Often we hear people use tired and fatigued interchangeably. However, they are not exactly the same.
Fatigue is an overwhelming feeling of tiredness, that stops you working or doing things you want to do, and doesn’t get much better after rest. It is often separated into physical and cognitive fatigue. Sometimes its hard to separate them and you may experience both at the same time. However, you can experience one and not the other.
Executive function challenges and other health conditions can mean that different activities are more or less demanding for you. Everyone experiences fatigue in different ways. Some people may find going for a jog a relaxing and calming activity, but going to school for 5 hours is absolutely exhausting.
You may notice a ‘boom and bust’ pattern. On a day when you feel a bit better, you do loads of activities, but you overdo it. Then feel even worse the next day.
It is incredibly frustrating when you cannot do all the things you want to do. Unfortunately, fatigue does not have a simple fix. By learning to manage your fatigue and pacing yourself you can prioritise the most important things to you.
Teens with executive function challenges are more likely to experience fatigue and have difficulty sleeping, which makes it harder to get through the day. There are some things that can help, like scheduling breaks throughout your day, getting plenty of sleep, exercising regularly, eating well, and staying hydrated.
