Pacing is the term given to the strategy of managing fatigue and other symptoms in chronic conditions including post-viral fatigue, Long Covid, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) and many others.
What this looks like can be slightly different for everyone, but it essentially means being strategic about how you coordinate your life scheduling rest around activities and listening to your body, stopping before your body reaches tipping point. This requires understanding your baseline (which can unfortunately fluctuate), recognising your triggers and structuring your day, week and even month accordingly.
What this looks like can be slightly different for everyone, but it essentially means being strategic about how you coordinate your life scheduling rest around activities and listening to your body, stopping before your body reaches tipping point. This requires understanding your baseline (which can unfortunately fluctuate), recognising your triggers and structuring your day, week and even month accordingly.
The idea with pacing is to be one step ahead of your body to avoid flares and reduce the severity of post-exertional malaise otherwise known as PEM. PEM is a delayed exacerbation of symptoms (especially fatigue) that occurs in response to mental or physical exertion. For example, having to go out to a doctor’s appointment and doing a load of washing in one day could lead to a significant worsening of symptoms in the days following before returning to baseline. Some of you will know this pattern all too well!
So, how can you get the most out of pacing?
Here are my 3 top tips for effective pacing.
So, how can you get the most out of pacing?
Here are my 3 top tips for effective pacing.
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