Everyone needs energy but have you noticed that living with chronic pain normally means you don’t have a lot to spare? That’s because chronic pain steals energy. Small things might tire you out. Things that other people take for granted like showering or making a simple meal can use up every ounce of energy you have.
My Pain Steals My Energy
Sometimes I envy those people who have bags of energy. I hear of the things they do and wonder how there are enough hours in the day, never mind how they have enough energy to do everything.
My energy is normally limited but, right now, I feel as though I am running on empty. I have no energy. None. Zero. Zilch. If you happen to find some going spare, please, please send it to me.
I know my pain is the culprit – it sneaks in and steals my energy. But did it have to take every ounce of it? Couldn’t it have left me with a little bit? Even just a smidgen?
Chronic Pain is Tiring
Living with chronic pain (or any chronic illness) is tiring. Actually, it’s more than tiring. It’s exhausting. It uses energy in a way that healthier people probably find hard to understand.
I normally run on a low battery thanks to my pain. I am used to that. It feels as though I have a tiny reserve but every once in a while that reserve disappears too.
I want to do things but I have no energy. So many thoughts rattle through my brain. I should be doing this or doing that. But instead, I do nothing. My legs and arms are heavy. My head is heavy. Even my brain feels heavy. It hurts to think.
When I feel like this, it gives me a little bit of an insight into how people with chronic fatigue syndrome must feel. But hopefully, my lack of energy is short-term. I’ve been here before. I just need to give myself time and be kind to myself and I’ll get back to my normal levels of energy.
Fatigue is Common When You Live With Pain
I know I’m not alone because it’s a common topic in support groups. People often ask if it’s normal to feel so tired and say that they’re out of spoons before the day has even begun.
It’s such a horrible feeling being totally void of energy. If you’ve done something worthy of being tired, it’s easier to cope with because there is a legitimate reason. And normally, that energy builds back up quickly after a rest.
But when your fatigue is simply down to the fact that you live with pain or illness, it’s more difficult to cope with. Having a rest won’t solve the problem quickly.
Does the Spoon Theory Explain Your Life
Helpful Tips On How To Cope When Pain Steals Your Energy
I’ve been dealing with this for years and I know that there is no simple solution. However, there are a few tips which might help when your pain steals your energy.
1. Is There A Medical Reason For Your Tiredness?
As I said, living with pain can be tiring, but is there more to it? There can be many reasons for feeling tired all the time therefore it’s important to ensure there isn’t an underlying cause.
Speak to your doctor about it. They could do some routine tests to check things like your blood sugar, thyroid, iron and B12 levels. Those problems can creep up on us and medical intervention might be necessary.
2. Review Your Medication With Your Doctor
Medication often lists tiredness as a side effect. If you think the tiredness is excessive and might be caused by your meds, speak to your doctor. It may be time to weigh up the benefits against the side effects. It’s good to review meds every so often with your doctor anyway because new medication might be more suitable for your condition.
3. Are Emotions Causing Tiredness?
Chronic pain or illness can have a huge impact on our mental and emotional health which can then have an impact on our energy levels.
Depression often comes hand in hand with chronic pain or a chronic illness and depression can often make people feel exceptionally tired. If you feel depressed, speak to your doctor or a counsellor about it.
Many people don’t like to talk about their emotions and mental health for a variety of reasons. But talking about it can help. If you can’t talk to anyone though, try writing about how you’re feeling. Writing can be therapeutic and can often help us to put things into perspective.
4. Dehydration
Dehydration causes alI sorts of problems, the main one being fatigue. But as well as zapping your energy, dehydration can cause muscle and joint pain, headaches and constipation. If you don’t like water, try adding some fresh lemon slices, diluting juice or cordial to it.
(Although not drinking enough can cause dehydration, it’s also dangerous to drink too much water, so don’t overdo it.)
5. Healthy Eating
Obviously, a healthy diet is good for everyone but it’s especially important if you are dealing with health problems and taking medication.
Try to eat small meals regularly rather than eating one large meal and ensure you’re getting a good range of nutrients in your food.
Learning about nutrients in food can help to promote healthy eating habits. This page on the NHS website has some information about eating a healthy balanced diet.
Certain foods (like bananas, beans and eggs) are also thought to help give a healthy energy boost. This website explains which foods might be beneficial if your energy is low.
Snack Wisely
I am going to put my hand up and admit that I am a snacker and I don’t tend to snack wisely. I should but instead I reach for chocolate because, well, just because…
Snacking wisely is much more beneficial. Sugar and refined starchy foods give a quick burst of energy but are often followed by sleepiness. They cause your blood sugar to spike quickly but it also falls quickly. Foods with a low glycemic index do the opposite. They cause blood sugar to rise slowly which gives a more constant energy level.
If you have the nibbles, perhaps you could try snacking on a handful of mixed nuts, a granola bar, a yoghurt or some slices of apple with peanut butter.
(Note to self – Practice what you preach, Liz!)
6. Supplements
I’m all for getting nutrients directly from food, but sometimes we might need to take a supplement.
If your blood tests confirm you have a deficiency, your doctor might prescribe supplements. However, even if your levels are normal, you might still benefit from taking a supplement. Sometimes our bodies need a boost.
A general multivitamin might help but something more specific might help your fatigue. Iron, B vitamins (especially B12) and magnesium could possibly help.
