When Healing Needs Rest Too
Your health is important, but so is your sanity. When you live with a chronic condition, health maintenance isn’t just an occasional chore. It can feel like a full-time job. Between doctor appointments, medication refills, lab work, insurance paperwork, symptom tracking, diet changes, exercise goals, therapy visits—the list goes on. It’s all meant to help you stay well, but the sheer work of staying well can leave you feeling… unwell. This is health maintenance fatigue: a deep weariness that comes from constantly managing your health. And it’s real.
As someone who deals with a chronic health condition, I can get so worn out by everything that it takes to maintain my health. Dealing with the long-term effects of a traumatic brain injury is far more than dealing with headaches and migraines. Although, staving off migraine attacks alone can feel like an overwhelming burden! Just know, you are not alone and it is okay to take a step back from the constant awareness of the state of your health.
The Emotional Toll
It’s not just about time and physical energy, it’s also about headspace. For many people with chronic conditions, there’s no “one-and-done” fix. Instead, care is ongoing and layered. Thus, health maintenance fatigue sets in. It’s not just the mental load of figuring out what needs to be done that is exhausting. It’s the actually doing part that can cause the fatigue. Throw them together and you have a perfect storm of fatigue and burnout.
Each task can be a reminder: You have to work harder just to be okay. Even if you’re grateful for the care available to you, the constant vigilance can be exhausting. You might start to notice:
Procrastinating to make doctor appointments
Feeling “done” with treatment plans, even when you know they help
Resenting healthy habits you once enjoyed
Feeling like you have no time (or energy) to do fun things
Struggling to think beyond your next health task
This isn’t laziness. It’s burnout.
Easing the Load
You may not be able to stop managing your health, but you can make it more sustainable:
Automate what you can
Use pharmacy delivery, auto-refills, calendar reminders, or apps that track symptoms so you don’t have to remember everything.Build in “health-free” time
Create hours—or even whole days—where you intentionally don’t talk about, research, or manage your condition.Ask for help
Let a friend or family member handle certain phone calls or drive you to an appointment. You don’t have to do it alone.Acknowledge the effort
Give yourself credit for the invisible work you do to maintain your health. Just because others can’t see it doesn’t mean it’s not real labor.
If you are feeling alone in this and feel like you are experiencing health maintenance fatigue in a heavy way, I highly recommend you find a support group for your specific chronic condition. Whether it is in person or online. I am so blessed that I have found a community of people who have brain injuries I can connect with and find support. It also gives me the blessing of lifting others when they experience burnout as well. We are all in this together.
Little Cozy Supports for Health Maintenance Days
On days when the “health to-do list” feels endless, small comforts can make a big difference. Here are a few to try:
Tea in your favorite mug — the kind you don’t rush through, but hold with both hands.
Soft blankets within reach — create a corner that feels like a warm hug.
A “doctor day” outfit — comfy, easy to layer, and makes you feel cared for.
A post-appointment ritual — stop for a favorite snack, listen to an audiobook, or take a slow walk somewhere peaceful.
A soothing playlist — music that tells your nervous system it’s safe to relax.
Cozy lighting — a lamp or candle that signals “rest time” after health tasks.
A friend check-in — not to talk about your health, but to share a laugh or sweet moment.
Tiny beauty — fresh flowers, a new book, or a comforting scent to remind you life holds joy alongside the appointments.
You’re allowed to create comfort while you care for yourself. Healing isn’t only medical, it’s also emotional and deeply personal. If you can, wrap your health maintenance in softness. You deserve that.
It’s Okay to Feel Tired
Your body is already working hard to manage your condition. Adding the “project management” of your health on top of that is a lot for anyone. Health maintenance fatigue doesn’t mean you’re failing, it means you’re human. And sometimes, the most healing thing you can do is rest from the work of healing.
Gentle reminder: You are more than your to-do list, your pill bottles, and your appointment schedule. You’re a whole person, worthy of rest, joy, and ease even in the midst of chronic care.
With Warmth,
teresa
the healing homebody
