Page 23 - A Guide to Physical and Occupational Therapy for CMT

Managing

Fatigue

Fatigue is a common symptom for people with CMT, but the word “fatigue” can
be used to describe different experiences. There is a type of fatigue related to
being active when the muscles get tired when a task feels like hard work. There
is another type of fatigue that is a more general, which translates to
overwhelming tiredness that is not always related to what you are doing. It
is also more common for people with CMT to have sleep disorders, such as
obstructive sleep apnea or restless legs syndrome. Poor quality sleep can make
you drowsy and prone to nodding off during the day.

Fatigue related to activity is often resolved after rest or a good night’s sleep.
This type of fatigue can respond to general exercise and strengthening
exercises to increase muscle endurance. The more overwhelming, non-activity
related fatigue does not always respond to rest. Some people report having
a good night’s sleep but still waking up exhausted. Fatigue management
programs run by occupational therapists can be particularly helpful for this type
of fatigue. The focus is to explore triggers, strategies and energy-saving tactics
to manage the symptoms. Gentle, graded exercise can also help, and some
studies have reported that people feel more refreshed when exercising.

Obstructive sleep apnea can be characterized by excessive snoring,
headaches and daytime sleepiness. If you think that this could be contributing
to your fatigue, speak to your neurologist because there may be medical
treatments that can help. This is also true for restless legs.