Part 1: Managing #MECFS Symptoms with The Polar Pacer Watch & Pacing with RT Heart Rate Monitoring

Hello everyone, I have been living with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis for over 30 years. Yesterday I ordered a Polar Pacer watch that has the required heart rate monitor and ability to alert me when my heart rate exceeds predetermined limits. I will be trying the method of heart rate monitoring to see if it can help me reduce and hopefully prevent ME/CFS flare-ups and crashes.

My research tells me that heart rate monitoring can be an effective way to improve pacing, self-management and the prevention of flare-ups and crashes. I will keep you all informed of my progress as I experiment with this approach.

As someone living with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS), I have come to appreciate the importance of understanding my body's limits and of finding strategies to manage my activity levels, reduce stress, increase rest, avoid crashes and speed recovery.

One tool that has recently caught my attention is heart rate monitoring. In this introduction, I aim to shed light on what heart rate monitoring is and how it can benefit individuals, like me, who navigate the daily challenges of living with ME/CFS.

At its core, heart rate monitoring involves measuring and tracking my heart rate throughout the day and in real time, by wearing a heart rate monitor.

By keeping an eye on my heart rate, I hope to gain valuable insights into how my body is responding to different activities and exertion levels like standing, sitting, writing on my computer, taking a shower, washing dishes, going for short walks, etc. I will use this knowledge to help me make informed decisions about managing my energy expenditure and staying within my energy threshold.

By finding the right balance between activity and rest I hope to prevent post-exertional malaise (PEM) and reduce symptom exacerbation.

One of the key benefits of heart rate monitoring for individuals with ME/CFS is the ability to set personalized pacing strategies. Pacing involves finding the right balance between activity and rest to avoid triggering the dreaded post-exertional malaise (PEM), a hallmark symptom of ME/CFS.

By monitoring my heart rate during the day with a heart rate monitor, I will eventually identify my Personal threshold. In this way, I hope to identify the patterns and triggers that exacerbate symptoms, in order to more intuitively make necessary adjustments and to more successfully discover and stay within my personal optimal range of activity. In this way, I hope to manage my energy levels more effectively and thus improve my ability to prevent the onset of PEM and its accompanying symptoms.

To begin this experiment, I plan to stop whatever I am doing and practice deep breathing and relaxation techniques whenever my heart rate goes above 80 beats per minute to help promote calmness and reduce stress, which can positively impact symptom management.

As I embark on this heart rate monitoring journey, I am filled with hope and excitement for the potential benefits it may bring to my life with ME/CFS. I am eager to explore the world of heart rate monitoring and discover how it can help me navigate the ups and downs of daily living. I understand that it may take time to find my optimal heart rate zones and pacing strategies, but I am committed to the process and determined to make positive changes.

I want to extend my gratitude to all of you for joining me on this journey. Your support and encouragement mean the world to me. I promise to keep you updated on my progress through future videos, where I will share my experiences, insights, and any valuable tips I discover along the way.

I invite you all to share to share your experiences or tips related to heart rate monitoring or ME/CFS management in the comments section below.

Thank you, and stay tuned for more updates on my heart rate monitoring journey.

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