Parkinson’s and Fatigue – 7 Reliable Strategies to Overcome Exhaustion

Parkinson’s and Fatigue

Many people living with Parkinson’s have a daily insidious visitor that causes extreme tiredness making it difficult to complete daily tasks.

You may be asking yourselves, “Who is this insidious visitor?” The answer – FATIGUE

In fact, according to the article Fatigue, Parkinson’s Association,

“About one-half (1/2) of people with PD report that fatigue is a major problem, with one-third (1/3) saying it is their most debilitating symptom.”

Fatigue and sleepiness are two different, yet often related conditions.

Many people living with Parkinson’s or their caregivers, experience daily struggles with lack of sleep caused by sleep disturbances which can cause daytime sleepiness.

Fatigue, on the other hand, is a state of profound tiredness, that does not resolve or show significant improvement with rest. A person with fatigue may feel utter exhaustion, yet does not feel the need to sleep or nap.

In this article, we will delve into the symptoms of fatigue, suspected causes and then provide 7 Proven Strategies for overcoming fatigue.

Let’s start with the end in mind and provide the solutions and then discuss fatigue, its symptoms and causes and then come full circle and discuss the solutions.

So, let’s pull back the curtain and provide the 7 proven strategies for overcoming Parkinson’s and Fatigue.

7 Proven Strategies for Overcoming Parkinson’s and Fatigue

The 7 proven strategies for overcoming Parkinson’s and Fatigue are based on Movement Disorder Specialists’ recommendations to Parkinson’s patients who are suffering from fatigue based on my research.

These are proven, actionable strategies that you can implement in your life to help overcome fatigue and have a better quality of life.

7 Proven Strategies for Overcoming Fatigue

1. EXERCISE
   • Shall I say it? That’s right exercise! The benefits of exercise with Parkinson’s cannot be overstated.
   • Contrary to the belief that if you have fatigue that exercise will make you more tired, the opposite is actually true. Exercise helps relieve the symptoms of Parkinson’s and Fatigue.
2. Eat a Well Balanced Diet
   • Include lean proteins, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and legumes
3. Drink Plenty of Liquids to Stay Hydrated
   • Mild dehydration can cause fatigue so ensure you are drinking enough to stay hydrated
4. Take a Daily Nap (note the word Nap and not Deep Sleep)
   • A 10 to 30-minute power nap can help alleviate the symptoms of fatigue without leading to grogginess and interruptions in sleep at night.
5. Stay connected to Social Circles and Groups
   • Staying active with family, friends, and social groups will help to alleviate the symptoms of fatigue.
6. Reduce Stress
   • Stress can cause fatigue.
   • To help reduce stress do meditation, Yoga or Tai Chi, or volunteer work. Utilize any tools you have to reduce stress and help reduce the symptoms of Parkinson’s and fatigue.
7. Participate in Activities You Enjoy
   • Doing this you enjoy releases endorphins which can help combat the symptoms of fatigue.
   • Go out and have fun, learn a new skill or hobby, enjoy time with friends

My 4 Strategies for Living with Parkinson’s that I developed over 13 years ago based on hours of research fall under the umbrella of these 7 strategies. To learn more read my book

To learn more about Exercise and Parkinson’s read the article

Before we delve into specific details on the strategies for living well with Parkinson’s and fatigue, I think it’s important to have a firm understanding of fatigue, the symptoms, suspected causes, and then the strategies to combat fatigue.

So let’s start by discussing the symptoms of fatigue.

Parkinson’s and Fatigue – Symptoms

Before we jump headfirst into the types of fatigue, let’s refresh our memories and define what fatigue is and is not.

In the article How to Fight Parkinson’s Disease-Related Fatigue, Johns Hopkins Medicine, the author defines fatigue by stating

“Parkinson’s Fatigue is often described as the sort of exhaustion that makes it feel impossible to move as though you have no energy at all”. Source: Johns Hopkins Medicine

As with the Parkinson’s Foundation definition, both stress that fatigue is different than sleepiness, because with fatigue you may not feel sleepy, just totally exhausted.

Ultimately, fatigue makes it difficult for people to complete their daily tasks or participate in social activities because of the feeling of utter exhaustion.

