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You know the feeling: you wake up and it seems like you can’t even raise your head off your pillow. It’s the weakness and fatigue that comes with fibromyalgia. That’s what makes fibromyalgia so hard to live with. It’s like fibromyalgia forces you to live half a life. While other people are off having fun, you’re stuck at home dealing with aching limbs and extreme fatigue.
But what causes that fatigue? And is there a way to manage it?
What Is Fibromyalgia Fatigue?
Fibromyalgia has a lot of different symptoms. But by far, the most common are fatigue and pain in different points around your body. And people with fibromyalgia know that their disease makes them feel extremely tired and lethargic.
That’s not news to anyone with fibromyalgia, but what is it exactly that is going on in your body to make you so tired?
Why Does Fibromyalgia Make Me Feel So Tired?
This is a tricky question to answer because no one really knows what causes fibromyalgia. So it’s hard to say whether the fatigue that comes with fibromyalgia is part of the disease or not.
The best theory right now is that the fatigue is caused by your body trying to deal with the pain of fibromyalgia. The constant release of pain signals in your nerves causes you to grow tired as your body essentially fights itself. Furthermore, the fact that it is so difficult to sleep when you have fibromyalgia makes it hard to get any rest. And of course, that also causes serious fatigue.
It’s also possible that something a bit more complex is going on when it comes to fibromyalgia fatigue. One of the theories on the causes of fibromyalgia is that it is essentially a mistake in your body’s immune system. The idea is that fibromyalgia is caused by your immune system attacking itself. And if you’ve ever had the flu, you know that when your immune system is active, it causes fatigue.
What Can I Do About It?
It is possible to manage fatigue with fibromyalgia. It will always be difficult, however. Constant pain makes getting a good night’s sleep hard, but there are a few things you can do that will help.
- Stick to a schedule. One of the best ways to help you get a good night’s sleep is to condition your body to go to sleep at the same time every night. Pick a bedtime and stick with it. Eventually, your body will adjust to naturally get sleepy around that time. This can help you get a more reliable rest.
- Avoid caffeine. It’s tempting to fight fatigue with coffee. But remember that the more caffeine you drink, the harder it will be to get a good sleep later. Have a cut-off time in the afternoon for when you need to stop drinking any more caffeine.
- Watch your diet. A good diet can help your body feel healthier and more alert. Eat natural food with fewer preservatives. And make sure that you get all the nutrition you need.
- Try to get exercise. Excercising with fibromyalgia is difficult, if not impossible, for many fibromyalgia sufferers. But if you can, try and get a little bit of exercise in every day. This well help your body regulate itself and make sleeping easier.
- Take naps. If you have the luxury, take a nap during the day. It can help you shake off some of the fatigue. But remember to not nap so much that you can’t fall asleep at night.
- Talk to your doctor. If all else fails, a doctor can prescribe you something to help you sleep. But sleeping pills carry their own risks, and you should avoid becoming dependent on them if possible.
Constant fatigue is one of the worst things about fibromyalgia. And people often say that the fatigue is worse than the pain. But even if you are living with fibromyalgia fatigue, there are things you can do to help manage it. Just remember that you are not alone. And that there is a community here of fibromyalgia sufferers who will understand how hard it is.
So if you have any tips about handling fibromyalgia fatigue, or just want vent, let us know in the comments.
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