ME/CFS hub
Key takeaways
ME/CFS is a long-term neurological condition that affects energy, cognition, and the immune system.
The defining symptom is post-exertional malaise, a delayed crash after activity.
There is no cure yet, but pacing protects against worsening over time.
If you are new here, start with:
What is ME/CFS? and the pacing guide.
Living with ME/CFS can be overwhelming, especially at first. Whether you have just been diagnosed, need help managing symptoms, or are supporting a loved one, our guides are here to help.
Understanding ME/CFS
ME/CFS is a serious neurological condition. It is much more than extreme fatigue. It affects how your body manages energy, how your brain works, and how your immune system functions.
What is ME/CFS?
A plain-language introduction to the illness, how it starts, and who it affects.
Causes and triggers
What causes ME/CFS to develop, and what triggers daily symptom worsening once you have it.
Severity levels
The four levels from mild to very severe, what daily life looks like at each, and why severity can fluctuate.
Symptoms and diagnosis
The main feature of ME/CFS is PEM. This means your symptoms get much worse after physical or mental activity, often with a delay.
Beyond PEM, the illness also affects your sleep, thinking, pain levels, and nervous system.
ME/CFS symptoms
ME/CFS symptoms page
The main symptoms explained in plain language.
Post-exertional malaise (PEM)
How to recognise PEM, why the delay makes it dangerous, and how to reduce your risk.
Fatigue
What baseline fatigue is, why it persists, and how it differs from PEM.
Sleep
Why sleep does not restore in ME/CFS, the common patterns, and what may help.
Brain fog
A guide to the cognitive difficulties that come with ME/CFS.
Orthostatic intolerance
Why being upright makes symptoms worse, related conditions such as POTS, and what may help.
ME/CFS diagnosis
How ME/CFS is diagnosed
What doctors look for, which tests help, and how to prepare for your appointment.
Managing daily life
There is no cure for ME/CFS yet. The focus is on management: reducing crashes, treating individual symptoms, and protecting quality of life.
Pacing is the central strategy for managing ME/CFS.
Energy and pacing
Managing ME/CFS
Pacing, radical rest, treating individual symptoms, and emotional support.
Pacing guide
Finding your energy envelope, the 50% rule, and pacing in practice.
The Spoon Theory
A simple way to explain limited energy to people who do not have the condition.
Home and daily life
Living with ME/CFS
Adapting chores, home environment, mobility aids, and managing relationships.
The impact of ME/CFS
How the illness changes work, finances, independence, and mental health.
Research and news
Research into ME/CFS has grown considerably in recent years, driven in part by the overlap with Long Covid.
These pages cover where the science currently stands and how to find updates from credible sources.
ME/CFS research
Current theories, major funding commitments, and where the field is heading.
ME/CFS news
How to spot reliable updates and where to follow real scientific progress.
Support and resources
Reliable information on ME/CFS is scattered, and a lot of what circulates online is not reliable at all. These two pages are where to start.
ME/CFS resources
Patient charities, research foundations, tracking tools, books, and communities worth your time.
FAQs
Clear answers to the most common questions about ME/CFS.