Now that we’ve got a firm grip on what fatigue is, what are some of the symptoms of Fatigue?

Fatigue symptoms are commonly divided into two types

• Physical Fatigue
• Mental Fatigue

Let’s look at these in more detail.

Physical Fatigue

Most people with Parkinson’s that exercise can sympathize with the image above when they feel physical fatigue.

What is physical fatigue?

Physical fatigue is the feeling of being so extremely tired that is difficult to want to move or do any type of physical activity or task.

Physical fatigue can be as simple as not having the energy to want to pour yourself a cup of coffee or make breakfast.

To add insult to injury, physical fatigue may get worse during “off” periods when your medications are not at their peak effectiveness and not controlling your motor symptoms.

Physical fatigue can be devasting for people with Parkinson’s because it can limit their social interactions and well as negatively impact their sense of personal achievement because they find it difficult to complete simple tasks.

Mental Fatigue

I don’t know about you but I think we have all felt like this from time to time. Just mentally fatigued!

So, what is mental fatigue?

Mental fatigue, also called Parkinson’s Apathy, is a form of extreme mental exhaustion that makes it difficult to concentrate or focus making it challenging to complete daily tasks.

Mental Fatigue can have a significant impact on a person’s quality of life. Mental fatigue can make it

• Difficult to Focus or Concentrate
• Initiate and complete a daily activity or household task
• Follow simple directions
• Difficult to remember specific details (e.g., phone numbers, grocery list, etc.)

Speaking from a personal perspective, I often experience mental exhaustion. I find myself nodding off at the computer and holding down one of the buttons or typing the same information twice.

When I’m mentally fatigued I frequently forget what I was going to say when speaking or will start discussing an unrelated topic until I catch myself and say “I’m sorry we weren’t talking about this were we?”.

I often read the same page in a book several times because I can’t concentrate enough to remember what I just read.

I also get frustrated when I’m mentally fatigued and can’t remember a simple 3-5 item grocery list. I tell myself I’ll remember and don’t make a list. I arrived at the grocery store 10 minutes later and forgot 2 of the 5 items.

Mental fatigue can be just as debilitating to a person with Parkinson’s as physical fatigue because it often causes people to limit their social activities.

People experiencing mental fatigue often feel embarrassed when they have difficulty concentrating, remembering details, or have difficulty participating in a conversation.

Therefore, they limit their interaction with family, friends, and other social groups they participate in, which can lead to depression and Isolation.

It is possible to experience both types of fatigue, which makes participating in daily activities both inside and outside the house difficult.

According to the Parkinson’s Association, fatigue often manifests in people with PD who are early in the disease progression.

It can happen as well regardless of the severity of a patient’s motor symptoms.

We learned that Parkinson’s and fatigue can have deleterious effects across the entire body.

Meaning, whether you are experiencing mild or moderate physical symptoms such as tremors, fatigue can still be a major issue for the PD patient.

Fatigue and Underlying conditions

Fatigue can manifest its ugly head on its own or can be accompanied by additional symptoms that may need to be treated to help improve fatigue symptoms. These can include

• Depression
• Anxiety
• Unknown Pain(s)
• Sleep DIsturbances

As if these symptoms of fatigue aren’t bad enough, another unwanted visitor can worsen the symptoms of fatigue.

We are all familiar with this visitor whose name is STRESS!

Stress can increase the severity of fatigue symptoms. That is why it is important to lower stress levels. There number of things you can do to help reduce stress. These include exercise, Tai Chi, and Meditation just to name a few.

Parkinson’s and Fatigue – Causes of Fatigue

What causes Parkinson’s and fatigue? How are these causes different than symptoms of just being tired or sleepy?

Parkinson’s and Fatigue – Potential Causes

The cause of Parkinson’s and fatigue is still unknown.

However, there are some potential causes that can be evaluated by you and your physician to see if these underlying conditions may be causing fatigue.

