Reasons For Fatigue And Sleepiness

Is Pots More Common In Certain People

There are no established risk factors for POTS. However, it is known to run in families, so it could have a genetic component. Researchers have also established a link between POTS and Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome . So if you have one of these conditions, you might also have the other.

A big group of those diagnosed with POTS is young women and teens. However, this doesnt mean they are more likely to develop this condition.

Fact: Caffeine Provides A Mild Boost

Whether in the form of coffee, soft drinks, or gum, caffeine can briefly increase alertness. Keep in mind that the effect takes about 30 minutes to kick in, so you may want to pull over and rest until you perk up. This temporary fix has its limits — caffeine canât overcome severe fatigue and may have little impact on regular coffee drinkers.

Common Causes Of Fatigue

If you are feeling constantly tired, the first thing you should do is see your personal physician for a checkup. Your doctor can take a careful history, perform a physical exam, and do any needed testing to determine the cause of your fatigue.

A few of the possible causes of fatigue include the following:

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What It Is Its Causes And Consequences And How Its Diagnosed And Treated

Excessive daytime sleepiness affects between 10% and 20% of the American population, and research suggests its on the rise. The 2020 Sleep in America Poll found that Americans report feeling sleepy an average of three days a week, and experience significant effects on mood and physical health as a result.

Though not a disorder in itself, excessive daytime sleepiness is something to take seriously. Your body may be trying to tell you that you are not getting enough sleep, or it may be raising red flags about a sleep disorder or other health condition. Its important to recognize the signs of excessive daytime sleepiness so you can identify and remedy the cause.

Periodic Limb Movement Disorder

Though you are probably unaware of it, you may be involuntarily moving your legs during the night as you sleep. The movement may be significant enough to wake you. The interruptions in sleep may or may not wake you, but either way are significant enough to cause havoc in your sleep cycle. People with PLMD often complain of feeling unrested and of daytime sleepiness.

The cause of PLMD is unknown, but may be related to anemia, central nervous system problems or may be genetic. Good sleep hygiene habits will help relief PLMD. If you are not relieved despite having good sleep hygiene, a consultation with your health care provider is necessary.

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Symptoms And Consequences Of Excessive Daytime Sleepiness

Sleep plays an important role in consolidating memory, restoring the immune system, and other vital processes. As a result, a lack of quality sleep may result in a host of symptoms that you may not immediately connect to sleep.

Even if you dont consciously feel sleepy, you may be suffering from excessive sleepiness if youre experiencing any of the following:

• Trouble staying alert
• Slower reaction times
• Risk-taking behaviors

Being sleepy can have wide-ranging effects on health and daily life. Consequences of daytime sleepiness include:

• Increased risk of car and work accidents
• Worse quality of life
• Problems regulating mood and emotions
• Social and relationship problems

Excessive sleepiness may be particularly dangerous for young adults, shift workers, medical staff, and people who drive a lot.

Long-term sleep deprivation has been linked to a higher chance of developing diabetes, obesity, heart disease, and other chronic conditions. Daytime sleepiness in children may affect development, while in older adults, daytime sleepiness heightens the risk for falls and may be a risk factor for cognitive impairment, memory loss, and earlier mortality.

Psychological Causes Of Fatigue

Studies suggest that psychological factors are present in at least 50 per cent of fatigue cases. These may include:

• Depression this illness is characterised by severe and prolonged feelings of sadness, dejection and hopelessness. People who are depressed commonly experience chronic fatigue.
• Anxiety and stress a person who is chronically anxious or stressed keeps their body in overdrive. The constant flooding of adrenaline exhausts the body, and fatigue sets in.
• Grief losing a loved one causes a wide range of emotions including shock, guilt, depression, despair and loneliness.

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What Sleep Disorders Commonly Cause Excessive Sleepiness

Many sleep disorders commonly cause EDS. Have you found yourself wondering, Why am I so tired all the time? If so, consider seeing a sleep specialist to determine if you have a sleep disorder. Talking to your doctor about your symptoms is the best way to start the process of understanding your personal causes of sleepiness, whether or not a sleep disorder is a factor.

People with the following sleep disorders commonly experience EDS:

Of the many sleep disorders that can cause EDS, only two present primarily as excessive sleepiness: narcolepsy and idiopathic hypersomnia. That said, sometimes a person isnt aware of their other symptoms, so you cant assume you have a specific sleep disorder because you believe you experience excessive sleepiness alone.

