Coping with Tiredness

27 January 2021

There can be various reasons you may feel tired when you have cardiomyopathy - both physical and emotional. 

If your heart is not able to pump blood to your body, which includes your muscles, then this can make you feel fatigued, especially after exercise. Medications such as beta blockers and blood pressure treatments, can also cause tiredness. It is possible you could be suffering with an underactive thyroid or anaemia that can make you feel more tired or lethargic. 

Reduced sleep or an interruption in your sleeping pattern could cause you to feel more tired in the daytime. Some people with heart conditions can have emotional stress, coming to terms with living with a heart condition and also dealing with changes to their heart condition can be stressful at times. 

If the cause of the emotional stress can be reduced, then this can in turn, reduce the resultant feelings of tiredness. Reducing the amount of alcohol you drink, not smoking, maintaining a healthy weight and eating a healthy diet can all help to reduce the feelings of tiredness and lethargy. 

Discussing how you feel with family members and friends can also help and if you are concerned that you feel unduly tired or fatigued then tell your GP, cardiac nurse or consultant, who may want to investigate further. Why not schedule things to do at the times of the day when you feel most energetic and allow yourself periods of rest throughout the day?

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