#39 ** 5 Fatigue Busters
It doesn’t matter if you have had surgery, radiation, or are in a wait and watch holding pattern, fatigue is often a problem with acoustic neuroma patients.
Why do I need a nap most days? I sleep well at night, yet in the middle of the afternoon, I feel like a wall is coming down. Literally, one minute I’m fine and the next, I’m falling asleep and can’t concentrate, think or function. I’m so tired I could sleep anywhere, even on the street. Why?
I heard a doctor explain that it’s hard work trying to hear with single-sided deafness and tinnitus. It’s hard work thinking about balance. And not only thinking about it, but maintaining it. This work requires energy.
An environment with a lot of noise and activity is exhausting. So many stimuli involve head movement. We move our head back and forth to figure out where the noise is coming from. We ask ourselves what is that noise? If out to eat, and we forgot to position ourselves at the table, we might experience a lot more head movement to follow the conversation.
When we look “normal,” it’s hard for family and friends to understand our fatigue. This lack of understanding only adds to our stress and HELLO – stress adds to fatigue.
5 Fatigue Busters might help:
- Listen to your body. If you need a nap, take one. If it’s not possible to actually sleep, just closing your eyes for ten minutes somewhere quiet can help. Even sitting in a quiet car and closing your eyes for a few minutes can be helpful. If in a noisy house with lots of activities, find a quiet room to “chill out” for a few minutes. It’s amazing how refreshing a ten-minute quiet time can be.
2. Pace yourself. How much can you do in one day? Sometimes this means prioritizing activities. Pick one thing and save the other activities for another day.
3. Be able to say, “No Thanks.” If you know the evening activity will include loud music and you have a busy day already planned, trying to do more than your body will allow is asking for trouble. And trouble might mean a loss of balance and perhaps a fall.
4. Take things one day at a time, knowing some days will be better than others. Worry zaps our energy. The Good News Translation of Matthew 6:34 says – “So do not worry about tomorrow; it will have enough worries of its own. There is no need to add to the troubles each day brings.”
5. Reduced worry = reduced stress = increased peace = decreased fatigue.
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Guiding Father,
I know you will give me sufficient energy for the activities you want me to be involved in. Help me recognize what you want me to do and what you want me to eliminate. Thank you. Amen.
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When I pray, you answer me; you encourage me by giving me the strength I need. Psalm 138:3