Pacing is very important to manage chronic pain, chronic disease, or excess fatigue.
Chronic pain and fatigue affect your life. We try to push through. Fit our lives around our pain and fatigue. Inevitably, we become overwhelmed and stressed, which makes our symptoms worse.
Pay attention to your symptoms. Remember, those days when you feel better, you may overwork, resulting in severe symptoms for days to come.
Here is another explanation for pacing – have a look at the link which talks about The Spoon Theory.
Now that you know about pacing, how do you apply it? Start by doing activities you enjoy. That may be difficult to find when in pain or tired, but even simple activities can bring joy.
Pay attention to the time you spend doing these activities. Notice when the pain starts. If you have been active for 20 minutes before noticing pain, next time spend 15 minutes on the activity.
Rest for twice as long as the time spent on the activity. Try simple stretches or recovery poses for a few minutes after the activity. Recovery Poses.
Here are ways you can use your body to calm your pain and improve fatigue.
Stretching and movement are important. Sitting for longer than 30 minutes usually leads to pain in older individuals. A simple stretch every 30 minutes can make your life worthwhile. Choose stretches you can try over the course of the day.