Living with a chronic disease often means monitoring and tracking your symptoms, such as fatigue. This allows you to identify triggers, such as food and stress. It can also help you detect relapses early when the disease is inactive or in remission.
When Crohn’s disease fatigue is getting in the way of your daily life, here are some of the ways you can manage it:
- Rule out underlying anemia
- Take the necessary supplements as directed by your healthcare provider
- Treat flare-ups
- Switch medications
- Manage sleep
- Manage stress
- Eat well
- Exercise regularly
- Budget your energy
1. Assess Anemia
While blood transfusions improve your blood levels, you will need to take other steps to address or prevent anemia.
2. Take a Supplement
Crohn’s patients may also have low vitamins B12 and D, Rao adds. Dr. Choudhary says she often recommends that Crohn’s patients take a multivitamin and have frequent blood tests to check for nutrient deficiencies. Consider talking with a dietitian who specializes in Crohn’s disease or your doctor before taking any new supplements.
3. Treat Flare-Ups
This is when symptom monitoring becomes especially handy — it allows you to identify potential causes of flares, which you can relay to your doctor.
Make sure you’re following all of the necessary steps to avoid and treat your Crohn’s flares. This means taking prescribed medication according to your doctor’s instructions in addition to maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
4. Switch Medications
5. Manage Sleep
Talk with your doctor about ways to improve life with Crohn’s so you can get some shut-eye, especially if symptoms are keeping you up at night.
Also review your entire sleep hygiene routine to make sure you’re giving yourself a chance to get enough good-quality sleep. The Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation recommends going to sleep and waking up at the same time everyday and using fewer electronics closer to bedtime.
You should also create a bedtime routine that’s conducive to quality sleep, such as creating a calming environment in your bedroom, Rao adds.
6. Manage Stress
Yes, Crohn’s is stressful. Stress in itself is tiring and can interfere with sleep.
You’ll want to identify your stressors as part of an overall strategy to reduce stress, says Rao. The Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation advises patients to take up cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), mindfulness, and meditation to relieve emotional stress if it’s impacting your life — your gastroenterologist can refer you if this is needed. Taking a warm bath before bed or having a cup of chamomile tea can help set a relaxing mood.
7. Eat Well
There isn’t a one-size-fits-all diet for Crohn’s disease, but food can still play a role in symptom and disease management.
8. Exercise
9. Budget Your Energy
When you have limited energy, you’ll need to use it wisely. Consider the concept of treating your energy levels like money and budgeting it appropriately.
“It’s a matter of being good at prioritizing and delegating,” Domilici says. “Look at your week and have a sense of what you can manage and not manage.” If your day is overbooked, cut some of your commitments.
Crohn’s patients may even need to take time off from school or work obligations or obtain necessary accommodations from their physician as needed, Dr. Dibba says.