"What My Journey with Endometriosis Has Taught Me About Managing Pain, Fatigue, and Prioritizing Rest"

From navigating exhaustion to embracing healing, Megan Gilbride has learned to listen to what her body truly needs. In this piece, the slow living advocate and yoga teacher reflects on the lessons endometriosis has taught her – how rest is not a luxury but a lifeline, and how the rhythms of breath, movement, and stillness can transform pain into peace. Through gentle rituals and deep surrender, she explores what it means to honor the body and find solace in sleep.

Back in 2017 I was diagnosed with endometriosis after nearly 10 years of fighting for answers about my very poor health. A diagnosis should have felt empowering, but after so much time I was exhausted and the lowest I’d ever felt. Being unwell led to the loss of friendships, flexibility, and freedom in my life – and in my mid-twenties, I felt resentful about those restrictions.

That resentment built a resistance around me, almost like a hardened shell. I was stuck in a vicious cycle of debilitating symptoms and fear, laced with bitterness that this was my reality. And although those feelings felt very real – they didn’t last. Yes, that period of time took a huge amount from me, but nearly 10 years on, I am more grateful for what it has given me.

It single-handedly forced me onto a path of self-discovery. Breaking free from that shell allowed me to better understand myself, my body, and its needs. Until I was unwell, I paid very little attention to any of those things – a blissful ignorance, that so many who struggle with their health can only dream of.

I had my biggest realizations during moments of overwhelming stress. I didn’t know where to start in getting well – the internet was information overload and that combined with limited research to support women’s health, meant stress levels were sky high and symptoms were worsening. I (gradually) learned that the weight of the pressure I put on myself to ‘get it right’ was too much for my body to bear.

I knew I had to step off the hamster wheel – and in doing so, I came to understand the importance of supporting my body as a whole. No longer looking at endo in isolation but giving myself the compassion and time to work out what looking after my own body meant.

Judith Hanson Lasater aptly said, “Your body already knows how to relax. Your only job is to create the right conditions for stillness, quiet, darkness and warmth.”

That’s not always easy and most definitely requires effort and time. But nearly 10 years on I am worlds away from the depleted and defeated young woman I was. My health is the best it has ever been, and although it’s a forever journey, I am so proud of how far I’ve come.

And the most pivotal part of that has been finding the true value in (and prioritising) deep rest. I have learned that when that is at the forefront pain, inflammation and fatigue have much less to hold on to. Integral to this has been working on improving my sleep.

If you’re anything like me, long gone are the days of those teenage years, where sleeping through a hurricane seemed entirely plausible. These days a good night’s kip requires a little more thought – so here are a few of my tried, tested and much-loved approaches towards bringing the body back into balance and supporting a sound and restful sleep.