For example, a person with obstructive sleep apnea might not realize they stop breathing during the night, and someone with periodic limb movement disorder might not realize they often twitch while asleep. You may need a professional to identify the cause of your excessive sleepiness.

How Can My Doctor Manage Fatigue

To find out what is causing your fatigue, your healthcare provider will ask questions about your lifestyle and medications and will conduct a physical examination. They might order some lab tests to test blood and urine. If you are a woman of child-bearing age, your provider will probably order a pregnancy test.

To relieve fatigue, your provider will treat the condition or disorder thatâs causing it. Depending on your health, your treatment plan may include a combination of medication, exercise, or therapy. If youâre taking a medication that makes you feel exhausted, talk to your healthcare provider about the risks and benefits of stopping the medication or trying another one.

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Questions A Doctor May Ask Include The Following:

• Do you feel drowsy or weak?
• Do you feel down or depressed?
• Has your fatigue developed slowly or suddenly?
• Is it cyclical or constant?
• What do you think the cause might be?
• Have you experienced any significant life events recently?
• Is your life in balance? Consider work, relationships, physical, emotional, social, sense of worth and recreation.

Doctors Recommend Getting A Blood Test For Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/chronic Fatigue Syndome If You Have Experienced Fatigue For Longer Than:

There is no blood test for myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndome. However, if you have experienced unexplained fatigue lasting longer than three months, you may want to see your doctor to rule out possible medical problems.myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome may be considered if you have experienced fatigue for longer than six months — especially if you have chronic pain or other common symptoms of ME/CFS. Diagnosis is usually based on an evaluation of the patient’s history and a thorough physical and mental examination that rules out other potential causes.

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Cause No : Hypothyroidism

The thyroid gland is one of the most important glands, located at the base of the neck. The function of thyroid is to control the metabolism, which is the speed at which the food is converted into energy. When there is a problem with the gland then metabolism may function slowly and one may feel sluggish and put on weight.

Remedy: If you are tested low for the thyroid hormones, then synthetic hormones can help bring up the speed of metabolism.

What Are The Symptoms Of Fatigue

Fatigue can cause a wide range of symptoms.

• Physical: feeling tired all the time, headaches, lightheadedness, sore, aching or weak muscles, loss of appetite, prone to getting sick.
• Mental: slowed reflexes and responses, poor decision making and judgement, short-term memory problems, poor concentration.
• Emotional: moodiness, irritability, low motivation, feeling depressed and hopeless.

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Myth: Only Old People Fall Asleep At The Wheel

More than half of fatigue-related crashes are caused by drivers younger than 25. Others who are at the highest risk: men, people with sleeping disorders, adults with children, commercial drivers, drivers with jet lag, and shift workers. Working the night shift increases your risk by nearly six times. Rotating shifts that disrupt your sleep cycle and working more than 60 hours a week can also set you up for fatigued driving.

Why Am I So Tired Top Causes Of Fatigue

Are you constantly tired and sluggish although you slept enough? Of course, some kind of deficiency or disease might be making making you feel like this, but all too often there are other reasons why you feel so lethargic. If you keep asking yourself Why am I so tired?, then check out the common causes of fatigue below.

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What Percentage Of Patients Complain To Their Primary Care Doctor About Fatigue That Interferes With Their Daily Lives

Fatigue is one of the most common complaints in medicine, accounting for an estimated 10 million doctor office visits each year.

Because fatigue is a common feature of everyday life but also a common symptom of so many different medical conditions, it can be difficult for doctors to properly assess and treat. In many cases, the most important medical response to persistent fatigue is to get tested for potential underlying physical or psychological medical conditions.

What About Sleepiness

They story does not end here. Your probiotics are linked to sleepiness as well. See the probiotics dont just produce B vitamins. They produce a lot of other beneficial compounds for you as well. One other group is called psychobiotics. That term still makes me chuckle. It basically means the bacteria are producing beneficial substances for your brain to function at a high level. If you brain is not getting fed consistently, you are going to deal with mental fatigue. Sleepiness is just one way that mental fatigue can present.

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Your Doctor May Also:

• take your sleep history, including how much sleep you get each night, what the quality of your sleep is like, and whether you snore, wake or stop breathing in the night
• do a physical examination to check for signs of illness or disease
• carry out tests to rule out physical causes, such as blood and urine tests.

