Emotional/Psychological Impact
I have been dealing with an immense amount of fatigue recently. Partly this is due to lack of motivation to exercise as I should. The sort of exercise that I do to maintain, anyway. That sort of exercise does sort of help boost energy levels on a basic level if done on a routine basis. But my motivation being as it as been, consistency has been lacking.
Motivation
Fatigue itself is a real beast. It lays you out. Hits you like a wall. Sometimes more so than the pain itself. Sometimes so much, you get nothing done. That in-itself saps all my motivation. Just a huge motivational slump. A lump of motivational goo. Where I have plans and goals and nothing seems to actually get accomplished.
Exercise seems like a momentous feat. I do my moderate cleaning every day and I pace that with rest. But then that fatigue hits me. I have to do my physio for my shoulder and work that into my day as well. But it seems like I have nothing left in the tank for anything else.
Lack of sleep and rest
My sleep cycle has been incredibly strained lately. This also has been an issue managing the fatigue levels I have. As my sleep worsening, well, that definitely did not help the fatigue situation. Or pain, for that matter. Or migraines either. So while I had decreased my sleeping pills to none and sometimes half a one. I am now back to a full one.
Then that slump in the day hits me and i can’t seem to function. I have to rest whether I want to or not. Often this doesn’t even seem to help that much. Like the rest itself can’t seem to pull the fatigue from my mind and body. It just sticks to me. Thick and heavy.
Frustration
The massive amount of frustration this causes me takes a mental and emotional toll. When you can barely get the things done that you need to get done, if that, and definitely none of the things you want to get done it puts you in a slump. A funk. Not depression, but I can see how it could lead to that. Since I have had depression before a few times in my life for extended periods I am keenly aware of what can trigger it. Not doing the things that give me a sense of purpose and joy can deplete me, in many ways. It can us all, I think.
I do not think the stress of the frustration helps in the least bit either.
Emotional slump
When I hit this emotional slump due to excessive fatigue it is because I am not doing the things that generally maintain my mood. That generally help me cope with illness and pain. Things I need to do. I find this, itself, worsens the fatigue because then I just get tired. And I find I nap more. Which for me, is a sign, a clear sign, of worsening mood.
Do the Things
I find it important to stick to routines. I call it ‘Doing the Things’. I have to do the Things. I just call it that because in the midst of depression it was vital to do the Things. Everyday important routine things. And it is the same with this fatigue. It is the same with pain. Maintain my basic routine. Bad days. Good days. Pacing, always. Those are necessary.
Fatigue can definitely mess up my routine. But pacing helps keep me consistent with the Things that are on my list. Even if it takes me all day, as it can, and that is all I accomplish in the day, which has happened.
Plan the day
After I do the Things in my routine, of which, I find essential for my daily productivity. These differ for everyone. Then I have decided to pick and choose what to do with my remaining battery life. I could, of course, do extra cleaning. That does make me feel productive. But also, vital and important, are choices for my mental, physical and emotional well-being.
Today, I read a book I started which I have not had the energy to get around to but I love to read. So I got that time in there, early. And I also, while it was cool in the apartment did a little bit on the exercise bit- not a lot- just a bit to start me off. And to write this post, as I have not had the energy to even most for a little bit.
Chronically Nikki 
Hope you will find a way to get through the fatigue and get back of a bit of wellness.
Do things if you need cause need is the first step to retrieve your self, the very first inner smile of life. Cravings may come after but you wouldn’t do things the same way as you know.
What I do when pain or fatigue come as a plague is to lay down on the floor or a bed, calm down and breathe deeply… I then imagine I would lay down on a river bed, cold water flowing all around. I tell my mind to let this water flow all around me and in me also. To accept this flow deeply and never reject it… Letting the cold water come in is the hardest part of the job but once the job is started, the mind slowly cease to block things, stop analysing all the way… The last part of the job is to release the water/fatigue, I let it flow away and forget how cold was the water, how hard was the pain, fatigue. This is what I do, as much as I can. You surely already know that. I let this here. Take it if you want/need.
Thanks for your testimony. It’s a bit of what you need to get better.
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Thank you for your thoughts. I will try that visualization. I do a lot of visualization techniques. They work well for me so I’ll give that one a go for this.
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