How to stay active when you don’t feel your best

When you don’t feel well, it may seem natural to stay curled in bed or parked on the couch while you recover. But what should you do when you don’t feel well for an extended time, such as during cancer treatment? Is it better to rest or to stay active?

MD Anderson senior physical therapist Christin Brehm, DPT, and senior occupational therapist Sandra Beals understand the challenges of staying active during cancer treatment. Both experts stress that movement can benefit your mind and body, even when you're not feeling 100%.

Here, they share advice for balancing activity and rest during cancer treatment.

Know the benefits of movement 

So, why do Brehm and Beals recommend movement on days you're not feeling well?

First, movements like standing and walking keep muscles active. Using your muscles prevents you from losing muscle strength and mass, Beals says.

Movement can also help reduce the severity of some cancer treatment-related side effects, Brehm says. For example, she notes that adding movement during treatment can:

• Improve energy levels
• Reduce muscle loss caused by inactivity
• Reduce anxiety
• Reduce chemobrain, or chemotherapy brain fog

Beals adds that, although it might seem counterintuitive, movement can help you re-energize.

“How do you overcome fatigue? With movement,” she says. “Everybody seems to think fatigue is fixed or corrected with rest, but it's the opposite.”

Start small

When you don’t feel up for much activity, it can be hard to know where to start.

That’s why Beals recommends starting small. Her go-to advice? Avoid staying in bed all day. Instead, she suggests setting goals like leaving your bed for 5 minutes or getting up to spend mealtimes with family.

Getting dressed, putting on a pair of shoes or performing a simple grooming routine can also be good ways to stay active. Not only do these activities keep you moving, but they can also change your mental state, Beals says.

“Get up, get dressed. Do what you can,” she says. “Do something that makes you feel better and makes you feel fulfilled.”

Brehm also recommends simple, short activities on days you aren’t feeling your best.

“While resting and watching your favorite show, take a standing break. Get up from your seat and perform a few exercises or complete a household chore for 10 minutes,” she suggests.

Not sure of the best time to add movement into your schedule? Plan a short, mild-to-moderate intensity activity at a time of day you normally feel fatigued, Brehm says.

“This could be a brisk 15-minute walk, a 10-minute bike ride or a 20-minute yoga session,” she says, noting that the activity can vary based on how you are feeling and if you recently received treatment.

“On days you aren’t feeling your best, any movement is better than none,” she says.

Make it meaningful

When your energy levels are low, it can help to find a meaningful activity that motivates you to stay active. For some, that’s a hobby like painting or woodworking and for others, it may be visiting with family and friends or loved ones, Beals says.

Another way to make your activity meaningful? Head outside!

“Get some sun, enjoy some fresh air. It can be liberating,” Beals says.

Pace yourself

Fatigue is a common side effect of cancer treatments like chemotherapy and radiation. That’s why Brehm and Beals emphasize just how important it is to conserve energy.

You can pace yourself by adding breaks to your activities, Brehm says.

“For example, if you plan to walk for 30 minutes in one day for exercise, it may be a good idea to break that walk up into three 10-minute sessions throughout the day rather than doing the activity all at once,” she says.

Taking breaks to recover during exercise can have health benefits, Beals says.

“When we're doing exercise and activity, our blood pressure and heart rate tend to elevate. When we rest, it decreases,” she says.

It’s also important to give yourself more time to accomplish tasks than you may have previously, Beals adds. That might mean setting aside twice as much time to shower or get ready than it may have taken when you were feeling better.

Listen to your body

Not sure whether it's best to add movement or take it easy? Listen to your body, Brehm says.

“Take time in the moment to reflect on how you are feeling. Are you feeling exhausted? Energized? Somewhere in between? Let this be your guide,” she says.

Vital signs, such as blood pressure, and physical sensations can alert you to whether you are pushing yourself too hard, Beals says. That's why she encourages listening to your body.

If you feel your heart racing, or feel dizzy, lightheaded or faint during physical activity, Beals says to stop, sit down and regroup. If you don’t start to feel better after a minute or so, alert a family member or contact your doctor.

Other signs you may be pushing your body too hard include exhaustion, drowsiness, having an elevated heart or breathing rate for a prolonged time, or muscle soreness that lasts longer than three days, Brehm says.

“It is so important to not ignore signs your body gives that you are doing too much,” she says.

Work with your care team

Not sure how much or what kinds of physical activity are right for you during treatment? Work with your care team – which may include a physical therapist or an occupational therapist – to create an individualized plan.

Physical therapists consider many factors when advising patients on exercise and activity levels, Brehm says. These include your:

• Symptoms
• Pre-diagnosis and treatment activity levels
• Past and present medical history

“Not all exercise and activity is appropriate and safe for every patient,” Brehm says.

Occupational therapists help cancer patients accomplish activities of daily living more independently, Beals says. She adds that movement and physical activity are just a small part of her team's work.

“It’s about balance: rest, sleep, hygiene, nutrition, mobility, exercise, mindfulness. It's all-encompassing,” she says. “We help patients find that balance through this very, very difficult journey.”

Celebrate your progress

Managing cancer and cancer treatment takes a lot of effort and energy. Instead of comparing your activity levels to where they were before treatment, focus on celebrating each accomplishment, Brehm says.

“Your activity levels pre-treatment and during treatment may look vastly different, and that is OK,” Brehm says. “Take every physical activity or exercise you do as a huge win and pat yourself on the back. Your future self will thank you."

Request an appointment at MD Anderson online or call 1-877-632-6789.