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why physical activity can be better than rest for cancer-related fatigue

  • Writer: Edyta
    Edyta
  • 7 days ago
  • 3 min read

Updated: 5 days ago

Cancer-related fatigue (CRF) is a common and often debilitating side effect experienced by many cancer survivors. It's different from the tiredness you feel after a long day; it's often more severe, persistent, and not fully relieved by rest. While rest is crucial for recovery, relying solely on rest to combat CRF can sometimes be counterproductive. Here's why movement or exercise is often a more effective strategy:





1. Breaking the Deconditioning Cycle (The "Rest Trap"):

  • Rest: While necessary, too much rest or inactivity leads to deconditioning. This means muscles weaken, cardiovascular fitness declines, and your body becomes less efficient at using energy.

  • Exercise: Gentle, regular physical activity helps reverse deconditioning. It strengthens muscles, improves heart and lung function, and makes everyday tasks feel less tiring over time. Essentially, it helps your body become more resilient and efficient.


2. Boosting Energy Production:

  • Rest: Prolonged inactivity doesn't actively stimulate the body's energy production systems.

  • Exercise: Physical activity improves how your body's cells produce and use energy (it happens deep on the mitochondrial level). It also enhances oxygen delivery throughout the body, which is vital for energy levels.


3. Reducing Inflammation:

  • Rest: While rest allows the body to heal, inactivity itself doesn't necessarily combat the underlying inflammation often associated with cancer and its treatments, which can contribute significantly to fatigue.

  • Physical Activity: Regular, moderate exercise has anti-inflammatory effects. It can help lower the levels of inflammatory markers (cytokines) in the body that are linked to fatigue.


4. Improving Sleep Quality:

  • Rest: Ironically, too much daytime rest or napping can sometimes interfere with nighttime sleep patterns, leading to poorer sleep quality and worsening daytime fatigue.

  • Exercise: Physical activity, especially when done earlier in the day, can help regulate your sleep-wake cycle, leading to deeper, more restorative sleep at night.


5. Enhancing Mood and Mental Wellbeing:

  • Rest: While rest is needed, inactivity can sometimes contribute to feelings of depression, anxiety, or helplessness, which can exacerbate fatigue.

  • Physical Activity: Exercise releases endorphins, natural mood boosters. It can reduce stress, anxiety, and depression, providing a sense of accomplishment and control, all of which can positively impact energy levels.


Important Considerations:

  • "Exercise" doesn't mean intense workouts: For CRF, it usually refers to low-to-moderate intensity activities like walking, gentle stretching, yoga practice, or swimming.

  • Start slowly and listen to your body: It's crucial not to push too hard, especially initially. Gradually increase duration and intensity as tolerated.

  • Consider talking to your doctor or a physical therapist specializing in oncology. They can help you create a safe and appropriate plan based on your specific situation, treatment history, and current fitness level.

  • Rest is still important: The goal isn't to eliminate rest but to find the right balance between appropriate rest and beneficial physical activity.




“Exercise is the best medicine someone with cancer can take in addition to their standard cancer treatments. That’s because we know now that people who exercise regularly experience fewer and less severe treatment side-effects; cancer-related fatigue, mental distress, and quality of life.

If the effects of exercise could be encapsulated in a pill, it would be prescribed to every cancer patient worldwide and viewed as a major breakthrough in cancer treatment.” ~ Clinical Oncology Society of Australia





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