Larisa Lipianu is a mental health specialist who empowers individuals with multiple sclerosis and autoimmune illnesses to manage symptoms, overcome mental barriers, and reclaim their lives using holistic, natural tools. Her mission is to help those with chronic conditions alleviate pain and create a fulfilling life despite challenges.
Fatigue is one of the most disabling symptoms of multiple sclerosis (MS), affecting up to 80% of patients and significantly disrupting daily life. Unlike normal tiredness, MS fatigue feels like an overwhelming exhaustion that doesn't improve with rest. As someone living with MS, I’ve experienced this firsthand and have seen it affect my career and personal life.
I dedicated myself to finding effective, natural strategies to manage these symptoms, and I'm happy to share that my research has led to successful results. Not only have I found relief for myself, but I've also been helping my clients regain control over their energy, brain fog, and physical pain associated with fatigue.
In this article, I’ll share practical tools that have helped me and my clients regain control over fatigue so you, too, can stay productive and improve your quality of life—at home and in your workplace.
What is MS fatigue, and what does it feel like?
Imagine playing a game of The Sims on your phone. Your Sim characters wake up in the morning, and you are given twenty energy tokens to help them perform their daily tasks. If the tokens run out, you have to wait until the next day to complete the tasks and continue the mission. Activities such as brushing your teeth, making coffee, and getting dressed might cost one token each, while more strenuous activities like showering or going to work might cost several tokens.
For someone living with MS, every task, no matter how small, can have a steep energy cost. They may wake up in the morning with five or fifteen energy tokens. When your energy tokens run out, you're left feeling exhausted, unable to move out of bed, perform at work, or complete simple daily activities. Unlike a game, you can’t just buy more tokens. Moreover, your doctors may have limited treatment options as most MS medications focus on preventing future relapses, not directly treating fatigue. When this happened to me, I felt stuck and discouraged when my neurologist advised me to just "wait it out."
What makes MS fatigue especially challenging is that it’s invisible and hard to predict. You may make plans with friends or important work projects only to be forced to cancel at the last minute due to sudden exhaustion. During intense fatigue episodes, you might feel so drained that even basic daily tasks become overwhelming. This can also lead to frustration, depression, and difficulties in relationships and employment, as people often underestimate the severity of this invisible symptom.
Strategies to reduce MS fatigue
To take control of fatigue, you need to adopt a holistic approach that supports your body on physical, mental, and spiritual levels.
1. Adopt an anti-inflammatory diet
The food we consume profoundly impacts our ability to manage MS symptoms. Our digestive system affects our emotions, thoughts, and even how we cope with life.
Consuming processed foods, alcohol, and sugary treats can damage gut bacteria, increase fatigue, and worsen MS symptoms. Research has linked gut health to the development of autoimmune diseases, including MS. To support your body, review your diet and eliminate known dietary causes of inflammation, such as alcohol, processed food, sugar, and sensitivities like gluten or dairy. Prioritise an anti-inflammatory, nutrient-rich diet.
Dr. Terry Wahls, a doctor and MS patient herself, has extensively discussed dietary changes in her book The Wahls Protocol. She emphasizes the benefits of increasing greens, vegetables, and high-quality proteins while cutting out sugar, dairy, gluten, and processed foods to promote healing. Many diets have been shown to help with MS such as Mediterranean, Paleolithic, Swank, Ketogenic, and Vegan. These studies suggests that there’s no one-size-fits-all diet, so experiment to discover what works best for you. Choose one diet for three months and make adjustments if you don’t notice any improvements. The success of the diet will depend on the bacteria that is already in your digestive system so don’t get discouraged if something doesn’t work.
At their core, diets that benefit MS share three key principles: they increase vegetable intake, reduce refined sugar, and limit simple carbohydrates. To help manage fatigue, consider focusing on these adjustments, gradually reducing these elements over time while regularly assessing how your symptoms improve."
Personally, I noticed an immediate link between my fatigue and my intake of sugar and caffeine. When I eliminated sugar and only drank coffee after a protein-rich breakfast, my energy levels improved and my symptoms gradually reduced. The same happened when I cut gluten and processed foods from my diet—I experienced an increase in energy and cognitive function.
Although dietary changes can play a huge role in managing MS, they can feel overwhelming at first. Consider working with a nutritionist or a coach to support you through this transition and increase your chances of success.
2. Prioritize quality sleep
Quality sleep is essential to reducing inflammation and fatigue. Studies have shown that disruptions in circadian rhythms (your internal body clock) can negatively affect fatigue, mood, and disability in MS patients. Poor sleep can exacerbate fatigue. You might be thinking, "But Larisa, I’d love to sleep well!" and I totally get it!
Start by looking at your environment. Establish a consistent bedtime routine by going to sleep and waking up at the same time each day. Invest in a good mattress and pillow, and ensure your curtains block out light at night. Additionally, limit exposure to LED devices, including smartphones, which have been linked to increased inflammation. Artificial light, especially in the evening, disrupts melatonin production, which affects sleep and stress levels. Avoid LED lights and smartphones in the evenings to improve sleep quality.
