How to manage cancer related fatigue
How to manage cancer related fatigue
Cancer related fatigue is experienced differently by each person and therefore it’s important to find the right management strategy that works for you. Remember, the aim of fatigue management is to reduce its impact, not resolve it. Here are some helpful strategies to try:
The 4 P’s
The 4 P’s of energy conservation are a helpful way to start thinking about little changes you can make to use your energy more wisely.
Planning
Planning out your day or week allows you to take stock of what tasks/activities you have on and consider how you can best spread these out to allow for breaks and not become overwhelmed. Setting realistic goals and time frames is important to avoid feeling overstretched and not able to complete the tasks you have planned. It is also helpful to think about what are the ‘good’ and ‘bad’ days in your treatment cycle and plan your activity level around these.
Pacing
Pacing is the technique of breaking down a task into bite-sized manageable chunks followed by something that recharges you to help keep on top of energy expenditure. This can be done by using timeframes or distances as a measure to let you know when to stop. It can be tempting to try and rush a task to get it done in the timeframe, but it is important to slow down and take your time. It might feel like you are taking longer to complete the task, however, you will find that you can complete more without becoming fatigued.
Prioritising
Prioritising allows us to think about how we can best use our energy supplies each day. Identify the things we have to do, things that we want to do and things that someone else can help us with or can be done at a later stage. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Prioritising can help us plan our day and free up energy to do those things that we enjoy.
Positioning
The position in that we complete a task can impact how much energy we use up. By making simple changes, such as sitting when preparing meals or having a shower, can help conserve energy.
Stop before you feel fatigued
One of the tricky things about fatigue is that by the time we start to feel physically or mentally fatigued, we are nearing exhaustion. Think about fatigue like a petrol gauge on a car. By the time we notice our energy levels are dipping, we are already in the red, nearing an empty tank, and it takes longer to recover and recharge our energy supplies. Stopping before we reach this point allows us recharge more quickly and get back to what we want to do.
Recharge rather than rest
It is normal to think that we need to rest when fatigued, and whilst resting can be helpful in some situations, it’s not always the correct approach for everyone. Instead of focusing on rest, think about what helps our body and brain recharge. For example, having a nap, listening to music in a favourite chair, or going for a walk in the park - everyone is different.
Do something enjoyable/meaningful
It’s easy to fall into a pattern of thinking that we should use our energy on things that we ‘have to’ do, however these are often the things that drain us the most. Doing something every day or two that gives us a feeling of joy, happiness or achievement can provide a boost of energy and help to motivate us to keep active.
Fatigue management is about finding the right techniques that suit us. Try setting an experiment of using one or two of these strategies for a week and see how they made you feel, there are lots to try.
If you find that these have not been helpful, talk to your medical or allied health team for more tailored strategies to meet your needs.
January 2023
Ms Pippa Labuc has no disclosures to report.