Why use Qigong to treat CFS?

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome has many names. Once known as Yuppie Flu, it is also known as Myalgic encephalomyelitis and now we have the same symptoms with Long Covid. Sufferers of CFS/ME experience profound fatigue that is not alleviated with rest. It can manifest as sleep issues, lethargy and a “foggy brain” (problems with memory or concentration). Other symptoms include dizziness, nausea and pain. The most typical symptom is a decline, which starts hours to days after minor physical or mental activity, where the symptoms become elevated. This period of extremely low energy can last from hours, or days, to several months.

Qigong (Energy work, or Energy skill) is the name that is given to a class of exercise that works with the body’s energies. These exercises have been used for millennia within the healing arts of China alongside Herbal Medicine and Acupuncture.

I have been practicing Qigong since the mid 1980’s and incorporated it into my practice as a Shiatsu Therapist because of its healing qualities. Since 1997 I have had many sufferers of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) present themselves for treatment and experience has shown that when Qigong is prescribed and practiced the results have been better and the gains made have been maintained.
Qigong appears to be a slow burner but its benefits are cumulative and the pace of healing tends to speed up as the treatment progresses. In my practice I sometimes use Shiatsu to kick-start the process before prescribing specific Qigong for each individual but more often than not the treatment is based on Qigong alone. The Qigong prescribed is tailored for each patient and may change during the treatment.

Specific Qigong can correct imbalances, increase vitality, improve sleep patterns, reduce physical and emotional stress, increase stamina, etc. All of these will be familiar to sufferers of CFS. Once this balance is achieved, I recommend that a Five Elements Qigong is practiced as this will help maintain the balance and flow of the Qi.

When you practice Qigong to treat CFS (correctly practiced Qigong) it can have a beneficial effect on:

Your Respiratory system. With abdominal breathing your gaseous exchange (taking in air and expelling carbon dioxide) is far more efficient. This means that your respiration rate will lower and your body will be less stressed………… using less of your much needed energy.
Your Cardio-vascular system. As the Qigong works, your body starts to relax and any restriction on your blood vessels is lessened. This helps nourish your body and regulate your blood pressure.
Your Lymphatic system. These Qigong, especially when practiced in a standing posture, have a peristaltic effect on your Lymphatic system. The, slow, regular, pumping action helps clear the Lymph nodes and free up any congestion in the Lymphatic system.
Your Skeletal system. By focussing on correct posture any additional, unwanted, pressure on the joints is reduced. Once again, freeing up much needed energy.
Your Muscular system. The slow movements bring about two benefits. Firstly, because the movement is slow and the muscle is kept under load longer, muscle tone and stamina is gained without stressing the body. Secondly, because you only ever move to your easy motion barrier (your comfort limit), any tightness, knotting, or spasm in the muscle gradually releases without the need for active, energy sapping, stretching.
Your mood. As you become familiar with the movements and the breathing there is a feedback loop set up. The gentle, relaxed, slowing of the breathing starts to alter the brain waves from Beta (These dominate our normal waking state) to Alpha (These are dominant during meditation and you have quietly flowing thoughts) and this, in turn, relaxes and slows the breathing until you are deep in Alpha. This is a space where you can step out of the daily stresses of life and replenish your energy.
Your sleep pattern.

Before starting any regime of using Qigong to treat CFS: –

Rate and take a note of your current condition – Pain, tiredness, weakness, sleep pattern, physical tension, mental relaxation, etc.
Take a note of your respiration rate (one inhalation plus one exhalation counts as one cycle). Measure this over a period of one minute.
Monitor and note these on a weekly basis. You can download a chart to keep a log of your progress here – Qigong to treat CFS chart.

The environment required when using Qigong to treat CFS

Whether or not it was implicated in anyone succumbing to CFS, most sufferers find themselves spending more and more time indoors as their world shrinks as a result of this illness. This, if there is an insufficient through-flow of fresh air can exacerbate CFS.

Stale air, or stale Qi, is detrimental to your health. We have heard the stories of people being trapped in rooms, safes, etc. where they are starved of air and gradually being poisoned by carbon dioxide. Even in a large bedroom, even with an open door, any build up of CO2 means that the body is being partially starved of oxygen. This can leave you feeling tired, lethargic and fuzzy-headed even after eight hours sleep.
Sleep with a flow of fresh air in the room. Keep a window open. By keeping a window slightly open at each side of the house you will increase the circulation of fresh air.
When practicing Qigong, if indoors, make sure that there is a window open.

Breathing – Proper respiration when using Qigong to treat CFS

Qigong uses abdominal breathing. That is to say that you use your diaphragm muscle and abdominal muscles to draw air into the lungs. This is the natural, relaxed, breathing method when life is good and there is nothing to fear. No pain, no stress, relaxed contentment. If you wish to learn from an expert just watch a contented baby……… Just practicing abdominal breathing starts the process of relaxing your body and mind.

Through the years of teaching Qigong and Taiji I have often come across people who are practicing this method improperly by forcing the belly to expand. If you follow the proper guidance you will find that your abdomen expands through relaxation and that the process becomes effortless.

Check your own method of breathing. While standing, place on hand on your chest and one on your lower abdomen. Without any additional mental input, without altering the way that you naturally breathe, feel if the hands are rising and falling with each inhalation and exhalation. Most will find that the chest moves more than the abdomen. Some will find that it is only the chest that moves. Few will find themselves breathing to the abdomen……….. It is now time to reintroduce your body to the breathing method that was lost in childhood.

