How to Treat Chronic Fatigue With Exercise

Chronic fatigue is still somewhat of a mystery to doctors and medical researchers. Some patients find that changes to their diets help with medical treatments for the conditions. You can also treat chronic fatigue syndrome with exercise.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Heart rate monitor

Treat Chronic Fatigue With Exercise

1. Talk to your doctor about finding the best way to exercise for your condition. If you have other health problems, like weak knees, high-impact exercise such as running might not be the best way to treat your condition. Be sure to ask what range your heart rate should be in while you exercise.

2. Ease yourself into a regular exercise schedule. Ideally, you want to get a 30-minute workout four to five times a week. You may need to work out in shorter increments at first if you have been living a sedentary lifestyle.

3. Consider joining a gym to have access to workout machines. Treadmills and stair machines help you get the exercise you need to treat chronic fatigue syndrome and also protect your joints from the damaging impact you can get from running on pavement. You also might have access to a personal trainer to help you set up the ideal routine.

4. Try swimming if you have a physical condition that prevents your from doing a traditional cardio workout. Remember to get a waterproof monitor to keep track of your heart rate while swimming.

5. Plan your exercise routine for the morning. At first, you may notice that your body is very tired after working out, but once you adjust to a regular schedule you should feel that you have more energy.

6. Drink plenty of water to keep hydrated while you exercise to treat chronic fatigue syndrome. Dehydration can increase your fatigue, as well as put you at risk for other health problems. You should have at least 8 to 10 glasses of water per day.

Tips & Warnings

• Weight training isn't necessary to treat chronic fatigue. You can do this type of exercise if you wish, but cardiovascular activity is what most doctors recommend.
• Regular exercise can also help fight the insomnia that affects many chronic fatigue patients.
• You need to have a healthy diet that supports your body if you want to treat chronic fatigue with exercise. Eating lots of processed food and sugars while maintaining an exercise schedule may actually make your condition worse.
• Avoid drinking caffeine to make up for the fatigue that you feel when you first start an exercise routine.

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[twinsmom528]

on 3/25/2008 People with CFS are weak because they are seriously ill.

(The last sentence of my comment was cut short so I am psoting it here.)

[twinsmom528]

on 3/25/2008 Warning: Exercise can be dangerous for people who are seriously ill with ME/CFS (Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome). The CDC lists Chronic Fatigue Syndrome under "other disorders of the brain". It is a brain and spinal cord inflamation that causes the myriad of symptoms, only one of which is fatigue. Some CFS patients have been found to have abnormalities in their heart function. Because of this abnormality, the heart fails to pump enough blood following exertion and sitting or standing upright. Exercise can worsen this heart condition.

Take a look at the AHMF: ME/CFS Information sheet found on this web page: http://www.ahmf.org/infosheet.htm Click on "The Exercise Question"

It is unfortunate that the word fatigue is even used to name this illness. Fatigue denotes tiredness. People with CFS are not merely tired. People with CFS are weak because they are ser