Personal care with ME/CFS

Washing hair on the same day as showering is often too much in one go. Treating them as separate tasks — on different days or at different times of day — reduces the cost of each.

Options for washing hair with less exertion include:

• A handheld showerhead while seated. Tilting the head rather than repositioning the whole body.
• Over the bath or a basin. Leaning forward over a low surface while seated can work well. A plastic jug reduces the number of movements needed to rinse.
• Dry shampoo. Applied the night before and brushed out in the morning, it buys several days between washes for most people.

For a full guide, see Washing hair with ME/CFS.

Getting dressed after washing is a second exertion on top of the first. Treating it as a separate task — with a rest period in between — makes both more manageable.

• Sit throughout. Dress seated on the bed or a chair. Standing to pull on clothing uses significantly more energy than most people expect.
• Sequence low-effort items first. Start with whatever requires least effort — usually upper body — and work down. Save socks and shoes for last, as bending down is one of the more demanding movements.
• Choose clothing that cooperates. Loose layers, elastic waistbands, and slip-on shoes reduce the number of movements and the fine motor effort involved. Zips and buttons have a real cost on difficult days.
• Prepare clothes the night before. Deciding what to wear and having it within reach removes one decision and one trip from the morning routine.

For a full guide, see Getting dressed with ME/CFS.

Brushing teeth is a short task, but it involves standing over a basin — which carries an orthostatic cost — and sustained arm movement, which adds up on difficult days.

• Keep supplies within reach. Toothbrush, toothpaste, and a small cup on the surface rather than in a cupboard. Fewer movements, less effort.
• Sit while brushing. A stool in the bathroom means you do not have to stand. Lean over a small bowl on your lap if reaching the sink is difficult.
• Use an electric toothbrush. It does more of the work and typically requires less time than a manual brush.
• Split the routine. If a full morning routine — washing, dressing, teeth, hair — is too much in sequence, spread it across the morning with rest periods in between. There is no rule that says it all has to happen at once.

On very difficult days, the approaches above may not be realistic. The goal on those days is not the usual standard — it is maintaining basic comfort with the least possible cost.

• Lowering the standard is not failing. A day managed on wipes and dry shampoo is a day managed. The goal is to preserve enough energy for what matters most.
• Body wipes. Unscented wipes designed for adults cover the main areas quickly, with no standing, no heat, and minimal effort.
• Dry shampoo. Covers hair hygiene without washing. Apply the night before if possible — it absorbs overnight and brushes out more easily in the morning.
• A seated wash at the sink. Face, underarms, and feet while seated at a low basin covers most of the essentials. A small plastic bowl on a low surface works if the sink is not low enough.

Rest between tasks

Personal care is rarely one task. It is several tasks in sequence. Building short rest periods between each — even two or three minutes lying flat — reduces the cumulative cost significantly.

For more on adapting daily tasks within your limits, see our living with ME/CFS guide.