Introduction to fatigue
Session 1
Ground rules
- Respect one another’s views
- Be a good listener
- Everything discussed within this group needs to remain confidential
- Allow everyone in the group the opportunity to speak
- This is a safe space for everyone
Fatigue Management Programme
Aim
- To better understand post stroke fatigue.
- To develop skills and knowledge to better manage your fatigue.
- To reduce the impact of fatigue on your quality of life.
- To gain support from others in the group.
Programme schedule
Sessions:
- Introduction to fatigue
- Sleep and diet
- Relaxation and managing activities
- Stress
- Overall Review
Breakdown
What is fatigue?
What is fatigue?
- Fatigue is a common symptom following a stroke
- It often goes unrecognised or unreported
- Fatigue impacts on all aspects of day to day life
- It is different to ordinary tiredness that people without a neurological condition feel
- Fatigue is an unseen symptom, so it is hard for others to understand
How does fatigue affect you in your day to day life?
Types of fatigue
Types of fatigue
Primary fatigue
- This occurs as a direct result of damage to the central nervous system following your stroke. The body responds to the damage by slowing down, trying to make new connections to get messages through to the brain (neuroplasticity).
- Your body is working hard, even at rest and thus fatigue occurs.
Secondary fatigue
- Secondary fatigue is experienced as a result of other factors and therefore are not directly caused by the neurological condition itself.
- They can be viewed as ‘extra layers’ of fatigue (on top of the primary fatigue mentioned earlier).
- The good news is that secondary fatigue factors can be managed with the right knowledge and skills.
Examples of secondary fatigue
- Medication (some medications cause drowsiness, sedatory)
- Sleep disturbance and poor sleep
- Poor diet, erratic eating patterns, poor nutrition
- Over activity (pushing yourself too much)
- De-conditioning (not doing enough)
- stress, worry or anxiety
- Infections other illnesses (for example, urine infections, colds or flu)
- Pain
- Low mood
Jug of life analogy
Jug of life analogy
- Where are you spending your energy?
- How are you topping up your energy? Resting or eating
- Have you got the right balance?
- How can you prioritise factors that generate energy?
- How can you reduce factors that take your energy?
Gain a better understanding of your fatigue
Gain a better understanding of your fatigue
- Keep a diary
- List the activities you are doing
- Rate your fatigue levels
- Record any factors that make your fatigue worse (for example, mood, food, stress, pain, sleep probs)
- Record any factors that make you fatigue better (rest, relaxation, friends, family, hobbies, pacing yourself)
Access our activity prioritising list and fatigue diary
Deep breathing exercise
Deep breathing exercise
- Get comfortable. You can lie on your back in bed or on the floor with a pillow under your head and knees, or you can sit in a chair with your shoulders, head, and neck supported against the back of the chair.
- Breathe in through your nose. Let your belly fill with air.
- Breathe out through your nose.
- Place one hand on your belly. Place the other hand on your chest.
- As you breathe in, feel your belly rise. As you breathe out, feel your belly lower. The hand on your belly should move more than the one that’s on your chest.
- Take three more full, deep breaths. Breathe fully into your belly as it rises and falls with your breath.
Summary and homework
Summary and homework
- Fatigue is a very common problem in all neurological conditions (many studies have shown this to be true)
- Self-management techniques like this ‘educational group’ are evidenced based as helpful interventions.
- Primary and secondary factors affect fatigue levels– aim to minimise the secondary factors to reduce fatigue levels.
Week 1 homework
- Keep a fatigue dairy for 1 week to review next week