They include

1. Sleep Issues -Encompass a number of conditions that fall under the sleep issues umbrella
   • Obstructive Sleep Apnea – sleep apnea occurs when someone stops breathing for a certain period of time until their body wakes the person to start breathing again.
     • Sleep apnea episodes occur multiple times throughout the night disrupting sleep
     • This sleep disruption leaves the person tired and fatigued from a lack of quality sleep.
   • Insomnia
     • Insomnia is not only having difficulty falling asleep but also includes waking early.
     • Both ends of the insomnia spectrum interrupt both the quantity and quality of sleep
   • Acting Out Your Dreams
     • Acting out your dreams can involve kicking and punching in your sleep. This affects the quantity and quality of your and your caretaker’s sleep.
2. Depression
   • According to the article, What is Depression? American Psychiatric Association defines depression as
     • “Depression (major depressive disorder) is a common and serious medical illness that negatively affects how you feel, the way you think and how you act” Souce: American Psychiatric Association
     • Symptoms can be mild or serious and include
       • Loss of energy or Fatigue
       • Feeling sad
       • Trouble sleeping or sleeping too much
       • loss of interesting activities you once enjoyed
     • According to the article “Depression affects an estimated one in 15 adults (6.7%) in any given year. And one in six people (16.6%) will experience depression at some time in their life. Depression can occur at any time, but on average, first appears during the late teens to mid-20s. Women are more likely than men to experience depression” Source: What is Depression? American Psychiatric Association
     • It’s important to consult your physician to rule out depression as a source of Parkinson’s and fatigue
3. Pain
   • Parkinson’s patients often report experiencing pain across the body, often for unknown reasons.
   • Pain can be a potential cause of Parkinson’s and Fatigue, so it’s important to discuss any pain you are having with your physician.
4. Medications
   • Certain medications can cause fatigue and tiredness so be sure to review your medications carefully with your doctor.

Now that we are familiar with what fatigue is, the symptoms, and potential causes it’s time to discuss the strategies for overcoming both physical and mental fatigue.

7 Strategies for Overcoming Parkinson’s and Fatigue

You have been feeling utterly exhausted and have little energy to want to do anything and are finding it’s negatively impacting your quality of life.

You discuss your feeling of exhaustion with your doctor and they tell you you are suffering from fatigue and may recommend many of these 7 strategies to overcome the fatigue.

So, let’s take a closer look at each strategy.

Exercise

“You have to be kidding me! I have Parkinson’s and Fatigue and the doctor is telling me I need to exercise. They can’t be serious?”

Yes, that’s right! Exercise can help alleviate the symptoms of fatigue.

According to the Michael J. Fox Foundation Article on Exercise and Parkinson’s, they state that

“Pre-clinical work demonstrates that exercise has protective effects on brain cells. It boosts trophic factors, which are like “fertilizer” for brain cells, and increases the number and activity of mitochondria, the cells’ energy sources. It also helps you use the dopamine your brain already has, more efficiently”.

It doesn’t matter what type of exercise you decide on, just make sure that it is something you enjoy so you do it on a consistent basis.

Also, make sure it sufficiently challenges you and gets your heart rate up. Exercising with a friend or participating in a group fitness class can help hold you accountable.

There are a number of exercise options to enjoy (that’s right I said it, you can actually enjoy and look forward to exercise).

Try to include exercises that work on balance and coordination, strength training, flexibility, and cardio fitness.

Exercise options include

• Walking
• Cycling
• Yoga
• Swimming
• Boxing
• Tai Chi
• Water Aerobics
• Circuit Training
• Barre Classes

So lace up those sneakers, grab a friend, and get started exercising!

For additional information exercise read the article

Eating a Well-Balanced Diet

It’s important to think of food as fuel for your body. You want to put high-quality fuel into your body to help your body’s motor run efficiently.

Eating a diet of lean meats and proteins, vegetables, fruits, nuts, and legumes are all great choices for eating a well-balanced diet.

Eating a lot of sugar causes insulin spikes which may give you the “sugar high” and quick bursts of energy but it is quickly burned off leaving you feeling tired.

Sugar also causes inflammation in the body which can cause tiredness and fatigue.

So limit sugar intake as much as possible. Sugar is often hidden in cereals, sauces, drinks, etc. so read ingredient labels and look for the amount of sugar. You might be astonished how much sugar is in products you consume on a regular basis

Take a Daily Nap

Follow my Boxer dog Katie’s lead and take a daily nap!

