If you have chronic fatigue syndrome then being physically active is probably the last thing on your mind. Your doctor probably offered you some graded exercise therapy sessions, but when you’re down an tired you must be clutching at straws to find the motivation to say yes. But as tired as you feel in the moment, physical activity is actually one of the easiest ways to get yourself out of this black hole of tiredness, as long as it is not overdone.

CFS is unlike many other conditions, exercise needs to be very carefully undertaken: a little bit too much can make things worse, there is a narrow band. That’s why doctors offer specialist exercise programs designed especially for you and you only. The aim is to find your baseline hours spent being active, resting, and sleeping, and then to gradually increase the amount of time spent being active whilst reducing the amount of time spent resting, without making your CFS worse for you, in order to give you back some functioning to your daily life.

There are many other benefits of moving around more in the day, not just for your CFS but your general health too. But listed below are some of the best reasons to take up that activity your doctor offered you if you have CFS.

Less Fatigue

Although it might not seem like it, physical activity can give us more energy, even when you have CFS. Being active improves our fitness and energy levels, and in CFS this translates in to making us feel less fatigued. Some studies have even shown that physical activity is better than taking an antidepressant for fatigue.

Better Functioning 

If we have better fitness levels and we’re less fatigued, then this means we’re likely to be able to take back control of some aspects of our life. We’ll gradually be able to spend more periods of time being active, and less periods of time resting. This means being able to do the things that we want to do for ourselves that we can’t currently do so, like going out for a meal with friends, doing some shopping, and being more productive at work.

Better Sleep 

Physical activity also helps to promote some better quality sleep. Studies have shown that people with CFS who are active achieve much deeper sleep patterns, spending less time in light sleep phases, meaning the body is more likely to be restored properly for the next day ahead.

Peace of Mind 

Lastly, getting a good nights sleep, being less tired, and being able to get out and about more isn’t just good for our body but for our mind too. These benefits are likely to leave us feeling less sad, irritated, and anxious because our CFS won’t be intruding in our life so much as it used to, leaving us happier and relaxed with a better quality of life for ourselves.

If these benefits leave you wanting to help your CFS by becoming more active, remember to discuss this with your doctor before making any changes to your lifestyle, so that you can agree on an activity schedule which is right for you and your CFS.

Faye Prior (Researcher)

Sources

Edmonds et al., (2004). Exercise therapy for chronic fatigue syndrome. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, CD003200.

Kishi et al., (2013). The effects of exercise on dynamic sleep morphology in health controls and patients with chronic fatigue syndrome. Physiological Reports, 1(6), e00152.

Klasnja et al., (2014). Influence of graded exercise therapy on anxiety levels and health-related quality of life in chronic fatigue syndrome. Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness, 54(2), 210-15.