Where Science, spirituality & real life collide.
Fatigue Part 2: Move, breathe & chill
Emma Watson
Welcome back to part 2 of your fatigue blog! Part 2 will cover all things movement, breath work, stress & spirituality.
Exercise
Do you exercise? Do you get out in the fresh air regularly? Many people may feel that exercise may contribute to fatigue, but it often has the opposite effect when done mindfully. If you are struggling with fatigue try to avoid intense exercise (HIIT training, long distance running etc.) but try to partake in more gentle forms of exercise.
Top tips:
· Find exercise you enjoy.
· Try to get out in the fresh air.
· Schedule your exercise.
· Listen to your body; move your body in-line with how you are feeling
· Try light exercise – restorative yoga, Pilates, swimming, walking, dancing.
Yoga
Yoga teaches us the art of listening to our bodies & tuning into how we are feeling; to move our bodies in a way that serves us best. The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali teach us that Yoga postures should be comfortable & steady; we should hold them without straining or causing discomfort. This principal is worth bringing into everyday life with regards to what we physically & mentally put ourselves through. Your body will usually tell you when you need to rest, try tuning into these messages.
Top tips:
· Try lying in a comfortable position & scanning the body from the head to the toes, tuning in to any physical sensations; what feels good, is anything tight, any fatigue, heaviness, dullness. Move on to noticing how you are feeling emotionally & if you feel the emotion anywhere in your body. This will allow you to slow down & tune into what is going on with you.
· Try to bring the above mindfulness technique into all yoga postures & exercises – notice how it feels & adjust the position to make it more comfortable.
· Consider practicing restorative poses such as savasana (corpse pose), legs against the wall, lying cobblers pose or practicing your usual asana with support from blocks or blankets to ensure extra comfort.
Supta baddha konasana is one of my favourite yoga postures. Try practicing with a cushion under the head, blocks or blankets under the knees to make the pose more comfortable.
Breathe
I often say in yoga classes that yoga teaches us how to sit, stand, lie, move & breathe. Most people do not breathe “correctly”. Watch your natural breath – which parts of your body move as you breath? How do you move as you inhale & exhale? Do you hold your breath or take quick shallow breaths? Breathing properly can help to overcome fatigue & investing in breathing or pranayama practices consistently can help to improve our focus & energy levels.
Top tips:
· Watch your natural breath; observe it & tune in to what is going on with you.
· Work on allowing the abdominal muscles to expand on the inhalation (most people want to pull in on the inhalation but “correct” breathing involves pushing the abdomen out).
· Feel a sense of filling the lungs as you inhale & work on taking the breath all the way up to the collar bones.
· Exhale, empty the lungs & tighten the abdominal muscles at the end of the breath.
· Try to keep your full awareness on your breathing & spend some time in this space. Try to complete 3 rounds of 6-9 breaths to begin with.
· If you have a regular breathing or pranayama practice, look into energising practices.
Stress
It is important to be honest with yourself with regards to your stress levels & mental health. Do not underestimate the effects of stress & anxiety on the body. It is extremely hard to admit to yourself that you are struggling to manage stress, however, it is the first step towards feeling better.
When exposed to stressors (these may be different for different people) the body can elicit a “flight or fight” response; the heart rate increases, the blood pressure increases, we may shake & sweat, the stomach flips; many of the systems of your body are preparing to react to a threat. Many of us will ruminate on the stressor or a new stressor will occur. Having this mental & physiological response constantly is very draining and can lead to multiple health conditions of which fatigue is a symptom or fatigue is the result.
Top tips:
· Be honest with yourself! Are you stressed? What’s causing it? What symptoms do you have? Are you at a point of requiring help from a health care professional?
· Find activities/techniques that help you manage the stressors in day-to-day life. These will be different for different people. Some may find that spending time with friends & family is helpful, others prefer cooking or reading.
· Avoid over-working, over-eating, over exercising & relying on substances (alcohol, cigarettes, food, drugs); if you find that you are relying on these things to help with stress it may be time to discuss your options with a health professional.
· Consider yoga, meditation, breath work & mindfulness techniques.
Hormones
Ladies! I would urge you all to tune into your hormonal health & monthly cycle. Knowing what’s going on with your hormones can explain a lot about how you are feeling; you will naturally feel more energised at certain times of your cycle & more fatigued during other times (the week before your period is usually the most challenging). Pay particular attention if you are peri-menopausal or menopausal; the hormone shifts can really take a toll on the body.
Top tips:
· Try an app to monitor your monthly cycle
· Make an appointment with your GP or healthcare professional if you suspect you are peri-menopausal or menopausal.
· FYI: it is not “normal” to not have a cycle or to have heavy, painful periods – anything outside of the norm or what is not normal for you get checked out!
Medical conditions
Unfortunately, fatigue is a symptom of many, if not most, medical conditions & chronic fatigue is a medical condition in itself. If you have tried some of the strategies in both parts of the blog & are still struggling it may be worth making an appointment with your GP or advanced practitioner.
This concludes part 2! If you are struggling with fatigue I would urge you to take some time to tune in & listen to your body, be honest with yourself about what is going on with you; do you need to address your stress levels? Do you need to tune into your hormones? You can then look at ways to manage the factors in your life that may be contributing to fatigue.
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