Getting dressed with ME/CFS

Standing to dress uses considerably more energy than dressing seated. Sit on the
bed or a firm chair for the entire process — including socks, shoes, and any
lower-body clothing.

If sitting on the floor feels more natural for certain items, it is not lower-cost.
Getting up from the floor requires significant effort and is a common trigger for
dizziness. Stick to a raised surface.

The order in which you dress matters. As a general principle:

• Upper body first. Arms above the head is one of the more demanding
  movements. Getting tops, bras, or cardigans on early — before the lower body
  effort — means it happens when energy is highest.
• Lower body next. Trousers, leggings, or skirts while still seated.
• Socks and shoes last. Bending forward to reach the feet is the most
  demanding movement in the process. Leaving it until last means it happens once
  rather than being interrupted by other tasks.

A long-handled sock aid removes the need to bend forward for socks entirely.
Worth trying if bending is consistently difficult.

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

• Avoid heavy fabrics. Denim, thick knitwear, and structured jackets are
  heavier to handle and harder to pull on. Lighter fabrics reduce the physical
  effort involved.
• Elastic waistbands. Remove the need to fasten buttons or a zip at the
  waist. Significantly lower fine motor demand.
• Loose layers. Easier to pull on and off than fitted clothing. Also more
  adaptable to temperature regulation problems, which are common in ME/CFS.
• Slip-on shoes. Removing the need to tie laces or fasten buckles at the
  end of the process. Elastic laces on existing trainers achieve the same result.
• Front-opening tops. Cardigans and zip-up tops avoid the overhead pull of
  a standard jumper or t-shirt. Useful on days when raising arms is particularly
  costly.

Adapting what you already own

Small additions — elastic laces, a long-handled shoe horn, a dressing stick —
can make existing clothing significantly easier to manage without replacing a
wardrobe.

Deciding what to wear and having it within reach before the morning starts
removes a decision and at least one trip from the routine.

• Lay out the full outfit the night before, including underwear and socks.
• Keep it on or beside the bed, not in a wardrobe that requires opening and
  searching.
• On days when tomorrow looks like a lower-energy day, choose the lowest-effort
  outfit available rather than leaving the decision for the morning.

Decision-making has a cognitive cost. Removing it from the morning routine
protects energy for the tasks that actually require it.

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

• Prioritising what is visible or necessary. On days involving a video
  call or an appointment, dressing the upper body and leaving the lower body
  in comfortable clothing is a practical choice.
• Loose comfortable clothing worn from the previous day. If leaving the
  house is not happening, changing into clean comfortable clothing rather than
  a full outfit is a reasonable approach.
• Dressing in stages. Getting partly dressed, resting, then completing
  the process. There is no requirement that it happens in one go.

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.