Getting dressed with ME/CFS

Getting dressed is not just one movement. It involves standing, bending, lifting your arms above your head, and managing buttons and zips. The best strategy is to go slow, and choose clothes that are easy to put on.

The ideas on this page are focused on reducing the number of movements involved, lowering the energy demand of each task, and making sure you are as comfortable as possible with the least energy use.

Adjust to the day you are having

There is no point in pushing through and feeling worse afterwards. Managing your energy properly is the number one priority.

Depending on your severity level, and how you are feeling, these strategies might be more doable on some days than others, or possibly not at all. That is fine, and you need to adjust according to what you can manage.

Getting dressed right after a shower or washing is a common way that your morning routine can drain your energy. Your body is already struggling from washing, and adding getting dressed to the mix can deplete energy even more.

A short rest between tasks is recommended, even if it is just five or ten minutes lying down after a wash. The cumulative load can be greatly reduced by doing this. It does not have to take long, but it does have to happen before your energy runs out rather than after.

For the washing side of this, see Showering with ME/CFS and Washing hair with ME/CFS.

By sitting down when getting dressed, you remove the energy drain from standing, as well as the risk of losing your balance or falling. You can sit on the bed or a firm chair through the whole process. The key is to take your time and reduce energy spent.

Sitting on the floor may feel more natural for certain items of clothing, but it is not lower-cost. Getting up from the floor requires a significant amount of effort and is a common trigger for dizziness. Do your best to stick with a raised surface like a bed or a chair.

The order you get dressed in matters. Here are some general tips:

Start with the upper body. Raising your arms above your head is one of the more demanding movements. Putting on shirts, jumpers, bras, or cardigans first means you do it when your energy is highest and save some for the next parts.

Lower body next. Underwear, trousers, leggings or skirts are all much easier to do while seated.

Socks and shoes last. Bending forward to reach your feet can be a very demanding movement. Take your time and stay seated throughout. If you are finding it particularly difficult, you can consider a long-handled sock aid which removes the need to bend forward entirely.

What you wear has a direct effect on how much energy getting dressed costs.

Elastic waistbands. They remove the need for buttons, zips or a belt.

Loose layers. Loose clothing is easier to get on and off and is also more adaptable to temperature regulation issues.

Slip-on shoes. Removing the need to bend down and tie laces can be a big energy saver. Easy slip-on shoes, velcro, and elastic laces are all great options.

Easy tops. Loose tops, cardigans or zip up tops are easier than pull over tops like jumpers. Saves energy on raising your arms above your head.

Avoid heavy fabrics. Heavier clothing is more difficult to get on and off. Lighter fabrics are the way to go for saving energy.

Adapting what you already own

You do not have to replace your wardrobe. Small aids like elastic laces, a long-handled shoe horn or a dressing stick can make the clothes you already own much easier to manage.

Preparing your clothes ahead of time can save energy in the morning and removes the need to search for things when you are tired. The obvious time is the night before, but this is not always possible if you have low energy, so any time you feel able to is good enough.

When you do have the energy, choose a full outfit and keep it somewhere easy for you to get to. Predicting how you will feel the next day is always tricky, so think less about getting it perfect and focus more on what will make a tired morning easier.

Making decisions carries a cognitive cost. By choosing in advance when you feel able to, you protect some energy for when you wake up.

If the energy to prepare never does come, that is fine too. The point is not to add another task to complete, it is to shift effort to an easier to manage moment when one exists.

On very difficult days, full dressing may not be realistic or necessary.

Staying in comfortable clothes. If leaving the house is not an option, keeping on or changing into comfortable clothing rather than a full fresh outfit is a reasonable approach.

Dressed is dressed

The standard for getting dressed on a difficult day is whatever allows you to manage the day ahead with the least possible energy cost. That is the goal, not a particular appearance.

For more on personal care within your limits, return to our personal care guide.