Life with multiple sclerosis can be exhausting. Add the occasional (or frequent) sudden onslaught of MS-related fatigue of biblical proportions, and it’s almost unimaginable.
High-energy people may find it difficult to empathize or understand what the MSer means, when he or she describes a titanic tiredness that saps all strength and sends energy and motivation limping away.
Physicians may call this lassitude, and it's a hallmark of MS. It’s physical and mental weariness, a crippling sluggishness. And it can come on suddenly, seemingly without warning.
One thing we know for sure – MS hits us the most when we are tired and stressed.
Maybe it’s time to let MS be our ticket to de-stress and recharge.
Here are a few strategies for minimizing the stress that can
aggravate and increase the fatigue that goes with MS (and that can leave the
MSer extra vulnerable to a full-blown flare-up).
- Clutter is confusing and chaotic. Simply clearing off a
kitchen counter, putting away clean laundry, or tossing out junk mail
helps remove stressors.
- Multitasking can be unmanageable. Efficiency is lauded as a
virtue, but too much multitasking can send our minds awhirl and our energy
away.
- Tackling to-do lists reduces stress. Sometimes it helps to
make to-do lists and then knock off one task at a time. By listing even
the smallest chores, we can gain satisfaction with each completion. At the
end of the day, we can review what’s done and feel a bit of accomplishment.
If MS has us homebound, sidelined, or otherwise restricted, this strategy
can be extra important.
- Realistic goals are our reality. Sure, we like to stretch
ourselves, often past our own limits. But setting more reachable objectives
can be rewarding and simplifying. The net result is often less stress. The
tricky thing is, MS can change our energy resources spontaneously and
unpredictability. (Ever heard of The
Spoon Theory? We never know how many we’ll have in a day.)
- Learning to say “no” is
life-changing. Boundaries can be a new best friend to the MS warrior.
They don’t come easily, because we tend to want to volunteer and
participate and be active helpers. That’s one way we get worn out extra
quickly, so we have to choose carefully when to say “Yes,” if someone
asks.
- Granting ourselves permission to rest is powerful. Stopping our self-expected activities isn’t easy. Who doesn’t want to feel productive and useful? Yet those living with MS may need more rest than those whose myelin isn’t threatened and compromised? We may need to curl up with a book, stretch out under a blanket, or even catch a catnap to regather ourselves and avoid the overdoing that can invite MS to wreak its havoc on us again.
Self-management is tough, especially with the ever looming challenging that the MS MonSter brings to our lives. And it’s not like we want to cop out of life, escape all responsibilities, and sit idly by. But it’s critical to be deliberate about our mental and physical exertions, if we are to reduce stresses and build ourselves to battle the dreaded beast as best as we can.
Preaching to the mirror here. I know. Remind me again … soon.
Related items:
- Can MS show you how strong you really are?
- Excuses: Ever played the MS card?
- Learning to plan down-days
- Life with MS: Sometimes you feel like toasting, but other times you're just toast.
- Somebody stop me. I've done too much. Again.
- Stress brings MS to excess
Image/s: Adapted from public domain image.
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