Podcast: The Chronic Fatigue and Burnout Recovery Podcast

In this episode, Anna is joined by Charlotte Wightman for an honest conversation about chronic illness, motherhood, recovery and what it means to build a life that feels sustainable — rather than constantly trying to do recovery “perfectly.”

Charlotte shares what it was like navigating her own health while also being a mum, including the inevitable tension between what she felt she should be doing for her recovery and what family life actually allowed.

They also explore some of the different pieces that became important along the way. Charlotte talks about discovering sleep apnoea, the work she did with Anna on her digestive health which allowed her to come off her adrenal support she had for a long time been dependent on.

A recently published study investigating Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) in people living with ME/CFS has generated considerable interest within the chronic illness community.

But what did the research actually find?

In this episode, Anna takes a balanced look at the study, exploring both the encouraging findings and the important limitations. Whilst the results suggest that HBOT may improve physical functioning, fatigue, pain and cognitive performance in a subset of people with ME/CFS, the study was observational and should be interpreted with appropriate caution.

A personal and practical episode exploring the 72 hours after Anna’s longest hike since illness, and what late-stage recovery really involves when rebuilding physical capacity safely and sustainably.

Creatine is often associated with the fitness industry and sports performance — but emerging research is now exploring whether it may have relevance far beyond

A personal and reflective episode exploring nervous system recalibration, Somatic Experiencing concepts, and what happens when recovery allows emotions and sensations to become more accessible again.

In this episode, Anna breaks down a recent study exploring brain neurochemicals in Long COVID and ME/CFS — with a particular focus on glutamate and

Some people notice that they seem to experience stimulation and stress more intensely than others.

They may feel overwhelmed in busy environments, react strongly to caffeine, or find it difficult to switch off mentally after a demanding day.

Sometimes people encounter the term COMT when exploring genetic testing and begin to wonder whether this might explain their nervous system sensitivity.

But conversations about COMT online can quickly become confusing — and sometimes unnecessarily alarming.

In this episode, Anna explores what COMT actually does in the body, how it influences the way we process certain stress-related brain chemicals, and why some nervous systems naturally experience stimulation more strongly than others.

Most importantly, we discuss why COMT is not a defect, but rather a pattern of biological sensitivity that can have both challenges and strengths.

There is a stage of recovery that many people reach where life has largely returned to normal.

You may be working again.
Socialising more.
Exercising gently.
Participating in daily life in ways that once felt impossible.

And yet, your system may still experience occasional fluctuations.

Energy might dip after a busy week.
Sleep may become more fragile during stressful periods.

Your nervous system might still feel sensitive to certain types of load.

This stage can feel confusing, because you’re no longer severely ill — but things don’t always feel completely stable yet.

In this episode, Anna explores what she often describes as the fine-tuning phase of recovery.

Movement can feel like a complicated topic for people.

But something interesting often emerges during recovery.

Certain types of gentle, rhythmic movement can actually help the nervous system settle.

In this episode, Anna explores why the body sometimes responds positively to movement — not because it improves fitness, but because it can help the nervous system process activation and return toward regulation.