How can we talk about this invisible fatigue that can’t be seen but affects everything? Between spoon theory and battery theory, metaphors help express what words alone struggle to convey.
⚡ A fatigue that goes far beyond words
A few weeks ago, a flare-up in my symptoms reminded me of a familiar reality: living with a chronic disease means constantly juggling fluctuating energy levels. You always have to find a balance between daily activities and the effects—both positive and negative—of treatments.
My energy level, but also the amount of energy spent on the same activity, can vary significantly from one day to the next: for example, brushing my hair is generally a simple task. But on certain days, I have to take several breaks or hold the brush with both hands just to manage.
Saying something as ordinary as “I’m tired” means everything and nothing at once, because it doesn’t at all explain the reality of what I’m experiencing. As I learned after getting sick, tiredness is ultimately a very personal sensation.
🥄 Spoon theory: counting energy in daily life
Since saying “I’m tired” is no longer very meaningful when living with a chronic disease, several metaphors have emerged to help explain energy management to others.
One of the best known is the Spoon Theory, developed by Christine Miserandino. It is widely used in the chronic illness community.
The idea is simple: you start each day with a limited number of spoons, and each activity—getting dressed, making breakfast, getting around—costs one or more spoons. Once you have no spoons left, you no longer have any energy available for the rest of the day. Too bad…
It’s an effective and concrete way to explain one’s limits to others. But for me, it always felt a bit too rigid. Energy, for me, isn’t about counting a fixed number of spoons; it fluctuates, drains at different rates, and can sometimes disappear faster than expected.
🔋 Battery theory: a more flexible metaphor
That’s why I relate more to battery theory. Everyone uses the expression “my batteries are drained” to express exhaustion. It makes the situation easier to understand, even for people who don’t live with a chronic disease.
Ideally, I would start the day with a fully charged battery—let’s say 95 or 100%. But in reality, that almost never happens. Some mornings, I wake up at 70%, other times at 50%, and on really tough days, I sometimes start at only 30%. And just like with a laptop or a phone, the lower the battery, the faster it seems to run out.
A task as simple as brushing my hair might cost me 2 to 3% of energy on a day when I start at 70%, but 10% or more when I’m already down to 30%.
🧭 Adapting daily life to save energy
Over time, I’ve learned to adapt for all those activities that take up more energy:
- Taking breaks when needed
- Using a wheelchair to avoid walking long distances
- Accepting to postpone what can wait
All in all, small adjustments that help save energy—like lowering a screen’s brightness so the battery lasts longer.
Sometimes, like a phone or a computer with a very low battery, there’s no choice but to go into sleep mode—when energy levels are close to 0%. Thankfully, those moments are rare: recovering even a bit of energy is much harder when the battery is completely empty.
Over time, I’ve learned to anticipate energy expenditure and to better estimate how much each activity “costs” based on my overall physical state. But even after nearly 15 years, my body still manages to surprise me… Whether you prefer spoon theory or battery theory, the result is the same: once your energy is depleted, it’s truly gone. Rest—and of course, treatment—are a big help. But sometimes, it takes a lot of patience for a completely drained battery to recharge—one day—even just to 70%…
👉 And you—have you ever used a metaphor to explain your fatigue or energy level? Which one speaks to you the most?
Picture by Alexander Andrews on Unsplash
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