Chronic fatigue is persistent, overwhelming tiredness that doesn’t improve with rest and significantly impacts daily life. It’s more than just being tired—it’s a disabling condition affecting energy, concentration, and physical functioning.
“No matter how much I slept, I never felt rested. Even simple tasks felt like climbing a mountain.”
Chronic fatigue can present gradually or suddenly. Many describe ‘crashing’ after even small amounts of physical or mental activity—a pattern known as post-exertional malaise. Some develop fatigue following infection, a virus, trauma, or periods of stress; others experience it as part of chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS/ME), long COVID, or other long-term conditions.
Because blood tests and scans often appear normal, people with chronic fatigue may feel dismissed or misdiagnosed with anxiety or depression alone. In reality, these conditions often co-occur. Chronic fatigue affects work, relationships, and identity. It can lead to social isolation, low mood, and a loss of confidence. Understanding and pacing activity is essential for recovery.
“Working with patients experiencing chronic fatigue is about restoring dignity and control. Small changes can lead to meaningful progress.”
At Bloomfield Health, we take a compassionate and holistic approach to chronic fatigue. Our clinicians conduct a thorough assessment to explore possible physical, psychological, and lifestyle factors that may be contributing to someone’s experience of fatigue. Treatment may involve pacing strategies, cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), sleep optimisation, and emotion regulation techniques. We focus on helping you manage energy, reduce relapses, and rebuild confidence at a sustainable pace. Where appropriate, we liaise with your GP or other medical specialists to ensure joined-up care.
CFS/ME is a specific clinical syndrome that includes chronic fatigue, but not all chronic fatigue meets that definition. We will assess you carefully and thoroughly to arrive at a description of your problems that is valid and reliable.
Not necessarily. Fatigue may be linked to physical, emotional, or post-viral causes—or a mix. Many people experience both.
Yes. Therapy helps with pacing, stress management, and coping with the psychological impact of fatigue.
Many people do improve with the right support. Recovery may be gradual, but meaningful change is possible.
It’s a worsening of symptoms after physical or mental activity. Learning to pace and rest is key to managing this distressing and disabling symptom.
Possibly. Many people benefit from adjustments in the workplace or phased returns to work. We can support occupational health planning.
No medication cures chronic fatigue, but some may help with sleep or co-occurring symptoms. After meeting with you and hearing more about your experience of fatigue we will be able to offer an opinion and recommendation about whether medication might be helpful.
This is very common. Chronic fatigue is real and treatable, even when standard medical tests are normal. You deserve to be taken seriously.
We are registered by the Care Quality Commission (CQC),
the independent regulator of health and social care in England.
