Remedies for Fatigue
Fatigue in fibromyalgia isn’t just tiredness. It’s bone-deep exhaustion. A sense of heaviness, brain fog, and resistance to movement, as if gravity itself has doubled. And no matter how much rest you get, it never feels like enough.
Many natural therapies can help lift this weight. Here are some of the remedies I use.
Physical Fatigue
Arnica montana (Homeopathic)
The flower from the mountain helps for injuries from falls, blows, or contusions. It is also a great remedy for muscle fatigue and soreness after overexertion. The body feels bruised and tender, as though beaten. Suits those who say “I’m fine” despite obvious exhaustion, and who need to rest but resist being touched or disturbed.
Ruta graveolens (Homeopathic)
Best when fatigue centers in tendons and joints after strain or repetitive use. Muscles feel weak, sore, and tight, especially in the wrists, ankles, and knees. Helpful for those who have not recovered fully from overuse or injury. "Overstrain of ocular (eye) muscles. All parts of the body are painful, as if bruised... Feeling of intense lassitude, weakness and despair."
Homeopathic Materia Medica - William Boericke
Calcarea phosphorica (Cell Salt)
Supports recovery when physical fatigue lingers after illness, growth, or exertion. Suits individuals who tire easily, feel weak in the bones and joints, and are slow to bounce back. A restorative tonic for rebuilding strength.
Olive (Bach Flower Essence)
For total exhaustion of body and mind after prolonged effort or illness. The person feels drained, with no reserves left. Olive helps restore a sense of vitality, encouraging balance and pacing instead of constant overexertion.
Magnesium oil (Mineral)
Applied directly to sore muscles, magnesium relaxes tight fibers and improves recovery. Ideal for physical fatigue linked with cramping, restless legs, or post-exercise stiffness. It calms both muscles and nerves.
Lavender (Essential Oil)
Soothing to tired muscles and nerves. A few drops in a warm bath or diluted for massage eases physical tension, softens soreness, and promotes restorative sleep. Especially helpful when fatigue is coupled with restlessness or difficulty winding down.
Mental Fatigue
Hornbeam (Bach Flower Essence)
"For those who feel that they have not sufficient strength, mentally or physically, to carry the burden of life placed upon them; the affairs of every day seem too much for them to accomplish, though they generally succeed in fulfilling their task. For those who believe that some part, of mind or body, needs to be strengthened before they can easily fulfil their work."
The Twelve Healers and Other Remedies
Kali phosphoricum (Cell Salt)
Known as the “nerve nutrient.” Helpful when the brain feels overstretched, especially from study, overwork, or emotional strain. Suits those who feel weak, anxious, and unable to concentrate. Rest and nourishment bring relief.
Picric acid (Homeopathic)
Indicated when there is profound mental and nervous exhaustion from overwork. The person feels heavy, dull, and unable to think, with a strong desire to lie down. Suits students and professionals who collapse after intense periods of mental effort.
Rosemary (Essential Oil)
Traditionally used to stimulate memory and concentration. Its refreshing, slightly camphor-like aroma clears mental fog and revives alertness. Especially useful during study, work, or when long hours lead to sluggish focus.
Gelsemium (Homeopathic)
For heavy, sluggish mental fatigue where the brain feels blank and words won’t come. The person may feel drowsy, apathetic, and trembly, as if every effort is too much. Often indicated when anticipation, stress, or illness has drained the mind and body.
Peppermint (Essential Oil)
Invigorating and cooling. A drop inhaled or diluted for topical use brings quick clarity and renewed focus. Best for short-term relief of dullness, headaches from mental strain, or afternoon energy slumps.
Emotional Fatigue
Ignatia amara (Homeopathic)
For exhaustion that follows grief, loss, or disappointment. The person feels worn out by emotional strain, with sighing, mood swings, or a lump-in-the-throat sensation. Sleep may be restless, and emotions fluctuate between tears and irritability.
Thuja occidentalis (Homeopathic)
"Another condition that frequently calls for the healing powers of
Thuja is chronic fatigue syndrome... Hahnemann, like Paracelsus before him, claimed that, barring injuries and accidents, all illness is a disease of the spirit... In few illnesses is the truth of this statement more apparent than in chronic fatigue syndrome... It is noteworthy that the disease appears to affect persons whose psychic balance has already been shaken, or the delicate hold has already snapped... But when a spiritual malaise overshadows even the dysfunctioning of the immune system and the victim becomes prey to profound fear and despondency, it is time to apply to Thuja."
Portraits of Homoeopathic Medicines - Catherine Coulter
Elm (Bach Flower Essence)
"Those who are doing good work, are following the calling of their life and who hope to do something of importance, and this often for the benefit of humanity. At times there may be periods of depression when they feel that the task they have undertaken is too difficult, and not within the power of a human being."
The Twelve Healers and Other Remedies - Edward Bach
Kali phosphoricum (Cell Salt)
Supports nerves weakened by emotional tension. Helpful when anxiety, worry, or overexcitement have drained reserves, leaving the person irritable, sleepless, and worn thin. Restores calm and resilience.
Olive (Bach Flower Essence)
"Those who have suffered much mentally or physically and are so exhausted and weary that they feel they have no more strength to make any effort. Daily life is hard work for them, without pleasure."
The Twelve Healers and Other Remedies
Systemic Fatigue
Sepia (Homeopathic)
"Physically, Sepia women generally have low energy, are constipated, and are so "cold-blooded" that they may even feel cold in a warm room. Modern diagnostic procedures have found that Sepia women tend to have low thyroid hormones, low blood pressure, and adrenal deficiency. They often complain of a general dragged-out feeling... Despite their low energy, they find obvious improvement in their physical and psychological state after exercise."
Homeopathy: medicine for the 21st century - Dana Ullman
Gelsemium sempervirens (Homeopathic)
For the heavy, leaden fatigue that makes movement and thought alike feel impossible. The body feels weak, trembling, and sluggish, with a desire to collapse and avoid exertion. Common after viral illnesses or in those prone to nervous exhaustion. "Every little exertion causes fatigue... Fatigue after slight exercise."
Homeopathic Materia Medica - William Boericke
Arsenicum (Homeopathic)
"Those who need Arsenicum undergo stages of exhaustion and weakness. They are hypersensitive to odors, touch, and noise, and may have physical or psychological reactions to milk, wheat, sugar, or ice cream. They easily become chilly, and exposure to cold may bring on a cold, cough, or headache. They become better from most forms of heat."
Homeopathy: medicine for the 21st century - Dana Ullman
Olive (Bach Flower Essence)
For complete exhaustion, whether physical, emotional, or post-illness. The person feels utterly depleted, with no reserves to call upon. Olive restores a sense of renewal and helps pace recovery when energy is wiped out.
Frankincense (Essential Oil)
Long valued for its restorative and grounding qualities. Inhaled or diffused, it steadies the breath, calms the nervous system, and fosters a deep sense of renewal. Particularly helpful for exhaustion that blends physical depletion with spiritual weariness.
I’m Dr. Rodger Douglas, DMH, a South African-born homeopath now based in Osaka, Japan. With a psychology degree from Nelson Mandela University and a diploma from the Hahnemann College of Heilkunst, I specialize in holistic care for fibromyalgia. I serve clients by phone or video across the US, Canada, the UK, and beyond.