What Does Pacing Mean For M.E. / Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Sufferers?
Many sufferers use the pacing approach to manage their energy levels. The aim is to try to stick to the 50% plan: to never use more than half of your energy. How do you do that? Easier said than done. But basically, you need to listen to your body. When it comes to the pacing approach, it’s all about energy conservation, so just remember – when you feel you could do lots more… stop. A healthy person doesn’t necessarily need to consciously think about how they’ll manage their energy on a daily basis. If they ‘use all their energy up’, they can just eat a good meal, or have a good night’s sleep, and bingo, they’re bouncing back. Let’s face it – as healthy human beings, we usually don’t have to think about how we manage our energy. So the pacing approach can take a while to get used to. This is especially true when you’re a new ME/CFS sufferer, and are new to the ‘physical and mental boundaries’ that ME/CFS can place on you. Pacing can certainly be frustrating and can take quite a bit o
