It is true that many myths about fatigue are prevalent in the society that seem inseparable from the facts. But we should be aware of the facts and not follow the myths blindly. Below are the top myths about fatigue and the facts behind them.
A cup of coffee is an instant treatment for fatigue.
First of all, coffee is not a remedy for anything. Coffee or any caffeine beverage will only give you a small boost by slightly lifting your metabolism and blood pressure. A cup of coffee will provide a short term effect, but once it wears out (in under 30 minutes), the fatigue will come back with twice the force. The only remedy for fatigue is good sound sleep and well balanced meals.
A short nap will make you feel better.
No, it won’t. If you are suffering from fatigue, you need a long and sound sleep, not a short nap. As a matter of fact, taking short naps may make the situation even worse. You’ll feel grumpy and light-headed when you wake up. Multiple sleep-related abnormalities cause unrefreshing sleep and thereafter, fatigue. So no amount of rest or short naps will relieve fatigue.
Fatigue is just tiredness.
Fatigue once in a while, is tiredness. For example if you don’t get good sleep for a couple of days yet work very hard, you’re bound to feel fatigued and tired. This generally goes away after some sleep. But chronic fatigue is a serious issue and should be dealt with under expert supervision. Chronic fatigue can be caused by many reasons other than lack of sleep. Some of these reasons are infections, immune disorders, nerve disease, hypothyroidism, depression, fibromyalgia, high stress, nutritional deficiency etc. Hence medical attention is recommended.
Chronic fatigue and chronic fatigue syndrome are the same thing.
Even though the two terms chronic fatigue and chronic fatigue syndrome or CFS are mostly used interchangeably, they are two separate things. They are not only diagnosed differently, their treatment is different as well. Chronic fatigue means you are suffering from exhaustion or lack of energy constantly for more than 6 months. It can be the cause of several things like lack of sleep, immune disorders, nerve disease, hypothyroidism, depression, nutritional deficiency, organ disease etc. Chronic fatigue syndrome or CFS is constant fatigue for more than 6 months plus several other symptoms. These symptoms include impaired memory or concentration, extreme and prolonged exhaustion and sickness following a physical or mental activity, severe headaches, muscle pain, joint pain, difficulty waking up, sore throat etc. You must have atleast four or more of these symptoms constantly for more than 6 months to be diagnosed for CFS.
Regular physical activity or exercise will cure fatigue in no time.
It won’t cure fatigue by a long shot, rather as a matter of fact things will get worse. Chronic fatigue is not a mere disappointment from losing a high school game. People cannot just snap out of it and start running a marathon. It is a fact that forced activity can actually worsen the situation dramatically. Many people have tried doing so, they’ve only ended up in bed for days. Chronic fatigue sufferers need medical attention, medications, long sound sleep and proper nutrition.
Young people cannot suffer from fatigue.
Age is not at all an issue in any disease, anymore. There are several cases of 7-8 year old with diabetes, there must be nothing to surprise in the fact that a 15-16 year old can suffer from fatigue. As mentioned before, chronic fatigue is caused by a variety of reasons. People from any age group may be suffering from those problems like lack of sleep, nutritional deficiency etc. Besides, statistics indicate that drivers under the age of 25 are mostly involved in car crashes caused by fatigued driving.
Turning on the AC or opening a window will help a fatigued driver to stay alert.
Sometimes turning on the AC or opening up a window to let the fresh air in, or turning on the radio or music system helps for a short while. But, sometimes the result may vary completely. In fact, there is a greater probability that a comfortable environment created by the outside fresh air or AC may make the fatigued driver feel more sleepy on the wheel. A good soothing song on the radio can do the same. A fatigued and drowsy driver is as bad as a drunk driver, there is always 99% chances of death.
Fatigued or drowsy driving can occur only at night.
Most fatigue related driving accidents have been reported to have happened at 2-6 am in the morning. That’s a combination of later hours of the night and early hours of the day. Fatigue is not a nocturnal disease, it can occur at any time of the day. If you do not sleep all night, you’re likely to feel drowsy on the wheel when driving to your workplace next morning. There is a 17-18 hour timeline: if you do not sleep for more than 18 hours, you’re likely to have a fatigue attack. The severity of the attack depends on other physical and mental conditions.
Chronic fatigue is a form of depression.
This is truly a myth that originated from the fact, that in many cases anti-depressive medicines are given to a chronic fatigue patient. Depression is one of the symptoms of chronic fatigue and hence, fatigue can be a result of depression. But chronic fatigue is not a form of depression. There are many other causes for chronic fatigue. Sometimes the causes of fatigue can only be physical, while depression is always mental or mental and physical both.
