Making time for activities that help you relax is very important in dealing with and preventing fatigue. Stress uses up energy and can make you feel more tired. It is very likely that you will feel more stressed than usual when you start your cancer treatment.

The following suggestions may help you to relax:

• talk to others about anything that is worrying you
• try distraction techniques such as reading, seeing friends and listening to music, to take your mind away from worrying thoughts
• if you can, try to avoid some situations that make you anxious
• take light exercise, such as walking.

Although relaxation is often seen as ‘doing nothing’, many people find it hard to unwind, especially if the stresses and strains of the day are difficult to forget. However, specific relaxation techniques can help to relieve tension and recharge your batteries.

There are two types of relaxation exercise:

• physical ones, which work on tension in your body
• mental ones, which help to relax your mind

It is important that you find a quiet, warm, dimly lit, relaxing place where you will not be disturbed, then lie or sit in a well-supported position. You will get the maximum benefit from these techniques if you practice them for 5 to 15 minutes each day; just experiment until you find the best exercise for you.

It is not possible to describe each technique in detail in this section; however the following list will give you an idea of what is involved. Ask if there is a nurse or other health professional in the hospital who can help you with this.

• body awareness – concentrating on different parts of your body
• tensing and relaxing each part of your body in turn
• breathing exercises
• imagery exercises
• relaxation tapes (music or natural sounds such as bird song or rippling streams).

Our section on cancer and complementary therapies has detailed information on complementary therapies and relaxation exercises.

It is important for you to do the things that are most important to you when you feel least tired. You may wish to consider keeping a fatigue diary to write down the times when you feel at your best and when you feel most tired. This may help you to plan your activities.

Keeping a note of your energy levels is also useful for identifying the days on which you are best able to work. However, you may have to accept that while you are affected by fatigue, you won’t be able to do everything you used to do. It may be helpful to decide early on which activities you are prepared to give up, at least until you feel more able.

Pace yourself and plan enough rest and sleep periods. It makes sense to plan a period of rest after a period of activity and some people also find that they need to rest after meals. Short naps and rest periods are useful as long as they don’t stop you from sleeping at night.

It is also important to plan your days around your treatment. Try to avoid anything energetic or stressful for 24 hours before and after your treatments, or if you have a fever (high temperature) or low blood counts.