Next, develop relaxation strategies to calm your nervous system and disconnect from daily stresses. Many professionals struggle to disconnect from work-related concerns, leading to insomnia or poor-quality sleep. Chronic stress elevates cortisol levels, which disrupts the body's natural sleep-wake cycle, worsening fatigue and reducing pain management.
If pain or muscle stiffness keeps you awake, hypnotherapy can help alleviate these symptoms and improve the restorative effects of sleep.
3. Lighten your cognitive load
Cognitive load refers to the mental effort required to process and manage information. For individuals with MS, this can lead to mental exhaustion, especially when dealing with tasks that require focus, problem-solving, or decision-making. Tasks like concentrating in meetings or processing information can drain energy levels, as cognitive functions like memory, attention, and decision-making demand a significant amount of mental energy, leading to mental fatigue.
After my diagnosis, I noticed how exhausted and mentally foggy I felt after Zoom meetings and presentations at work. This often left me feeling dehydrated, with dry mouth and a strong urge to rest.
To reduce cognitive fatigue and support yourself at work, prioritise tasks based on their mental demand. Tackle mentally intensive tasks earlier in the day when your cognitive energy is highest, and take short breaks between tasks to allow your brain time to recover. Using tools like to-do lists or project management software can also help reduce mental strain by offloading tasks to external systems.
Incorporating "brain breaks" throughout the day—whether it’s five minutes of meditation or stepping away from your screen—can help reset your cognitive load and prevent burnout. Implementing these strategies will make it easier to manage your workload without overtaxing your mental energy, allowing you to maintain focus and productivity.
4. Use hypnotherapy as your best ally
Hypnotherapy has been shown to be an effective tool in managing fatigue in people with multiple sclerosis. In a review of 121 publications, researchers found that hypnotic treatment significantly reduced fatigue intensity, improved psychological well-being, and enhanced physical functioning in MS patients.
Unlike other non-pharmacological techniques, hypnotherapy is unique because it addresses both the physical and psychological aspects of fatigue. It is also completely safe!
5. Explore Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT)
Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT), commonly known as "tapping," is a simple yet powerful tool that merges cognitive therapy—used to reframe negative thoughts—with acupressure, applying gentle pressure to specific points on the body to alleviate tension. Research has shown that EFT can significantly reduce fatigue in people with multiple sclerosis, with noticeable improvements occurring after just a few weeks of treatment. It’s a safe, non-medicated alternative for managing fatigue and offers additional benefits for mental health challenges like anxiety, stress, and depression, which are common among MS patients.
The best part? EFT can be easily learned and practised at home, offering ongoing support whenever needed.
In my own practice, I often combine EFT with hypnotherapy for enhanced results. This combination has proven to accelerate recovery, reduce pain more effectively, and alleviate fatigue more quickly. Clients are also taught self-care techniques they can use throughout the week to manage their symptoms between sessions, helping them regain control and navigate fatigue episodes with greater ease.
6. Manage stress and negative thoughts
Fatigue is often exacerbated by stress and negative thinking. Anxiety, stress, and worry can amplify the physical symptoms of multiple sclerosis, making it harder to function during a busy workday.
In my own experience, stress triggered by work projects would intensify my fatigue and pain, creating a vicious cycle of exhaustion.
Incorporating stress-management techniques like mindfulness, meditation, and cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) can help you identify and shift negative thought patterns that contribute to your symptoms. Cultivating a more positive mindset can reduce the emotional strain that often intensifies fatigue, giving you more energy to focus on your work and well-being.
7. Support your nervous system
Supporting the nervous system is key to managing fatigue, as these symptoms often stem from an overactive stress response. Practices like yoga, tai chi, and gentle stretching can help calm the nervous system, improving both physical endurance and pain management. Regular movement, even low-impact exercises, can reduce muscle stiffness and increase energy levels.
Mindfulness practices also help by reducing the "fight-or-flight" response, which can intensify fatigue. By incorporating mindful breathing or short meditation breaks into your workday, you
can help buffer the nervous system from the stressors that worsen these symptoms. Every little thing helps!
Take control of your health to regain wellness
I know how challenging dealing with fatigue in your day-to-day life can be. But with the right tools and strategies, it is possible to improve your symptoms, maintain a productive career, and lead a normal life—and it doesn’t need to take ages!
As someone who has lived with multiple sclerosis, I understand how overwhelming it can feel when symptoms start to impact your work or personal life. But with the right support, you can find relief and regain your energy.
I developed a holistic system that can help fast-track your healing and alleviate chronic illness symptoms, allowing you to continue working and enjoying life.
If you’d like to explore these strategies further, book a free consultation with me here. Don’t let fatigue hold you back—let’s work together to improve your quality of life.
Read more from Larisa Lipianu
Larisa Lipianu, Clinical Hypnotherapist and Mindset Coach
Larisa Lipianu is a mindset coach, clinical hypnotherapist, and chronic illness mentor specializing in multiple sclerosis and autoimmune conditions. Drawing from her personal battle with multiple sclerosis, she uses a holistic approach that combines therapy, trauma healing, pain management, and lifestyle changes to help clients reduce their symptoms and live vibrant and fulfilling lives. Her experience has helped clients navigate the new diagnosis, adopt healthier lifestyle changes, reduce chronic fatigue, and heal pain after surgery. She works online and currently helps clients worldwide.
