Exhaustion is an enormous part of being ill on a regular basis. Not only are you always trying to feel better, but your body is constantly fighting inflammation.
I read an article recently about how they have discovered that low-grade inflammation reduces dopamine production, which in turn causes a person to feel more tired, more lethargic, and become less productive. The goal for the body is to conserve energy so that there is more energy to fight off inflammation.
So you can imagine why it is so common to feel sad, depressed, fatigued, and not wanting to do much of anything at all, if someone has constant inflammation.
When your body is fighting day in and day out for years and years and years, fatigue is often the only method of conserving any energy at all.
The Lighter Side of Exhaustion is having naps.
Naps are an underrated joy of adulthood.
Naps are best taken early in the afternoon and for 2-4 hours - not so long that it results in insomnia during bedtime, but long enough to really feel like a deep refreshing sleep.
Naps are best with cuddles, background noise, and in undergarments worn with whatever you were wearing during the morning.
If done right, naps can be rejuvenating. They can make it feel like a brand new day, with new day energy.
Unfortunately, illness can mean that naps sometimes make things worse. This is where we need to be careful. There are days when a nap will turn into two or three days of straight sleep. Other times naps may be ended with severe nausea and pain, worse than before lying down.
So nap carefully, nap well, and embrace the fatigue and exhaustion. It is, essentially, your body telling you to rest so that it can continue fighting off your traitorous immune system.