This is the beginning of your healing process and, as your energy levels are likely to be low, I recommend that you start by practicing while lying down in a comfortable position. You can then go on to practice in the seated position, then standing. The inhalation and exhalation method used is the same for all three positions.

Positions and postures when using Qigong to treat CFS

Lying Down

Before commencing, remember to take a note of your respiration rate.
Then lie down, on your back, and get comfortable.
Place both hands over the lower abdomen and feel for them, gently, rising as you inhale. Do not force this, there should be very little physical effort, it will be a tiny movement to begin with.
On exhalation, gently pull the abdominal muscles in and up. This slight tension is all the effort needed.
On inhalation, relax that tension, let it go, and you will feel the abdomen rise again. Rising through relaxation and NOT tension.
Keep following this pattern and use visualization to imagine that your hands are being lifted slightly higher with each inspiration.
You will find that your respiration rate will slowly decrease over time as your respiration becomes deeper and that your mind will become more relaxed. It is very easy to drop off to sleep but try to stay awake, in this relaxed state, as long as possible as you focus on your hands rising and falling.

Seated

Posture is very important here in order for your lungs to fill. If the body is slouched it is compressed. If it is compressed you are restricting how much air you can breathe in.
Sit on a firm, comfortable, chair so that there are a few inches of space between your back and the upright of the chair.
If possible, have your feet flat on the floor.
Create a feeling of space under the armpits by pulling the shoulders forward and then letting them relax back.
Visualise your head being suspended from the crown by an elasticated cord so that there is always a feeling of a slight stretch.
Place both hands over your lower abdomen and repeat the breathing method described for the lying posture.
Slowly filling, slowly emptying.
Slight tension on exhalation induces relaxed, abdominal, inhalation

Standing – Using Wuji stance

You will increase your ability to maintain this stance over time. Although it looks simple and almost effortless, done properly through relaxation of the leg muscles, Wuji builds strength and stamina in the legs while helping to revitalise your energy. To begin with you will probably find that your legs start to tremble after a few minutes. This is normal whether or not you are suffering from CFS.
Wuji creates an environment of stability where the body and the mind can become quiet.
Rules for attaining Wuji:
- Stand with the feet approximately shoulder width apart. Depending on your physique (Shoulders wider than hips, or vice versa.) you will find the perfect distance somewhere between hip width and shoulder width.The feet should both point forward (parallel).The feet should be relaxed and allowed to spread so it is best to start barefoot rather than wearing restrictive footwear.The knees are unlocked. This does not mean that they are overly bent. Unlocking the knees should not lower your height by more than a few millimetres.The hip creases (the Kua) are relaxed. This allows the pelvis to tilt so that the coccyx (tailbone) rolls/drops/tucks under.The shoulders are relaxed so that the chest becomes slightly concave. This produces the “bow” shape across the upper back. The simplest way of achieving this is to pull the shoulders forward and then “let go of them” so that they drop back into an open and relaxed position.The head is suspended from the heavens. When the head is lifted from the crown, it allows the chin to tuck in. It is best to visualise that an elasticated cord (bungee) is being used so that there is always a buoyancy of the crown.
- Remember, the tucking in of the coccyx and the chin should not be done through the use of tension. It must be done through relaxation of the Kua and the suspension of the head. If tension of the abdominal muscles and the neck muscles is used there will be an immediate restriction of Qi flow and you will be using unnecessary energy. The tucking in is the effect and not the cause.

The exercises when using Qigong to treat CFS

During practice

Always to comfort limit. Do not overstretch.
Only eight repetitions per Qigong.
Stop if getting tired before this is reached. You will progress faster and further if you do this.
Do the exercises in the sequence provided.
The physical aspect is secondary. Focus on the posture & breathing.
Although Active Qigong involves physical movement it builds up your energy levels rather than depleting them.

The Qigong exercises

As already stated, the Qigong prescribed should be tailored for each patient and the exercises may change during the treatment. The exercises should be chosen to deal with the energetic imbalances that are present at the start of any Qigong regime. However, there are imbalance patterns that tend to be more common and these are: –

Earth Qi imbalance.
Metal / Wood imbalace.

If you do not have local access to a Qigong practitioner who can diagnose your imbalaces and advise / teach what Qigong is required then I recommend that you look at the Qigong for CFS course on this website. Follow me videos, on their own can only go part way to convey the External components of Qigong, the physical movements. They can never convey the Internal components, the awareness of Qi, the feelings experienced and the focus needed. That is why there are detailed instructions regarding focus in this course.

These three exercises have been chosen as examples of those prescibe regarding Qigong for CFS. However, they are not the only exercises that I use for this condition as treatment is tailored to suit the needs of the individual. That said, they are among the commonest ones that I use.

In the Qigong for CFS course, each exercise will be broken down into three lessons: –

The instructions, including movement, breathing and focus in the standing position.
The instructions, including movement, breathing and focus in the seated position.
Finally, a follow me video that can be used whether you are standing or sitting.

Finally, when using Qigong to treat CFS I recommend that, where possible, you keep your bedroom window slightly open at night. As I have already mentioned, with the windows closed the air becomes stale as carbon dioxide builds up. Stale air will cause lethargy, headaches and loss of concentration in the fittest and healthiest person. It really is the last thing that you need when you are suffering with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.