Do you know anyone who’s constantly complaining about how tired they are all the time? Perhaps you’re one of those people that often lack energy and motivation which keep you from being productive and fruitful in all your tasks and responsibilities at work and home.
If no amount of lifestyle adjustment improves your condition, such as sleeping earlier and exercising regularly, then you may be on the road to fatigue.
What is fatigue?
Fatigue is quite common to all humans. Not one person is exempt from experiencing it for we all grow tired and weary based on our activities and our health condition.
Fatigue, to put it simply, is a state of being extremely tired and worn out. It is different from just feeling tired from working out or lacking sleep or being stressed. Although the aforementioned may be evident in cases of fatigue and exhaustion, it goes beyond that.
What are the causes?
Fatigue and exhaustion are caused by several different medical or non-medical factors that can either be physical, physiological, or psychological in nature.
Physical
Some physical factors that can contribute to severe exhaustion include the likes of physical illnesses such as diabetes, glandular fever, anemia, and cancer.
Physiological
Physiological factors that lead to fatigue may include pregnancy, breastfeeding, excessive exercise, and sleep deprivation.
Psychological
Psychological factors that can trigger weariness include stress, anxiety, and depression.
Signs you are exhausted
Exhaustion can manifest in different ways. It’s one thing to be physically exhausted and mentally stressed, like if you need to uproot your business and move to a different location.
We’re all aware of how exhausting it can be to plan and prepare for a move, especially if it’s a business or an establishment you’re transferring. In most cases, you can lessen the stress and fatigue by employing the services of highly-recommended commercial movers on top of your workers doing their bit to make the process of moving offices a whole lot easier.
But then there are times when your daily grind just catches up to you and wears you down. Here are some typical signs that you need to slow down:
- You feel unusually sluggish and weaker.
- You’re getting a lot of sleepless nights.
- You’re experiencing panic and anxiety attacks for no particular reason.
- You are impatient and irritable.
- You have episodes of unexpected crying.
- You’re detached from reality.
- You feel unmotivated a lot.
When one or more of these start becoming a pattern in your life, you need to go see a doctor immediately to prevent your exhaustion from getting worse.
What is Chronic Fatigue Syndrome?
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS), or myalgic encephalopathy (ME), is a condition where medically unexplainable tiredness persists for at least four months.
Here are some of its symptoms:
- You have difficulty establishing a regular healthy sleeping pattern.
- You experience multiple muscle and joint pains with no signs of inflammation.
- You have flu-like symptoms.
- You frequently experience headaches, nausea, and dizziness.
- There is cognitive dysfunction which is made worse by physical or mental exertion.
How do you beat it?
If you think you are nearing the point of burnout and fatigue, or know someone who has its symptoms, here are some actions that you can take to prevent fatigue from taking over:
1. See the doctor immediately if you start detecting any symptoms of fatigue. Although some can be easily remedied by catching up on rest, others may require some medical help.
2. Change how you look at fatigue. Feeling tired is not always due to a lack of sleep and rest. Perform a lifestyle check and see where things are not right.
3. Exercise more. Increase the level of your physical activity gradually to build up your strength and endurance.
4. Eat meals and snacks every 3 to 4 hours. Eating every now and then is more likely to help keep your energy level up compared to eating huge meals 2 or 3 times a day.
5. Be mindful of what you eat. Considering the previous recommendation, it is important that you eat healthily.
6. Cut down on caffeine and alcohol. Caffeine is a quick fix while alcohol impairs your senses and cognitive functions.
7. Drink lots of water. Instead of caffeine and alcohol, drink plenty of water. Dehydration speeds up fatigue.
8. Reduce the stressors around you. Learn to manage the stressors surrounding you.
9. Take a break. Taking a few minutes to stretch and let your body rest can drastically improve your productivity and help you decrease the chances of exhaustion.
10. Get some sleep. Improve your sleeping habits so that you get good quality sleep regularly. If you have a sleeping disorder, it is best to see a doctor immediately.
We must learn to listen to and take care of our bodies. Pain is usually an indicator that there’s something wrong. But sometimes, exhaustion is what sends a message to our brains that we need to take it slow and seek help. If we shun it and pay no attention to what our bodies tell us, we will regret it in the long run.
