Fatigue

If you have a chronic illness, this symptom probably needs no introduction. Whether you have chronic fatigue syndrome (which some researchers believe may be triggered by a virus like Epstein-Barr) or fatigue related to mold illness, fibromyalgia, or Lyme, this symptom can really throw a wrench into your routines. Fatigue can manifest itself in many ways, from muscle weakness to chronic tiredness to depression. It’s basically the mother lode of symptoms that makes you want to crawl back into bed and never leave…except that doesn’t usually help either! Factors associated with fatigue include taking certain medications (such as antidepressants, antihistamines, and medicines for nausea and pain), having medical treatments like chemo or radiation, a lack of certain vitamins and minerals in your diet, consuming too much alcohol or caffeine, or the obvious culprit—staying up too late and/or not getting enough sleep! (And hey, we know that sleep is sometimes hard to come by, so no shame.) Since fatigue is a symptom, treatment depends on what’s causing it, so try to tackle the root cause. There’s some positive news here: a lot of natural treatments can soothe fatigue and promote overall healing. If you want to go the supplement route, you can try replenishing your body with the vitamins and nutrients it might be lacking by taking iron, vitamin B-complex, magnesium, or potassium. Massage, infrared saunas, ginseng, and BEMER mats may also be helpful (and funnily enough, many of these treatments involve lying down—woohoo!). You might also find comfort by using essential oils, avoiding caffeine and stimulants, and making sure you get enough rest and social support. That last one is super important, given how isolating invisible illness can be. But social support is critical for healing, and that’s why we’re all here.