Fatigue or extreme tiredness is reported in 9 out of 10 cancer patients. It is not like normal tiredness and can be hard to explain to family, friends and work colleagues.
There are many reasons for this fatigue:
• The cancer itself
• Cancer treatments
• Anaemia
• Eating problems
• Psychological effects of cancer
• Other health problems
It is important to tell your healthcare team how you are feeling.
However, there are steps you can take to manage and reduce your tiredness.
Physical activity
Some days it may feel like getting up and dressed makes you feel you have run a marathon.
However, it has been shown that participating in some physical activity can help reduce fatigue, improve appetite and improve the quality of sleep.
If you are new to exercise, start slowly and build up slowly, try to do a little more each time. Choose something you enjoy, that way you are more likely to stick to it. Remember exercise doesn’t have to be done in a gym. Walking close to home, gardening or housework are also exercise.
Try to do exercise when you feel you have the most energy and build in some rest time afterwards.
Managing energy levels
Energy levels can fluctuate from day to day. On ‘good’ days it is tempting to do things that have been put off such as cleaning out the kitchen cupboards or tidying the garage. However, the next day the tiredness is worse than before and it can take longer for energy levels to rise. This can become a vicious cycle affecting you physically, mentally, and emotionally. To overcome this vicious cycle, it is important to be able to:
• Prioritise
Sort tasks into:
things that MUST be done
things you ENJOY doing
things that can be REMOVED
things that can be GIVEN to others
• Plan
Include enjoyable activities
Prioritise chores
Plan rest periods
• Pace
Recognise when you are overdoing things
Divide tasks into manageable chunks
Rest when you need to
• Permission
Be Kind to Yourself.
Rest is an important element in your recovery.
