What Is Chronic Fatigue Syndrome?
Chronic fatigue syndrome, also known as systemic exertion intolerance disease (SEID) or ME/CFS, is a serious and complex disorder of the central nervous system that impacts the entire body. People with this condition experience constant, overwhelming tiredness and other disabling symptoms that aren’t due to any other diagnosable medical condition.
Did you know that between 800,000 to 2.5 million Americans might have CFS? Many individuals with chronic fatigue syndrome struggle to complete daily activities they once took for granted. This condition is chronic, meaning it lasts a long time, but symptoms can come and go and vary in severity.
Some people may experience symptoms without realizing they have chronic fatigue syndrome. Experts say remission is possible, though it’s unclear what leads to this positive outcome.
ME/CFS Symptoms
The symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome vary from person to person and are not visible to others. The hallmark sign is extreme tiredness and lack of energy. Other common symptoms include:
Sleep issues, such as trouble falling or staying asleep, vivid or upsetting dreams, and not feeling rested even after sufficient sleep.
Brain fog, which includes difficulties with concentration, thinking, and memory.
Pain, especially in the joints (without redness or swelling), and mild to severe headaches.
Dizziness, particularly when sitting up or standing.
Some people develop sensitivities to light, sounds, foods, or chemicals. There may also be flu-like symptoms, including tender lymph nodes, frequent sore throats, night sweats or cold chills, and intestinal issues like irritable bowel syndrome.
These symptoms usually worsen after any form of extra exertion.
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Treatments
Medical scientists have not yet identified a clear cause of chronic fatigue syndrome, although several theories exist. There is currently no known cure. Treatment focuses on managing symptoms, often through lifestyle changes and complementary and alternative medicine techniques.
Since there isn’t a cure for CFS, experts recommend identifying and addressing the symptoms that bother you the most first. Try a combination of approaches; what helps one person may not help another, and what works can vary from day to day.
Ensure your healthcare team has experience working with people who have chronic fatigue syndrome. Below are some top suggestions to help manage day-to-day symptoms.
Pace Yourself
Even minimal exertion, like cooking a meal or working for an hour at the computer, can lead to extreme fatigue. Identify your limits and stop before reaching them. This way, you can plan for what you truly need and want to do without exhausting yourself on unnecessary tasks.
Daily reminder: Know your limits — physically, emotionally, and mentally — and be sure to stop before reaching them.
Some people find it helpful to break tasks into smaller parts and rest in between. For example, if you’re folding laundry, you might first remove the clothes from the dryer, then rest, fold a couple of items, rest again, and repeat until finished.
Form Healthy Sleeping Habits
Good sleep habits are crucial for people with chronic fatigue syndrome. Go to bed and wake up at the same time each day. Create a quiet, dark, and comfortable haven in your bedroom that you use only for sleep; avoid using phones, computers, or watching TV in this space. Also, avoid using electronics close to bedtime.
Pro tip: Create a comfortable haven in your bedroom by reducing electronics and noise while keeping the room dark and cool.
Eat your last meal several hours before bedtime. Avoid caffeine and alcohol in the evening. If you can tolerate exercise, do it early in the day to help you fall asleep faster at night. These strategies will improve your ability to fall and stay asleep. For more ideas, check out our “Can’t Sleep? Causes and Natural Solutions” article.
Try Graded Exercise Therapy
Those with chronic fatigue syndrome may find that vigorous exercise exacerbates their symptoms. You might experience “push-and-crash” cycles, where you push yourself to do more on good days but end up incapacitated for longer periods. Graded exercise therapy aims to break this cycle.
This therapy involves a structured program of gentle movements, starting with just a few minutes a day. Working with a physical therapist, you’ll practice stretching or other low-impact exercises, such as tai chi or swimming, that you can handle. Gradually, you’ll increase the duration of these exercises.
