Fatigue Overview

Fatigue is a feeling of extreme tiredness where you do not even feel like lifting a glass of water. There is complete lack of energy and motivation to finish any task. Tiredness is a very common condition and can be usually overcome with a good night’s sleep or a nutritious meal, but fatigue is not relieved by either sleep or food. You feel drowsy and completely uninterested in anything around you. Fatigue is not a serious disease, but can be evaluated only by the physician who diagnoses it. The pattern of fatigue helps the physician to determine its cause. For instance, if your energy level is low throughout the day even after getting a good night’s sleep, it could be depression. On the other hand, if you wake up energized but get tired as the day progresses, it could be an underactive thyroid gland. It can effect people of all ages irrespective of their gender but women are found to be more prone to it.

The physician has to rule out probable conditions like anemia, depression, grief, medications like sedatives or anti-depressants, an underactive thyroid gland, use of drugs like cocaine, cancer, diabetes, kidney and liver disease, or just malnutrition to name a few condition in order to diagnose this disorder. Chronic fatigue syndrome is diagnosed if all other causes of fatigue are ruled out.

If it is not a result of any illness, fatigue can result from pregnancy, jet lag, vitamin or mineral deficiency, work problems, boredom, lack of sleep, divorce, shifting, or a bereavement. You need to consult the physician if you are feeling dizzy, have blurred vision, generate little or no urine, headache, constipation or a sudden weight loss.

The physician will make you undergo a complete physical examination, checking your heart, lymph nodes, thyroid, abdomen and the nervous system besides examining your medical history, lifestyle and habits.

You don’t have to live with fatigue, you can reduce it by getting enough sleep. Sleep is a potent tonic for the whole body, so do everything you can to get good sleep like following strict sleep timings, listening to soothing music or going for a brisk walk before you turn in. Try relaxation techniques like yoga which stretch out your muscles and ligaments, along with breathing techniques. Eat a healthy diet with more natural vitamins, switch jobs or change your shift timings. Avoid stimulants like coffee or other medications. They reduce fatigue temporarily but make it return more viciously. Indulge in activities you like or get back to those long forgotten hobbies. A hectic schedule day in and day out, and pressure to outshine and outperform pushes a person over the brink. So call a halt and disappear on a vacation to restore your energy and bounce back.