Fatigue: Causes & Cures

Temporary loss of strength and energy resulting from hard physical or mental work is termed as fatigue. It’s a feeling of tiredness and drop in energy levels that doesn’t go away when you rest.

The concept of fatigue is pretty hard to define as every individual has his own idea of what being tiered means. In case of physical fatigue your muscles cannot do things as easily as they usually do. You might notice this when you carry grocery bags or climb stairs. On other hand psychological fatigue makes it difficult for you to concentrate for as long as you used to. Sometimes it can be a combination of illness, work stress and unhealthy lifestyle. In severe cases it can reduce your overall physical and mental performance to quite an extent.

Most of the times fatigue can be caused by one or more of your habits or routines. it can be a normal and important response to physical exertion, poor eating habits, emotional stress, boredom and on top of all, lack of sleep, the most common cause, of course. In some cases, however, fatigue is a symptom of an underlying medical problem that requires immediate medical attention.

Fatigue can also be caused by a number of illnesses and diseases. In such cases, a person usually finds that he or she needs more rest and sleep. There are a numbers of reasons that cause fatigue:

• Anaemia (lack of Iron)
• Infections (for example, flu)
• Depression
• Cancers
• Low Metabolism (when the body is too slow to convert food into energy)
• Diabetes
• Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (a condition that causes fatigue and exhaustion without explanation)

Chances are that you know what’s causing your fatigue, so just by making a few lifestyle changes you can get the energy, zeal and enthusiasm back in your life. Consider these different ways to help you regain your energy levels.

Dietary Recommendations

• Start your day with a healthy breakfast to boost your metabolism. Choose a carbohydrate rich breakfast such as cereals or whole grain bead.
• Never restrict the intake of your carbohydrates. Crash diets can sometimes lead to unbalanced levels of vitamins and minerals in body which lead to fatigue and exhaustion.
• Eat a balanced food. Reduce amount of high sugar, high salt and high fat meals. Use low fat dairy products and lean meat.
• Don’t overeat. Try to have small frequent meals rather than overeating. Eating small quantities more frequently makes them easier to digest and results in constant sugar as well as insulin levels in blood.
• Eat iron rich food, for example, red meat, spinach and apples.
• Keep an eye on your caffeine intake. It has been observed that people with 5 or more caffeinated drinks (coffee, tea and cola) per day are prone to anxiety, irritability and reduced performance.
• Drink at least 8 glasses of water. A well hydrated body functions very efficiently.

Sleep Recommendations

• Sleep at least 8 hours a day. Make the necessary changes to ensure a better night’s sleep.
• Learn to relax. Learn the technique such as meditation or yoga and find the one that suits you the most.
• Avoid caffeinated drinks after dinner. Don’t go to bed immediately after your dinner. A full stomach can cause poor quality sleep.
• Don’t use sleeping pills. They are not a long term cure for insomnia.

Lifestyle Related Recommendations

• Don’t smoke. Our body uses glucose as fuel. Fuel requires oxygen to burn. Smoking reduces the oxygen levels in the body thus keeping fuel from burning efficiently and hence the energy levels stay low.
• Stay away from alcohol. Alcohol is a depressant and can lead to insomnia.
• Exercise regularly. Physical activity is known to improve fitness, health and well being. It also boosts the energy levels and minimizes stress.
• Try to eliminate all the factors that can cause disturbed sleep, like uncomfortable sleeping surface, noise leeks etc.
• Try having a balanced diet with all the essential nutrients like vitamins and minerals. They best way to a balanced diet is to eat everything once in a while. Quick fix foods, such as caffeinated drinks or chocolate bars offer a temporary energy boost that quickly wears off and worsens fatigue.
• Stop thinking too much about your problems.

Workplace Related Recommendations.

• Prefer the job in which you have to work during the day. Night shift workers usually disturb their sleeping pattern by working when their body is programmed to sleep.
• Practices like irregular working hours, stressful environment (too much noise or heat), hard physical labor, long work hours and even working alone can lead to extreme fatigue.
• Workplace stress like conflict with colleagues, dissatisfaction, non compensation, heavy workloads and boredom can also lead to fatigue.
• Workaholic. Don’t reserve all the energy for career alone. Spend quality time with family and loved ones to reduce stress.
• Financial targets are most crucial in life, but they are not everything. Have a balanced life for time to be spent on entertainment and hanging out. Laughter is the best medicine and an energy booster one can have.

Some studies also suggest that psychological factors are present in at least 50 percent of fatigue cases. Individuals going through long periods of sadness and hopelessness commonly experience chronic tiredness.

So if you are getting 7 to 8 hurs of sleep and you are still tiered, its time for a checkup to uncover the causes for fatigue. Diagnosis of fatigue causing factor is very hard, as there is a vast range of symptoms to be held responsible. Try to incorporate as many recommendations as you can into your lifestyle. Despite all that, if you feel stressed out and exhausted, please contact your doctor on the earliest to find out the underlying reason for the fatigue.