Pain can be tiring. At the same time you can do less because of fatigue, which in turn affects the pain. No wonder that pain and tiredness often go together. What can you do about fatigue yourself? Read it in the following 5 tips
Tip 1: Build up slowly
With fatigue there is a chance that you will become less active. After all, you have no energy for it. When you have put in (too much) effort for a while, there is nothing wrong with taking it easy. If you don't undertake any activities for a longer period of time, that unfortunately becomes the new standard. Your body and brain adapt to the new standard, which makes your condition less - but also reduces your energy level further.
The trick? Slowly build up activities again. Discover your basics, and do a little more each time. Having a bad day? Then you still try to stick to your rhythm, to break the spiral.
Tip 2: Alternate effort and relaxation
This tip applies to both your body and brain. Alternate periods of effort with relaxation. Make sure that you exercise or relax up to 75% of your time. Have you exercised for an hour? Then make sure you rest for at least 20 minutes more. Have you just been lying on the couch for two hours? See if you manage to exercise at least half an hour more. Read more in this blog - A better Physical Balance: the 75% rule
This alternation between in and out also applies over the days. If you have muscle ache from working out yesterday, it's wiser to take it easy for a day. Our body and brain don't like to be under tension all the time. There is then too little room for recovery. And without recovery no growth!
Tip 3: Don't sleep too much, and not too little
A risk with fatigue is that you sleep longer and longer and maybe even go to bed during the day. Your brain gets so used to this, that fatigue often increases even more. Or you sleep too little structurally, which causes fatigue to build up.
At Reducept you will find more blogs about sleep: blog 1, blog 2, blog 3.
The most important sleep tips are: Go to bed and get out of bed at set times. Preferably no sleep during the day. Make sure your room is as quiet, cool and dark as possible. And, that you take it easy in the hours before you go to bed. So no exciting movies, addictive series or social media...
Tip 4: Eat regularly and healthily
Many people don't realize enough that fatigue can also be strongly related to your diet. For example, strongly rising and falling blood sugars can quickly make you feel tired and unconcentrated. It helps to eat at fixed times. For example, three meals, and three snacks in between. The simpler and less processed the food is, the better for your energy. For example, it's better to eat an apple out of your hand than in the form of a smoothie. You get the sugars from the apple less quickly and in a different form, so you get filled better and suffer less from a spike in the blood sugars.
Tip 5: Put the responsibility for change with yourself
The last tip is related to all previous tips. Take a look at what you can do about your problem yourself. When you are worried, it is wise to seek medical help. But, apart from this help, there are many things you can change in your own life. Especially when no cause for your complaints can be found. You are the one who ultimately decides how you want to live your life. And there's room there. Whether there is a good reason for pain or fatigue, whether it cannot be found. There are always possibilities.