How Can I Deal with Fatigue?

In our busy world of blaring alarm clocks, austere lighting, constant notifications and endless to-do lists, it’s small wonder that we often feel fatigued. After all, we are living in a world where terms like ‘three thirtyitis’ are coined by the millions of people who experience exhaustion around the mid-afternoon. However, there are much deeper underlying causes of fatigue, and for many of us a good night’s sleep, or even a few days off, is simply not enough.

A few years ago I was knocked out of work for six weeks with a nasty dose of Glandular Fever. I had never experienced fatigue at this level before! It was all I could do to get up, walk downstairs and drink a glass of water. I could barely bring myself to walk back to bed, so I would collapse in a heap on the couch and stare at the wall in a sort of tired trance.

I remember telling a friend how I was becoming very zen, as I could just sit in contemplative silence for quite long periods of time. She threw her head back and laughed, reminding me that I was very ill and that it was unlikely that this zen state would last beyond my recovery.

After about six weeks of almost constant sleep and binge watching Breaking Bad I had improved, but was still not back to my usual self. What I didn’t know at the time was that it would be a very long road of recovery. I had previously booked a very exciting overseas adventure, and was not going to let ‘tiredness’ get in the way of that experience. So, off I went. But alas, the persistent ache of fatigue led me to cut my trip short and go back home to take some time to recover. It took me another almost two months of rest to be in a state where I could go for twenty or thirty minute walks with my Mum.

Now, years later, I have educated myself and made some deliberate lifestyle changes, which have helped me to not only cope with Chronic Fatigue, but thrive.

I think that education is such an integral part of anyone’s healing journey. Learning about why you feel the way you do is surely the first step to actually improving! After all, if you don’t understand the reason, or the cause behind your dis-ease how can you remedy it? Most people deal with fatigue and exhaustion on some level during their life, which is not surprising once you learn about the endocrine system and how your adrenal glands work. So, once you have identified the ‘why’ behind your fatigue – perhaps you are suffering from adrenal fatigue, perhaps you have weak kidneys or thyroid issues? – then you can implement the herbal formulas and lifestyle changes that will empower you to heal.

Dr Morse’s adrenal, kidney and thyroid formulas are all great for targeting those specific organs, but beginning your journey with the Deep Tissue Cleansing Kit for Week 1 and 2 is definitely the best method for most of us. This kits will support your whole body during the initial phases of cleansing and healing.

Ginseng is also a fantastic herbal remedy as it is an adrenal tonic that will build, strengthen, tone and increase your ability to handle stress while reducing fatigue.

You can also make significant progress just by adjusting your routine and beginning some new healing practices. In my recovery incorporating gentle exercises like yogic stretching into my daily routine was very helpful. Many others have enjoyed similar results with tai chi, qigong and short walks in nature.

Cold water therapy is also a lesser known, but very effective method to deal with stress and fatigue. You can customise it to suit your needs, but for me taking short 4 minute dips in a bath partially filled with cool water whilst employing deep breathing has been both relaxing and energising. It has this effect because the cold water ‘wakes’ your body up as the blood rushes to your vital organs, and then back to your extremities; and the deep breathing helps to relax your mind and slow your heart rate. I have had stunning results where my heart rate dropped from 92 beats/minute to 74 beats/minute after just 8 minutes of cold water therapy. I encourage you to do some research and try it out for yourself!