If you’re taking any supplements, it’s best to ask for advice from your doctor or pharmacist. Some aren’t suitable to take if you have certain health conditions and some might interact with medications you take.
7. How are You Sleeping?
Pain and medication make people physically tired and sometimes a nap is vital. However, try not to sleep for too long during the day. It sounds ridiculous, but sometimes the more sleep you get, the more tired you can become. If you are napping, try setting an alarm so you don’t sleep for too long.
If you’re not sleeping well at night, that will obviously make you more tired during the day. I wrote a post with tips for getting better quality sleep a while ago. You can find it here.
8. Exercise
It’s the dreaded word when you live with a health problem. How can we exercise when we live with pain and we’re feeling excessively tired? But exercise doesn’t need to be a six-mile run or a forty-minute workout. It can simply be going for a short walk. And if you can’t manage that, just moving about a bit more than you normally do is fine. Exercise gives your cells more energy and helps to circulates oxygen so, even though we feel as though we don’t have enough energy to move, it can help.
Do what you’re able to do for a few minutes at a time and try to gradually increase it if you can. If you want to do more strenuous exercise, it’s always advisable to speak to a doctor or physiotherapist first.
9. Avoid Caffeine and Energy Drinks
They might give you an energy boost, but it’s a quick fix that won’t last.
10. Keep Your Mind Busy
It sounds like a crazy suggestion when you are fighting fatigue, but try to keep your brain active. Doing something that stimulates your brain can help to fight the fatigue. Spend time getting absorbed in your favourite hobby or try learning a new one. If you can’t manage that, then play some word games, number puzzles or jigsaws. Keeping your mind busy might help to keep you awake and it can also help to distract you from your pain.
11. Pace Yourself to Conserve Energy
When you have little energy but need to get things done, it’s so important to pace yourself. Split tasks into small chunks then spread them out so you can have rest breaks. If you push your limits, you’ll use up so much energy and it will be more difficult to recover. Pacing can help to conserve your energy.
Tips to Help You Pace Yourself
12. Fresh Air and Sunshine
My Mum used to say, ‘go out and get some fresh air to blow the cobwebs away.’ She was right, it does blow away the cobwebs. Just a few minutes of fresh air can help to make you feel more awake.
Sunshine is the vitamin that we tend to miss out of when we’re living with pain. We often coop ourselves up in the house and don’t get enough natural sunlight. If you can’t manage to get out, sit by a window for a while each day.
13. Relaxation
Try to learn some relaxation techniques. They can help pain and fatigue. Spending a few minutes each day doing some breathing exercises, mindfulness, Reiki, yoga or just listening to some music can help to give your system a restart.
14. Fun
Sometimes we forget what it’s like to have fun when we’re living with pain especially when it’s drained us of our energy. But we really should try to inject some fun into our lives. Meet some friends or invite them to your house. Treat yourself to a takeaway so that no cooking is involved, put on some music and have a giggle with your friends. If you can’t meet up physically, do it virtually. There’s nothing like a chinwag and a giggle to give you an energy boost.
Remember: When Pain Steals Your Energy, it’s Not Your Fault – Be Kind to Yourself
Don’t guilt trip yourself when you feel tired all the time. Unfortunately, it’s normal when you live with pain.
So no guilt trips. Instead, learn to be kind to yourself.
I am ‘lucky’ in that I do not have pain every day, but I anticipate pain every day and that can also be draining. I must be careful not to do anything that might trigger pain. I must modify my behaviour or choices as soon as I notice the slightest zap or twinge, then actively make the decision to stop and rest for a while in the hope that the zap is not a pre-cursor to a full-on episode that could last for days. I know that pain every day is tiring, but avoiding pain can also be exhausting.
Thanks for commenting Sharon. I think living with a condition like that is just like living with a chronic pain condition. It might not be affecting you physically all the time, but it’s always there. Knowing that it could zap at any time and trying to always avoid triggers must be just as exhausting.
Thanks for sharing this Liz. It can be so frustrating when my energy tank is constantly empty and nothing seems to help. It feels like I’m constantly running a race that I’ll never be able to keep up with or win. I really appreciated those tips of things we should evaluate and check up on as well.
Tasha x
Thanks for commenting Tasha. Running a race that you know you can’t keep up with is the perfect description.
This is such a great post Liz, thank you. I love how you’ve expressed so well the frustration of having no energy with chronic illness and pain, despite pacing and resting well. It’s definitely hard when we live in a world that expects us to be constantly on the go doing things. I especially love the wide range of helpful tips you’ve provided to help ease our fatigue and give us more energy. I completely agree with you and your mum about fresh air, it never fails to instantly make me feel better, it’s one daily habit I wouldn’t go without. Journaling also helps me, it’s amazing the difference simply writing down all our thoughts and feelings rather than keeping them bottled up can have, I always feel like a massive weight has been lifted off my shoulders and feel more relaxed after.
Thank you, Lucy. I think you’re right – we live in a world that expects us to be constantly on the go doing things. We then start to believe we’re failures if we can’t manage.
“If you’ve done something worthy of being tired, it’s easier to cope with because there is a legitimate reason.” You caught my biggest problem. Mentally, I know it isn’t true. But I still fall prey to that. Thanks for the article.
I think most of us fall prey to that. Thanks for commenting, Carole.