I’ll admit I still struggle to write about pacing, because I’m still learning how to do it myself. That’s the reality of living with chronic illnesses like autoimmune diseases or Long COVID or ME/CFS. When someone says “just go slower,” it misses the point entirely. Pacing isn’t simply throttling down; it’s a dynamic tightrope walk that demands emotional grit, careful strategy, and constant adaptation.
Why Pacing Is More Than “Taking It Easy”
Pacing is the practice of managing your energy to avoid crashes or post exertional symptoms. It’s about staying within your energy envelope, doing what your body can manage safely today, not what you wish you could do.
This sounds simple, but research shows it’s complex:
- A meta-analysis of randomised trials in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome found that activity pacing interventions significantly reduced fatigue (effect size: Hedges’ g ≈ –0.52), lowered psychological distress (≈ –0.37), reduced depression, and improved physical function – but only when patients practised gradual, blended physical and cognitive activity.
- A mixed-methods study of non hospitalised adults with Long COVID found pacing helped with motivation and planning. Yet many described it as confusing, time consuming and lacking clear guidance.
- An international study called pacing a “moving target”. Symptoms can shift without warning, so a rest day today doesn’t guarantee stability tomorrow. Learning pacing takes trial and error, patience and humility.
- In patients with Long COVID, 57% reported significant recovery or symptom improvement through pacing some returned to work, others improved.
These findings highlight that pacing is not passive, it’s an active, evidence based self-management skill.
Why Pacing Requires Strength and Strategy
There’s no instruction manual or dashboard to warn you when you’re near the red zone. Pacing takes courage and constant recalibration. Here’s why it’s so demanding:
- No ‘Off’ Switch: You must become your own sensor spotting subtle shifts, forecasting crashes, and acting early.
- The Push–Pull of Normality: On “better days,” the urge to do more chores, a walk, a friend’s call can undo progress.
- Grace Under Frustration: Accepting limitations isn’t weakness; it’s self-awareness. But it often clashes with society’s “keep going” mantra.
- Emotional Toll: Every day is a negotiation between hope and caution. That takes resilience most people never have to develop.
Technology: A Quiet Ally in the Struggle
For decades, pacing was mostly guesswork. Now, technology is starting to help:
- Visible App: Designed for Long COVID and ME/CFS, using smartphone sensors to monitor exertion, symptom severity, and heart rate variability (HRV). It provides pacing insights and connects to actigraphy trackers. Research is ongoing.
- ATJ-PEM Randomised Trial: Participants receive wearable activity trackers and personalised “just-in-time” alerts when heart rate crosses individual thresholds aimed at reducing PEM over six months.
- Repurposed Fitness Trackers: A qualitative study found some patients use Fitbits and similar devices in reverse not to move more, but to impose self-limits based on heart rate and step count.
- The Research Gap: Most past pacing studies only measured activity after the fact, not in real time. Experts now call for integrated wearable and mHealth tools to give live feedback and behavioural support.
Making the Invisible, Visible
To help others grasp pacing’s complexity, we need better language and imagery:
- Real-life analogy: It’s like walking on ice one step too far can cause a fall, and the ice thickness changes daily.
- Energy tank visuals: Your daily “energy budget” fluctuates; using yesterday’s limits as today’s template is risky.
- Highlight “normal day traps”: Doing more one day doesn’t reset your limits, it often raises the stakes for a crash.
- Recalibration is lifelong: Pacing is not “learn once, done forever” it evolves as symptoms shift.
Takeaway: Pacing Is Quiet Strength
Pacing is not laziness or giving up it’s an advanced survival skill. It’s planning, restraint, psychological insight, and increasingly, technology-assisted balance. Those pacing their lives aren’t weak; they are mastering an invisible struggle with remarkable strength.
If you find pacing hard, you’re not failing you’re learning a skill even researchers describe as a “moving target.” With time, patience, support, and better tools, pacing can help protect not just your energy but also your quality of life.
Disclaimer
This blog is for general informational purposes only and not medical advice. For personalised guidance on managing Long COVID, ME/CFS or other chronic conditions, please consult a qualified healthcare professional.
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