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Christmas can be such a wonderful time of year, but it can also bring with it things like fatigue and exhaustion. That is why I thought it would be great if we talked about Cancer-Related Fatigue (CRF).

Please hear me when I say this, CRF is not just being tired. It is distinct from normal exhaustion. It is a pervasive, heavy exhaustion that doesn't just go away with a good night's sleep. 

It’s driven by the disease process, the toxicity of treatment, and the massive amount of energy your body is using just to repair itself. 

When you add the holidays, with the disrupted sleep schedules, the travel, the cooking, and the shopping, it is a recipe for a total fatigue crash.

So, how do we handle this without losing the joy of the season? We have to get smart about our energy.

Dr. Shehzad Niazi from the Mayo Clinic describes fatigue as a mismatch between demand and supply in our bodies.

Dr. Niazi says that sometimes, no matter how good your supply is, if the demand is too high, you just can't meet it. That mismatch is where we fall apart. 

For us, our supply might be lower right now because our bodies are fighting so hard. That means we have to be ruthless about budgeting the demand.

This isn't just about saying "no" randomly, there is actual science behind this. Researchers like Dr. Andrea Barsevick have developed a clinical strategy called Energy Conservation and Activity Management (ECAM). 

Her studies found that patients who deliberately planned their energy use reported significantly lower fatigue intensity.

A huge part of ECAM is a concept called Pleasant Activity Scheduling. Science tells us that depression and fatigue feed off each other. 

If you spend all your energy on medical appointments and chores, the have-tos, you have zero fuel left for the want-tos. This lack of joy actually deepens the fatigue. 

So, I want you to rank your holiday activities. If you have a party to go to, you need to trade off a have-to. Maybe you order groceries online instead of going to the store. 

You are trading a physical cost for an emotional gain, which breaks that cycle of depletion.

I want us to reframe napping. It is not lazy, it is medicine. But like any medicine, the dosage matters.

We need to stop waiting until we collapse to rest. Integrative guidelines suggest proactive resting, but you have to keep it under 30 minutes. 

Why? Biologically, if you sleep longer, you enter slow-wave deep sleep. Waking up from that causes sleep inertia, that heavy, groggy, zombie feeling that makes you feel worse than before.

Furthermore, we need to protect your adenosine levels. Adenosine is a chemical that builds up in your brain all day to create sleep pressure that helps you fall asleep at night. If you nap too long, you spend that adenosine too early, leading to insomnia at night.

If you are someone who can't nap, I want you to try Yoga Nidra or Non-Sleep Deep Rest (NSDR). 

Studies show that this specific yogic sleep shifts your nervous system from fight or flight into rest and digest, all while you remain awake. 

It is a scientifically proven reset button for your brain without stealing your sleep pressure for the night.

Okay, this part might sound backwards, but stick with me. Paradoxically, staying completely sedentary actually worsens fatigue. When we don't move, we lose oxygenation and inflammation builds up.

Did you know your muscles are actually an endocrine organ? When you contract your muscles, they release signaling proteins called myokines. Think of these as your body’s natural pharmacy. 

These myokines help fight the systemic inflammation, like the cytokines IL-6 and TNF-alpha, that is physically driving your fatigue.

But I am not telling you to go run a marathon. I want you to try movement snacks.

Research on Vigorous Intermittent Lifestyle Physical Activity (VILPA) shows that as little as 3 to 4 minutes of vigorous activity a day, accumulated in short bursts, is associated with a massive reduction in cancer-related mortality risk.

So, what is a movement snack?

These little snacks signal to your body to release those healing myokines without depleting your energy reserves like a full workout would.

I know it’s hard when your spirit wants to do everything but your body is saying stop. But by budgeting your energy, taking those prescribed short rests, and getting in those little movement snacks, you can actually enjoy this season.

Your healing matters more than a perfectly cooked turkey. Let’s honor our bodies this Christmas.

With heart,
Carli
Founder of The Cancer Crew