We all know what it is to be exhausted: fatigue seems to be a normal part of human experience when we are overactive, have physical or emotional problems, face stress, or suffer from insomnia. Some of us, in fact, suffer from chronic fatigue syndrome, an illness characterized by pervasive fatigue that produces significant disability and lasts more than six months. In this important book, an eminent specialist in fatigue disorders-a physician who is sensitive and empathic to patients' complaints-discusses all kinds of fatigue problems, explaining what fatigue is, what causes it, how to combat it, and what patients should know when consulting a doctor about symptoms. The book offers valuable advice on: * how to improve your sleep; * ways to find understanding and sympa thetic doctors; * self-help techniques to manage stress (the role of exercise, relaxation, and coaches); * the best medicines and ancillary techniques used by expert physicians to treat severe fatiguing illness * the efficacy of alternative medicines; * ways for those with severe and chronic fatigue to cope with their own illness; * and more.