From Apps to Wearables: How Technology Can Help with Chronic Fatigue.

Smartwatches and fitness trackers are no longer just for athletes! For those with chronic fatigue, they can act as daily companions that offer real-time feedback. Rather than tracking your activity levels and encouraging you to do more, these devices aim to encourage you to pace yourself and conserve energy levels.

First of all, what do we mean by chronic fatigue, and what does this look like?

Living with chronic fatigue can feel like carrying an invisible weight every day. Tasks that seem simple to others, like getting out of bed, cooking a meal and keeping up with appointments, can quickly become overwhelming. While there’s no one-size-fits-all solution, technology is beginning to play a supportive role in managing energy and making life a little easier. Smart devices, in particular, are proving to be powerful tools for people coping with chronic fatigue.

Christine Miserandino developed a powerful metaphor called the "Spoon Theory" when sharing her experience of living with Lupus with her loved ones. In her metaphor, Christine uses the spoons to equate to units of energy, and states that everyone has a finite amount of spoons in their daily arsenal. So, what can this look like?

Imagine you start your day with 10 spoons,

• Getting out of bed costs 1 spoon,
• Showering costs 2 spoons,
• Making breakfast costs 1 spoon,
• Going to school costs 6 spoons.

But now you've run out of spoons! You could "borrow" spoons from tomorrow, but that would mean you would be starting tomorrow in a deficit. This is a real dilemma many individuals face who experience chronic fatigue.

So, how can Smart wearable devices help with Chronic Fatigue?

Wearable smart devices like watches and fitness trackers provide valuable insights into energy levels and health patterns.

• Sleep tracking can reveal what your sleep looks like and whether poor sleep is contributing to fatigue.
• Heart rate and activity monitoring help users pace themselves and avoid overexertion.
• Some apps allow for symptom journaling, which can be shared with healthcare providers for more personalised treatment. It can be very useful when speaking with medical professionals to build a clearer picture of what a user's day-to-day fatigue looks like.

Brain fog often accompanies chronic fatigue, making it difficult to remember tasks or appointments. Smart assistants (like Alexa, Siri, or Google Assistant) can act as personal reminders.

• They can help with medication alerts/reminders.
• They often can provide calendar access for tracking and active syncing to your own personal digital calendar.
• Some devices/apps even have the function for users to record voice notes, which can help capture thoughts quickly without draining too much energy.

There are currently numerous wearables and apps available on the market. I have listed some popular examples below:

• Visible (Wearable & app)
• BaselineNC
• Oura ring

There are many others, and it is best to research each of the available devices to find out what works best for you! It is essential to remember that fatigue is a highly individual experience and can vary significantly from one person to the next.

There are a few things to be mindful of, though:

• False Positives (Over-alerting) might cause additional anxiety.
• Some applications and wearables require a subscription after purchase, which can be quite expensive.
• While many devices have shown promising results, they have not yet been proven in large, long-term trials.

The Takeaway

Smart devices aren’t a cure for chronic fatigue, but they can make daily life more manageable. By reducing the physical and mental demands of routine tasks, these tools help preserve precious energy for the things that matter most—whether that’s connecting with loved ones, pursuing a hobby, or simply resting.

For anyone living with chronic fatigue, small changes in how you use technology can lead to big improvements in quality of life.