Pacing is a key concept for people with fibromyalgia and other chronic fatigue-based illnesses. We hear about it all the time. But how do we actually take it and use it in our daily lives to help us to improve our quality of life? A member of the Melissa vs Fibromyalgia Membership team asked me to put this together, so here it is.
The Pacing for Fibromyalgia Training Video Part One
We we talk about what pacing is and why we should be doing it.
Pacing is a crucial concept to get when living with constant pain and fatigue. Finding and utilising the energy envelope we have can help us to avoid unnecessary higher levels of pain and fatigue.
Almost every man and his dog who write about managing fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome recommend it, and they are right, but what on earth does it mean? How does it have practical applications in our life?
I’m a big fan of the Fast and Furious movies (it’s Vin Diesel for me all the way, just FYI) and they live their lives a quarter mile at a time. As a New Zealander I can’t properly visualise what that means (we talk kilometres) but as a chronic illness fighter I get living a moment at a time.
When I get up I am generally coping until baby’s nap so I can meditate. Yoga nidra guided meditation is my best bet for true rest and relaxation. After that I’m coping until bedtime. Those are the markers that frame my day.
Pacing means aligning what we do with our energy and symptom levels.
Homework
➢ Write down what you do each day and track your pain and fatigue levels – look
for the patterns over a two week period.
➢ If you have a pedometer or Fitbit or other kind of activity tracker that can be
useful for helping you to find your ideal energy envelope.
➢ Listen to what your body is telling you. Grab an empty piece of paper and a pen
and free write about your ideal day, see what your intuition is telling you.
Links mentioned:
The CFIDS rating scale so you can find out where you are on the scale
Their free activity tracker to help you get started tracking your baseline
Pacing is a valuable tool for managing chronic pain and fatigue but what on earth does it mean in practical terms? We find out over this three video training series. Parts one and two are coming right here. Part three is only available to the Melissa vs Fibromyalgia membership team for access.
Check out my previous posts on pacing
A confession on pacing and boundaries
Fatigue and Energy – the Fibromyalgia Framework series
Come and join my free Five Minutes a Day for Five Days Yoga for Fibromyalgia Challenge! Try the benefits of yoga (and paced exercise!) in just five minutes a day. Yep, you can do it!