A daily 10 – 30 minute “power” nap can recharge your batteries and give you the energy you need to overcome some of the symptoms of fatigue.

You don’t want to take a 2-3 hour nap. First, you start into the sleep cycle including REM sleep and you may feel more groggy when you awake.

Secondly, sleeping too long or too late in the day can disrupt your sleep at night.

I’m up most days between 2:30 am and 3 am so I frequently get tired around midday. I’ll often take a 20-minute nap and that’s enough to help me power through the rest of the day.

Drink Plenty of Liquids

Drink plenty of liquids, preferably water to help stay hydrated.

Your Brain and body need water to carry our their bodily functions so it’s important to drink plenty of water to prevent dehydration.

The adage “If you’re thirsty, you are starting to experience dehydration”

While I know I don’t need to say it, I’ll do it anyway. During hot weather be sure to increase your water intake to replace the water you are sweating out.

So drink up and it will help improve your fatigue and mental focus.

Reduce Stress

Do you remember when you had a friend that wasn’t good for in your life? Getting you to do things that weren’t good for you, or convincing you to do things that got you in trouble.

Eventually, you moved on from that friend, because the relationship was negatively impacting our life.

Think of stress as that friend that you moved on from.

Stress can negatively impact every aspect of your life, both physically and mentally. So, it’s important to reduce stress as much as possible.

Options to help reduce stress include

• Exercise – Yes, here it is again!
• Meditation – focused breathing
• Tai Chi
• Yoga

So, take time for yourself, slow down, and reduce stress in your life!

Stay Connected in Social Circles

Staying connected in social circles not only gives you a s sense of commitment and purpose, but you feed off the energy of the other people in the group.

Being part of a social group helps give you the momentum to break the inertia of feeling fatigued. You get to enjoy the company and camaraderie that social groups provide.

So stay active with your friends, family, and other groups and associations.

Participate in Something You Enjoy

Let’s face we are happiest when we are doing things we enjoy and are passionate about.

Participating in activities we enjoy gives us energy. We look forward to doing the things we love.

So, to help overcome fatigue, participate in something you enjoy.

Learn a new hobby or skill, go out to a movie with friends, go hiking, and enjoy the outdoors. Whatever it is it is going to help you overcome those feelings of utter exhaustion.

When I feel fatigued, I love to play the guitar, tie flies for fly fishing, go fly fishing or go for a walk and enjoy the natural beauty around me. I love to observe all the different wildlife I see on my walks.

Finally, I’ll just come right out with it. I’m nerdy and enjoy writing articles on my two websites, liveparkinsons.com and discoverboxerdogs.com.

So, get moving and do something you enjoy!

Parkinson’s and Fatigue – Summary

Parkinson’s and fatigue together can have substantial impacts on a person’s quality of life.

In fact, we learned that 1/3 of people with Parkinson’s report fatigue as their most debilitating symptom.

Parkinson’s and fatigue have two major symptoms, both physical and mental fatigue. People can experience one or both which can significantly impact their participation in daily activities.

Parkinson’s and fatigue can have many potential causes which include sleep issues, depression, pain, and medications. It’s important to talk to your doctor if you are experiencing any of these potential causes.

Finally, we looked at the 7 strategies for overcoming Parkinson’s and fatigue. These include Exercise, Eating a well-balanced diet, Taking a daily nap, Drinking plenty of fluids, Reducing Stress, Staying connected in social circles, and Doing something you enjoy.

Parkinson’s and Fatigue can be can negatively impact your life. Parkinson’s and fatigue can be overcome.

Implementing the strategies will help you overcome the exhaustion you feel from Parkinson’s and fatigue. I know you can and will do it!

Frequently Asked Questions

Chris Kustanbauter

August 2, 2023

I’m Chris Kustanbauter and I live with my wife Mary. I’ve been married for 37 years and they have two adopted Boxer’s Duke and Katie. I live in Red Lion, PA. We have two grown children, Emily and Derek, and his wife Molly. Please follow me on Facebook – Liveparkinson’s page, Twitter@live Parkinson’s, and on Instagram and What’s App.