it. I allow myself three mildly caffeinated drinks a day and I don't get grouchy on the days I don't get to have this either. Snaffle a few squares of a quality dark chocolate, which is rich in Flavinoids that are highly antioxidant. Research is currently being conducted to look at dark chocolate's impact on fatigue specifically in MS sufferers by Oxford Brookes University. Who knows, this may just be the most perfect excuse to eat this yummy treat more often!
I am more than happy to hear any suggestions and if anyone knows of anything that I'm not already trying, I would love to hear it. Please comment below and let's get sharing some tips. This is part of a little battle I've been fighting and I hope to keep it little and not let it stop me from getting out there.
(taken from http://cdn4.teen.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Monsters-Inc-Bored-Sleepy.gif)
Oh, the joys of fatigue and the added joy of hearing everyone say that they get that tired all the time too. For anyone that doesn’t actually have fatigue, but struggles more commonly against the common wave of tiredness that hits the vast majority of mankind, this is something difficult to comprehend. Fatigue is more than a yawn and feeling a tad sleepy. It is a deep rooted sense of exhaustion that etches it’s way between every joint and muscle and even in places that you didn’t know used up energy (like your cheeks, God it can be so hard to make facial expressions when you’re fatigued). It can seem effortful to lift your arm up to grab something and at times it can feel so bad that you could spontaneously go into REM sleep mid-conversation.
Now, I know this is a common symptom of a lot of conditions out there and I’m wondering what people out there from all different kinds of background and lifestyles do to manage it.
Personally, I do find opening a window (much to my colleagues dismay at times when in a meeting; I’m so sorry guys) and getting a blast off cool air makes me feel more alert. It can be very easy to feel achy and dozy when in a warm room and when I work with some children, it’s good to start sessions with a quick jump up and down and a shake-up. Not only do they usually find it thoroughly entertaining to watch a grown up get a bit silly, but it does make for a bit of movement to try to wake me up.
I rave about food all the time, but for me I find that having regular snacks keep my energy levels higher and give me a little boost along the day. Obviously, nourish yourself with beautiful, wholesome delights and don’t stuff your face with rubbish (guilty! I won’t say I don’t do that at times). At work, I find whole grain cereal bars to work a treat as well as nuts and dates for a quick energy boost. I probably do eat a bit more than others out there, but that’s why it’s important to keep active. This may sound contradictory to a sufferer of fatigue, but I find that regular exercise does generally give me more energy. Obviously, listen to your body and if it’s crying out for a nap, give it one, but actually, even a short walk up street can give you that little push to carry on with your day, kicking up your metabolism and giving you a serotonin (happy hormone) fix. Exercise also releases endorphins that trigger positive feelings that are similar to the effect of morphine! Sounds crazy, but having natural endorphins pumping around your body making you feel good can intercept your perception of pain, as they have a sedative and analgesic effect too. So, exercise is good for pain, good for energy and will help you feel good and relax for a better night’s sleep. Please consult your doctor before you exercise if you suffer with a health condition and make sure you read the signs your body gives you to take it easy, slow down or stop.
Caffeine: friend or foe? It really depends how much your drinking and there better ways to get an energy kick. With MS, you have to bear in mind that caffeinated drinks are deemed as an irritant and may aggravate your system, making you more likely to develop a urinary infection and therefore increasing your chance of relapse. Adding to this, they are a diuretic and therefore don't count as part of your daily water intake and can leave you dehydrated causing headaches and more fatigue. So far, it doesn't sound like a big cheer for a cuppa. But, I'm a fan of a coffee and within moderation, it helps me to relax and it is actually therapeutic have my hot drink. Giving myself that 15 minutes to have my coffee (or even better, green tea, so antioxidant), allows me to spend a mindful moment catching up with myself, slowing down and seeing where my mind is at for the day. Focusing on the warm sensations of a bold cup of coffee is calming for me and with more than 40 flavours of this beloved bean, I intend to taste loads of them this year and indulge in the richness that is a wonderful cup of coffee. I feel it is the ritual of having a caffeinated drink that gives me the boost as opposed to the caffeine itself, though I will say sometimes you just need it. I allow myself three mildly caffeinated drinks a day and I don't get grouchy on the days I don't get to have this either. Snaffle a few squares of a quality dark chocolate, which is rich in Flavinoids that are highly antioxidant. Research is currently being conducted to look at dark chocolate's impact on fatigue specifically in MS sufferers by Oxford Brookes University. Who knows, this may just be the most perfect excuse to eat this yummy treat more often!
I am more than happy to hear any suggestions and if anyone knows of anything that I'm not already trying, I would love to hear it. Please comment below and let's get sharing some tips. This is part of a little battle I've been fighting and I hope to keep it little and not let it stop me from getting out there.
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