Managing Daytime Fatigue
Despite having my continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine and adequate sleep most nights, I do still suffer from daytime fatigue. I have recently seen a sleep specialist and found out my machine is still working as it is supposed to, so with my treatment being adequate, it is not my sleep apnea causing my daytime fatigue when I have it.
Knowing it’s not from sleep apnea, I still have to manage my fatigue. There are a few things I do to help manage and minimize issues with fatigue during the day.
No shame in naps or going to bed early
I know this doesn’t help the day I am having the fatigue, but when you are tired, you need to sleep. Sometimes I even take a nap when I can. If you are tired, your body needs rest. A nap can help you feel better for the second half of the day and mentally feels great. Who doesn’t love a good nap?
Going to bed early will help ensure you don’t have fatigue the next day. Don’t keep yourself awake because you think you need to. The physical and mental problems you have when you are fatigued are not worth it just to stay awake. There is no shame in taking a nap or going to bed early. Take care of yourself without worrying about what others might have to say.
Take it easy on yourself
If you are having daytime fatigue, don’t do anything extra you don’t have to. You won’t have the energy to do it properly and you won’t be doing any benefit to your body. When I am tired, I do what I can to make sure I have a physically easy day.
Even if I have something I was supposed to do that day, I may put it off until I either take a nap or another day when I can put everything into it so it is done properly and doesn’t hurt me.
Avoid stressful situations
I also do not put myself in mentally taxing situations. When I am tired, my stress and irritability become much more sensitive and easier to bring out. No one likes to be stressed or irritated at the littlest of things. Many times, you can avoid situations that do that to you. I prefer to not put myself in a situation or have conversations that put me in a stressful situation or I know will put me in a bad mood.
Listen to some relaxing music or a podcast that cheers you up. Take care of yourself mentally just as much as you do physically. When you are tired you need to be extra mindful of your mental health.
Look for the root cause
One last thing I do is try to see why I may be tired. There is a reason, be it less than normal sleep, something on my mind, or other factors. I try to identify them and make sure I either take care of what is bothering me or get more sleep by changing my nighttime routine.
You have to find the cause before you can fix what is wrong.
How do you manage daytime fatigue? Join our community and share in the comments below!
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