Use These Stress-Relievers
Stress-relieving techniques can help alleviate discomfort and improve your mood. Consider joining a chronic fatigue syndrome support group and trying the following:
Deep Breathing
You can practice deep breathing exercises anytime, anywhere, whether standing, sitting, or lying down. Inhale slowly through your nose, ensuring you breathe from your diaphragm (belly). Hold for 16 seconds, then exhale through your mouth for about eight seconds. Repeat nine times. Deep breathing not only aids relaxation but also helps with pain and fatigue by bringing more oxygen into your lungs, brain, and muscles.
Meditation
The ancient practice of meditation can ease chronic fatigue syndrome symptoms, relieve stress, and improve focus. Scientists have shown that meditation slows down your nervous system’s fight-or-flight response. A relaxed state is essential for repairing the body, activating the immune system, and improving digestion.
Pro tip: Start by meditating for 5 minutes a day, then gradually increase the time each week!
One of the easiest techniques to learn is mindfulness meditation: Focus on becoming aware of your breathing and thoughts, progressively relaxing all areas of your body. You can learn how to meditate through helpful online videos or this meditation guide.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
Psychological counseling helps many people with chronic fatigue syndrome work through their frustration and find ways to cope with the challenges they face. Research shows that cognitive behavioral therapy, where a therapist helps you identify and replace negative thoughts with constructive and positive ones, can ease the depression and anxiety that often accompany the condition.
Use Pain-Relieving Techniques
To relieve the constant discomfort of chronic fatigue syndrome, try complementary therapies that focus on treating the whole person rather than a specific symptom. Here are a few recommendations:
Acupuncture
Acupuncture is an ancient Chinese medicine technique designed to balance the “life force” (called qi or chi) in all your body systems. A trained professional inserts slim, short needles into specific “acupoints” on your skin. Despite the needles, the technique is painless. The length of each session and how many you’ll need to feel better depends on your condition. Some people have achieved significant symptom relief with a chronic fatigue syndrome treatment plan centered on acupuncture.
Massage
The health benefits of massage go beyond relieving tension and muscle aches. It stimulates blood flow and helps eliminate toxins from your body. Massage helps reduce pain, depression, and anxiety in all people, but particularly those with chronic fatigue syndrome. However, some people with the condition cannot tolerate deep-tissue and other heavy-pressure massage techniques, so opt for Swedish or other gentle forms that focus on the top layers of skin.
Nutritional Remedies for ME/CFS
Maintaining proper nutrition is as important for people with chronic fatigue syndrome as it is for everyone else and is one of the simplest ways to help manage the condition.
Diet
Eating a well-balanced, whole-foods diet — preferably plant-based — will keep your energy up and ensure your system has optimal nourishment. Make sure to include essential fatty acids in your diet, especially omega-3, which may help reduce fatigue. These fats are found in nuts, flaxseed oil, olives, olive oil, and algae oil.
Avoid inflammatory foods such as sugar, simple carbohydrates, processed foods, and fried foods. Some people with chronic fatigue syndrome notice certain foods trigger symptoms, so pay attention to what you’ve eaten if you get a flare-up. For more ideas, check out these stress-relieving foods.
Vitamins & Supplements
There are no long-term studies that show vitamins or supplements improve chronic fatigue syndrome symptoms. But some people with the ailment have deficiencies in certain micronutrients; if you do, supplements may be able to provide what you’re lacking.
CoQ10
Did you know that many people with CFS have low levels of CoQ10? You can find coenzyme Q10, or CoQ10, naturally in many foods. Your body produces it, though it declines with age. CoQ10 plays an important role in regulating your metabolism. Further, it is an antioxidant that protects cells from damage. Research has found that people with ME/CFS tend to have lower levels of CoQ10 than healthy people.
While no one knows why people with ME/CFS have low CoQ10 levels, experts have suggested that a deficiency in CoQ10 is directly involved in the development of chronic fatigue syndrome symptoms and that supplementation may help.
