b'LLiisstteenniinnggttooYYoouurrBBooddyyRReeccooggnniizziinnggtthheeiimmppoorrttaanncceeooffrreessttiinnggBy Bhavya SuriFatigue is one of the most common symptomscan vary depending on your list of activities of multiple sclerosis. The problem with fatiguefor the day and how your body is feeling. is that it can present in variations throughoutSit-down sessions: When you take small the day and be different each day. While fatiguemoments out of your day to sit down, you allow is part of MS, so is movement. Movement canyourself both time to rest and reset your thoughts. range from getting out of bed in the morningDuring these times, you can reorganize your to exercising. It can be as simple as makingto-do list to match the energy your body is yourself a meal to as complicated as drivingfeeling that day.yourself on an errand. Both movement andSlowly rising: Instead of rushing out of bed fatigue exist in the realm of MS, and bothto start the day, try moving slowly. Do small require attention in their own ways.stretches before your feet hit the ground, take There is no perfect way to manage thea minute to listen to your body, and with each ability to move and avoid becoming fatiguedmovement you perform to get your day started, at the end of each activity. What may work fortake quick two-minute breaks in between. The someone you know, may not work for you.smallbreaksinbetweenslowmovements Each body is different, and how your bodycan help set the mood for the day.handles fatigue and expressions of thisModifying exercises: Exercise is important as it symptom can vary. Figuring out what worksallows you to continue moving. Before exercising, for you may require some trial and error, butyou should consult with your healthcare team lets start with understanding what properon a safe plan unique to your movement needs. resting intervals can help you achieve. During the exercises, it is important to take According to multiple studies, fatigue withbreaks. Small breaks between activities will MS can occur for several reasons. One of themallow your body to recuperate and reduce the is that nerve damage caused by MS leads tofatigue you may feel after.extra energy being exerted when passingThe goal of taking breaks throughout your messages from the brain to the rest of theday is to not push your body too much. With body. Another reason for fatigue is because ofMS, movement is important, but movement the sleep disturbance and pain symptomsshould be done with your bodys best interest that can be exhibited. Whichever the reason,in mind. While it may feel like you are not an increase of fatigue is present when livingachieving as much as someone you know, its with MS, making simple movements morecrucial to remember that your MS is different difficult. than theirs. By listening to your body, you are Scheduling breaks throughout your dayallowing yourself to adjust accordingly. This can help alleviate some of the fatigue that ismay require a lot of patience but the outcome morecommonlyexperienced.Thebreaksis worth it.19 msfocusmagazine.org'