Lifestyle and home remedies
By Mayo Clinic staffThese self-care steps may be helpful:
- Reduce stress. Develop a plan to avoid or limit overexertion and emotional stress. Allow yourself time each day to relax. That may mean learning how to say no without guilt.
- Improve sleep habits. Go to bed and get up at the same time each day. Limit daytime napping and avoid caffeine, alcohol and nicotine.
- Pace yourself. Keep your activity on an even level. If you do too much on your good days, you may have more bad days.
References
- Chronic fatigue syndrome: General information. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/cfs/general. Accessed April 20, 2011.
- Ebenbichler GR. Chronic fatigue syndrome. In: Frontera WR, et al. Essentials of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation: Musculoskeletal Disorders, Pain, and Rehabilitation. 2nd ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2008. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/208746819-6/0/1678/0.html. Accessed April 20, 2011.
- Gluckman SJ. Clinical features and diagnosis of chronic fatigue syndrome. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed April 20, 2011.
- Chronic fatigue syndrome: Causes. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/cfs/general/causes/index.html. Accessed April 20, 2011.
- Vincent A (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. May 4, 2011.
- Jones JF. Chronic fatigue syndrome. In: Bope ET, et al. Conn's Current Therapy. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2011. http://www.mdconsult.com/books/about.do?eid=4-u1.0-B978-1-4377-0986-5..C2009-0-38984-9--TOP&isbn=978-1-4377-0986-5&about=true&uniqId=236797353-5. Accessed April 21, 2011.
- Gluckman SJ. Treatment of chronic fatigue syndrome. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed April 20, 2011.
- White PD, et al. Comparison of adaptive pacing therapy, cognitive behaviour therapy, graded exercise therapy, and specialist medical care for chronic fatigue syndrome (PACE): A randomised trial. The Lancet. 2011;377:823.
- Natural medicines in the clinical management of chronic fatigue syndrome. Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database. http://www.naturaldatabase.com. Accessed April 22, 2011.
- Chronic pain and CAM: At a glance. National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine. http://nccam.nih.gov/health/pain/chronic.htm. Accessed April 22, 2011.
- CFS toolkit. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/cfs/toolkit/index.html. Accessed April 22, 2011.


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