3 expert tips to spot early fatigue signs & keep your energy high
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Feeling too tired for your next indoor rowing session is nothing to be worried about, but what if the sentiment goes beyond a lack of motivation or sleep? Since the pandemic, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) has become more prevalent, with symptoms ranging from constant exhaustion to extreme cases of being bedridden. In a discussion with her brother John from RowAlong, professional Fatigue Coach Pamela Rose shares practical strategies for preventing fatigue, reconnecting your body and mind, and staying grounded — vital tips for sustaining energy for an active lifestyle.
Coaching runs in the family as John from RowAlong is all about keeping you fit and active on the rowing machine, while his sister Fatigue Coach Pamela Rose specializes in helping people deal with low energy levels. “Everything takes energy. However, you may only notice this once you’re struggling”, she explains. “ In that case, there’s a body and mind disconnect regarding what is doable and beneficial. It’s an up and down that can feel like it’s unpredictable.”
Based on their chat on YouTube, here are 3 key tips for managing your energy levels.
1. Spot warning signs of fatigue early to prevent exhaustion
Forewarned is forearmed, especially when it comes to conditions affecting your well-being. According to Pamela Rose, pushing through with plans and ignoring the signs of tiredness until you feel burnt out is a terrible approach. She reveals that this behavior is what led to her condition as well. Eventually, you may regret particular choices that made you sick instead of successful.
Coach Pamela Rose emphasizes 3 factors that may trigger fatigue, especially when combined:
A period of emotional stress
Note that both positive emotions like excitement (eustress) and negative feelings like grief (distress) may drain your energy.A packed agenda with too little time to recover
In Pamela’s case, her can-do attitude backfired when her busy travel schedule left too few rest days to unwind and recuperate.A compromised immune system
Various causes can lead to a weakened immune system including hormonal changes or medication like antibiotics.
If you notice a negative reaction to any of these triggers, slow down and take extra care to prevent a crash. “Be honest with yourself”, Coach Pamela Rose advises as it takes bravery to listen to your body and recognize your limitations. Even if you feel better again, don’t jump right back into the business you just pulled yourself out of but take things step-by-step as you may need more rest than expected.
I don’t believe in overtraining, but in under-resting. This means taking too few recovery days can negatively impact your performance and health.
From his indoor rowing perspective, Coach John shares: “A lot of people ask me about extreme and post-workout exhaustion online. My answer is to listen to your body when it says today is not the day. I don’t believe in overtraining, but in under-resting. This means taking too few recovery days can negatively impact your performance and health.”
2. Track vital signs to understand your fitness patterns
Living with fatigue can feel like a hopeless case. “There are many forms of fatigue syndrome with different causes. No remedy works for all and there’s no promise that it’ll get better. However, through my coaching, I help people become aware of the fact that there are ways to have constant support, regain strength and not feel lost anymore.” One way of aiding your road to recovery is tracking your vital signs such as heart rate variation.
Coach Pamela Rose recommends getting to know your norm since many factors like gender, age, and underlying health conditions are important to consider when analyzing biodata. “Thanks to taking a special test, I got to understand that I need to take lots of Vitamin D since my body’s natural uptake is low.” Such data help you plot and understand individual patterns.
While your results are valuable, they shouldn't be interpreted as sole decision-makers.
Coach John adds that your mood and the signals from your body can be at odds. He shares a competition experience: “After preparing for a race and feeling mentally ready to row, my vital signs indicated I should rather rest and avoid exercise. But all I could think about was that I should race since this was the day of the British Championships!” Building on John's story, Coach Pamela Rose emphasizes that while your results are valuable, they shouldn't be interpreted as sole decision-makers. Instead, they help you understand your fitness and health in the long run.
3. Know how to release stress instantly and in the long term
Sometimes it’s just all too much to handle and you feel overwhelmed. Coach Pamela Rose explains: “Our nervous system isn’t made for being on edge all the time. If you’re constantly under stress, you lose your tolerance and patience with everything and everyone.” But what do you do when a wave of anxiety and unease suddenly hits?
For such situations, she suggests 3 simple methods to calm down instantly and avoid a meltdown:
Humming
When humming, you focus on a melody and soothe your nervous system, which counters the fight-or-flight response.Breathwork
There are lots of different ways to apply breathwork such as concentrating on the way air flows through your body, conscious breathing and inhaling through your nose only.Optic flow
Unfocus your eyes to broaden your vision. This helps tell your brain that there’s no threat close by and nothing to stress about.
As a natural, free, and easy way to release stress, Coach Pamela Rose recommends harnessing sunlight. She suggests, “Get outside and soak up natural sunlight to kickstart your day and set your body’s rhythm. Even a few minutes of walking in the morning can signal to your body what time it is, helping it release the right hormones and wake up your digestive system.” She recommends repeating this routine in the evening and using a wake-up light during the winter months.
By avoiding triggers, listening to your body and releasing stress, you’re taking the first steps of preventing and fighting fatigue syndrome. Coach Pamela Rose summarizes: “Especially for rowers, runners and other athletes, fatigue can be quite frustrating since they had such an active lifestyle. But it’s not just a sad story. You have to harness your high-performance mindset and use it to drive the discipline and effort to get through this health challenge eventually.” Slowly starting to get back to activities like indoor rowing can give you a sense of progress as you take your time to recover.
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