How do you recommend battling fatigue?
I previously was in an occupation that required me to be mentally and physically alert and able 24 hours a day, 7 days per week. Now I often only last until late morning and often don't sleep well at night. Any general thoughts and/or suggestions would be appreciated.
Does exercise help?
Thank you.
Hello
Wow...what was your occupation if I may ask? I am tired just thinking about being alert that much.
There is a ton of information out there about MS fatigue. I am going to give you a couple of links and then I will tell you my personal experience.
Our Dr. Gross had written a really informative article about MS fatigue which you can find here.
And the MS Care Organization has an education kit for patients about fatigue which you can access here.
There is also a book out which talks specifically about MS fatigue. The name of the book is called, Fighting Fatigue in Multiple Sclerosis: Practical Ways to Create New Habits and Increase Your Energy and was written by Nancy Lowenstein, MS, OTR/L, BCPR.
It seems that some people go the medication route to help fight their fatigue and take Amandtadine or Provigil. I have not taken these drugs myself.
For me...I try first and foremost to get a really good night's sleep and I take Melatonin for that purpose. It is a natural substance and it usually puts me to sleep within an hour of taking it.
I absolutely do believe in exercise for helping combat fatigue. When I exercise, I sleep better and deeper and it also helps my mood. I take breaks as I need them. I am on a schedule now of thirty minutes of some sort of cardiovascular work, then I follow with weight training, and also stretching. I just bought a tai chi video I am going to try as well. Yoga and swimming are also excellent forms of exercise for those of us with MS.
I could go on and on but I am going to let others chime in and give their ideas. This is a really good topic and I am glad you brought it up.
- Thank you for your input
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