Tips: Reading

Dr S gave us a small pile of reading material. I just finished reading a booklet about exercise, so I thought this would be a good time to talk about reading.

A lot of people with CFS have trouble with reading. There are times when I can't read, but in general, I think I'm doing better with reading than most other people with CFS.

For anyone who doesn't know what it's like to try to read when you have CFS: Imagine you've been studying all day, every day, for about a week. You're at that stage where you're starting to go cross-eyed, and you can't cram any more information in your head. On a bad day, that's sort of what it's like for me when I read the first few words on the page.

So what can you do to improve your reading? Start off with something easy that you know you'll like. I started with a Harry Potter book: it's an easy read, and it's entertaining.

Then I started reading Africa Geographic. It's a wildlife magazine (a topic I'm passionate about), and the articles are a good length. The great thing about magazines is that the articles vary in length; so if you're having a good day you can read one of the longer articles; and if you're having a bad day, you can read one of the shorter articles.

Now I'm reading a book called From Fatigued to Fantastic by Jacob Teitelbaum (who is a doctor). If I don't understand something in the book, I just keep reading. I think it's beneficial to keep my mind moving.

Finally, get comfortable before you start reading. You'll find it much easier to read when the rest of your body is relaxed!