Why Fatigue in Autoimmune Disease Feels Different (and What Helps)

If you live with an autoimmune condition, you’ll know that fatigue is one of the most relentless and misunderstood symptoms. It isn’t the same as being “a bit tired.”

Autoimmune fatigue is overwhelming. It can feel like your body has been drained of all power — leaving you foggy, heavy, and struggling to function.

And the hardest part? To the outside world, fatigue is invisible. Which means many people end up feeling dismissed, judged, or told to “just rest more.”

But autoimmune fatigue is far more complex than tiredness. Here’s why — and what actually helps.

Why Autoimmune Fatigue Feels Different

Research shows that fatigue in autoimmune disease is multi-layered. It doesn’t just come from the immune system attacking itself — it also involves the nervous system, stress physiology, and even early life experiences.

• The Stress Connection: Chronic stress changes how the body manages energy. Cortisol and adrenaline — hormones designed to keep us alive in short bursts of danger — get stuck in overdrive. Over time, this leads to exhaustion, immune dysregulation, and burnout.

• Trauma & ACE Scores: Studies on Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) show a clear link between early stress and higher risk of autoimmune conditions later in life. Trauma literally shapes the way our immune and nervous systems respond to life. Fatigue isn’t “in your head” — it’s in your body’s memory.

• The Energy Drain of Inflammation: Autoimmune conditions drive chronic inflammation. Inflammation uses up enormous amounts of energy, pulling resources away from your muscles, focus, and motivation. That’s why you can wake up exhausted, even after a full night’s sleep.

Why Rest Alone Isn’t Enough

You can nap. You can sleep ten hours. And still — the fatigue lingers. That’s because this type of exhaustion is about dysregulation, not just rest. Until the nervous system and immune system are supported to reset, the cycle continues.

This is where mind-body approaches come in.

Somatic Practices That Help Restore Energy

The good news is that fatigue doesn’t have to define your life. Approaches that combine science and embodied practice can make a real difference:

• IEMT (Integral Eye Movement Therapy): helps to unhook old stress responses stored in the body, shifting the physiology of “stuck” fatigue patterns.

• SSP (Safe and Sound Protocol): uses sound frequencies to calm the vagus nerve and restore nervous system safety, a key factor in rebuilding energy.

• Somatic Practices: gentle movement, breathwork, and body awareness help retrain the nervous system to shift out of survival mode and into repair.

When these tools are combined with Lifestyle Medicine — nutrition, sleep hygiene, meaningful connection, joyful movement — people often notice their energy slowly begin to return.

A Different Way to Heal

I know from personal experience that the exhaustion of autoimmune disease is life-altering. But I also know that healing is possible when we address more than the physical symptoms. When we look at the whole person — mind, body, and story — change begins to unfold. If you’re living with autoimmune fatigue, you don’t need to push through alone.

Next Steps

Book a 1:1 Coaching Space for November: Together we’ll work gently and deeply to get to the root of your fatigue, using IEMT, SSP, and somatic practices to help you feel more energised and alive again.

Join Rebalance & Rebuild: A 4-week online group programme designed to support women living with chronic stress, fatigue, or autoimmune challenges. We’ll explore the tools of nervous system regulation, intentional rest, and personal renewal.