Everyone feels tired at times - but fatigue is more debilitating tiredness and lack of energy. It is often not improved by rest and affects your daily life, stopping you from doing things that are important to you and impacting your emotional well-being. It can affect your concentration, memory, and decision making and cause sleep problems and low mood.

Fatigue is experienced differently by different people, and it can be challenging for others to understand. Illness and its treatments often affect the processes in your body that regulate your energy levels.

Watch our video for advice on how to live well with fatigue:

Rest and Relaxation

Making time for rest is vital in dealing with fatigue. Find what works for you. Some people find it relaxing to sit and do something they enjoy, such as reading, listening to music or a simple craft or art activity. Some people find a guided relaxation session helpful. There are CDs or podcasts you can buy that lead you through a relaxation session. Or you could use our relaxation video, which will guide you through a relaxation session:

Keeping Active

It is essential to balance relaxation and activity.  Understandably, you might not want to do much while feeling fatigued, which can lead to you becoming less active over time. Being as active as you can and keeping your muscles as strong as possible can improve your energy levels and help with fatigue. It can also help you sleep better at night and help with anxiety and depression.

You can talk to your Mountbatten nurse about a referral to a physiotherapist, who will be able to help you with an exercise program tailored to your needs to help you build muscle strength safely.

You can also try some gentle exercise with the following videos:

Adapted Tai Chi

Seated Yoga

Stress and Anxiety

Stress and anxiety use up more energy and can make you feel more tired.

You may find it helpful to discuss how you feel with your partner, someone else in your family, or a friend. Or you could ask your Mountbatten nurse if you would like to speak to one of Mountbatten's Clinical Psychologists or counsellors as part of our Bereavement Support.