What not to do

What Factors Perpetuate Fatigue?

Fear about activity making fatigue worse

Because activity increases fatigue people learnt to avoid activity and rest too long. However, resting for too long impedes recovery by reducing activity tolerance and general fitness.

Avoidance of activities

Stopping doing things on a regular basis means that people lose confidence in being able to do them e.g. going out socialising with friends, or walking to the shops.

 Boom and bust patterns

People generally fall into a pattern doing too much at times followed by resting for longer periods. This makes fatigue worse as it becomes unpredictable, and makes it hard to establish any routine.

Disturbed sleep pattern

Irregular sleep at night and too much sleep during the day increases fatigue. This is because sleep at night tends to be disturbed or less refreshing.

Symptom focusing

Fatigue can be a distressing symptom, but focusing too much on fatigue can lead to avoiding activity, and therefore further increase in fatigue.

Mood

Avoiding activities and making significant changes to lifestyle can lead to social isolation, frustration, and feelings of loss of control. This contributes to low mood which increases fatigue.

Reduction in physical fitness.

Prolonged rest and a reduction in activity can lead to muscle weakness, unsteadiness, breathlessness or dizziness, difficulties regulating your body temperature, problems with coordination, impaired concentration and memory, and alteration in your body clock.