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Dealing with fibromyalgia fatigue is a challenge. And sometimes, the fatigue associated with fibromyalgia is more disruptive to your daily life than the pain is!
Lots of different things impact fibromyalgia fatigue, like poor quality sleep and even the pain cycles you deal with. All in all, fibromyalgia and other chronic illnesses make self-care a hard task, and without that key relaxation, you’ll sleep even less and feel worse.
To break the vicious cycle of fibromyalgia, you need to adjust your daily routine and focus on self-care.
But how do you actually deal with fibromyalgia fatigue when it happens?
7 Tips for Dealing With Fibromyalgia Fatigue
Coping with fatigue is very difficult, and there is no quick fix. With fibromyalgia fatigue, you could sleep for days without feeling rested.
That’s why creating a systematic approach with multiple coping strategies is important.
Here are seven tips to add to your toolbox for dealing with fibromyalgia fatigue!
1. Try Exercising Regularly
Exercise has many health benefits, like improving your range of motion and strengthening your muscles. This is helpful to everyone, but especially those with fibromyalgia.
Did you know that exercise also keeps your energy levels high enough to maintain a daily routine?
With regular exercise, your muscles will stay flexible and your cardiovascular system will stay at peak performance. But without consistent exercise, your body becomes “deconditioned,” which means you have a lower tolerance for moving around. When this happens, even small tasks deplete your energy quickly and trigger fibromyalgia fatigue.
Regular aerobic exercises (along with gentle muscle strengthening) make it much easier to handle everything without triggering fatigue.
2. Deal With Sleep Apnea Symptoms
People struggling with sleep apnea know how disruptive it is to a good night of sleep. And unfortunately, people with fibromyalgia are much more likely to experience sleep apnea.
Because sleep apnea makes it challenging to get a long night of quality sleep, it’s important to address it quickly. With fewer sleep apnea symptoms, you’ll experience the impacts of fibromyalgia fatigue less intensely.
To address your sleep apnea symptoms, ask your doctor about participating in a sleep study to examine your breathing while sleeping. From there, your doctor will be able to determine the best course of action to treat those issues!
3. Set Up Your Space To Promote Rest
Avoiding fibromyalgia fatigue means getting as much quality rest as possible overnight. To give your sleep schedule a boost, consider switching up your space!
Most of us don’t realize how important it is that our rooms are conducive to a restful night.
Avoid having too much clutter around your room. It might stress you out. Before bed, do some quick tidying so that you wake up to a clean organized space!
Oh, and remember—a solid nighttime routine goes hand-in-hand with your space. Try to avoid being on your phone or tablet (or watching TV) right before bed! Blue light disrupts your body’s natural sleep rhythm.
Following a consistent bedtime routine will help you relax before bed each night.
Related: How to Sleep Better When Dealing with A Fibromyalgia Flare Up
4. Take a Hot Shower or Bath
Alleviating fibromyalgia pain takes a combination of coping strategies, but a warm shower or bath can help.
Even better? Taking a nice, warm shower or bath helps you relax your muscles and your mind, which can alleviate that dreaded fibromyalgia fatigue.
5. Consider Adding Thiamine Supplements To Your Routine
Be sure to consult with your doctor before adding any vitamin or supplement to your routine.
If your doctor approves, thiamine supplements could help you cope with fibromyalgia and the fatigue associated with it! It gives your body a boost in lots of ways, and can give you a natural energy spike.
6. Make Sure To Pace Yourself To Avoid Fibromyalgia Fatigue
When you’re feeling energized, it’s probably tempting to push yourself as hard as possible. But this just isn’t sustainable for those of us with fibromyalgia!
Instead, you need to focus on recognizing, accepting, and working around your body’s natural limitations. Work when you’re energized, but in a way that respects your symptoms and doesn’t make them worse.
And give yourself grace! Fibromyalgia is a chronic illness, which means you don’t need to feel sad, angry, or ashamed if you need to take a break. Know when to say no and when to prioritize rest, especially during a bout of fibromyalgia fatigue.
7. Schedule Time To Rest
The more stress and to-do list items on your plate, the more likely it is that you’ll crash and experience more intense fibromyalgia symptoms.
To avoid this, prioritize rest and make it a part of your daily schedule!
Schedule in naps, quick breaks after tasks, or even rests after meals. This type of preemptive rest helps you be proactive in addressing fibromyalgia fatigue. Instead of trying to fix your symptoms once they’ve started, you’re resting in the hopes of taking care of your body and avoiding those more intense symptoms.
Sometimes, fibromyalgia fatigue feels so overwhelming to cope with each day. But with these tips, you’ll be proactive and hopefully, be able to feel more rested and productive.