What Causes ‘your’ Fatigue

Many physical and mental illnesses, as well as lifestyle factors, can cause your fatigue, and that can make it hard to diagnose. In some cases, it might be something simple and easy to fix, like having caffeine at bedtime. But other causes, like heart disease or COPD, are serious, and you may need to start long-term treatment right away.

Your doctor can help you sift through your health issues, as well as diet, exercise, and other lifestyle habits, in order to zero in on the cause and help you on the road to recovery.

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Too Hot Or Too Cold In Bed

If youre too hot or too cold to get to sleep, this is going to affect the quality of sleep you manage to get overnight.

Its also going to leave you feeling less than refreshed come the morning. Getting a comfortable nights sleep can be more challenging during the hottest months says Thom Hemelryk founder of the Drowsy sleep company.

Increased temperatures make it harder for us to drift off and mean we toss and turn more than the usual. But then sleeping with the windows open also increases outside light and noises that can keep us up.

Thom says the key to how to sleep in the heat is all about regulating your body temperature, Your body temperature naturally peaks in the evening and then drops when you are asleep. Even slight changes to your normal patterns can be disruptive. So, its important to be aware of your temperature patterns and prepare accordingly.

He suggests these 3 hacks for summer temperature control:

• Invest in a good fan, it keeps the temperature down and blocks out external noise.
• Sleep with a light cotton sheet instead of a quilt. If temperatures really soar, try rinsing it in water to keep you cool.
• Dont sleep naked as this could actually make you hotter.
• Have your own bedding! In the winter it might be great to cuddle up to your partner to keep warm, but in the summer the heat from your two bodies can make you more uncomfortable. Regulate things by having separate bedding for both of you.

Fact: A Companion Can Help During Long Road Trips

For long road trips, itâs best to bring a companion — if possible, someone who can share in the driving. Pull over and switch seats about every 100 miles or every two hours. Whoever is not behind the wheel should stay awake and talk to the driver. The passenger can also keep a watchful eye for signs that the driver might be nodding off.

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Myth: A Candy Bar Or Can Of Soda Will Give Me A Kick

Fact: Sugar will give you a temporary lift, but when it wears off you’re likely to be even more tired than before.

People are often tempted to seek out the soda machine or the candy counter when they hit that afternoon slump. When we are fatigued, our bodies often crave a rush of fuel to keep us going, and Shives says that studies bear out this anecdotal experience.

“Research shows that if sleep-deprived people are offered an array of foods, they disproportionately choose sugary and/or fatty items,” she says. “Our bodies crave foods that have a high glycemic index because they provide a quick boost of energy.”

The trouble is, when the sugar high wears off, you are likely to feel even more tired than you did before. One study found, for example, that an hour after drinking high-sugar energy drinks, sleep-deprived patients were sleepier and had more lapses in concentration than patients in the control group, who didn’t drink the sugary drink.

To minimize afternoon drowsiness, Shives recommends that you eat a light lunch. “Avoid fats, sugars, and carbohydrates,” she says. “Have some lean protein — but be sure to keep it light.”

Cause No : Hidden Uti

Urinary Tract Infection is usually associated with the symptoms like burning pain and a sense of urgency to release. However, it is not always that UTI appears itself with such symptoms. In few cases, fatigue is the only symptom that is visible. If this is the case then a simple urine test will confirm the presence of Urinary Tract Infection.

Remedy: If you have UTI, then antibiotics is a good cure. Any UTI related fatigue will usually vanish within a week.

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What Medical Conditions Cause Fatigue

Hundreds of conditions and disorders lead to fatigue. Some of the most common causes of fatigue include:

• Disease and infection: Cancer, kidney disease and multiple sclerosis are just a few diseases that cause fatigue. Fatigue can also be a sign of infections such as mononucleosis, HIV and flu.
• Mental health conditions: Fatigue from depression or anxiety may make it difficult or impossible to perform daily activities.
• Autoimmune disorders: Fatigue is a symptom of many autoimmune diseases, including diabetes, lupus and rheumatoid arthritis.
• Hormonal imbalances: Problems with your endocrine system can lead to exhaustion. Hypothyroidism is a common cause of fatigue.
• Chronic conditions:Chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia cause severe, long-lasting fatigue.
• Heart and lung problems: Fatigue is a common symptom of cardiovascular conditions such as heart disease, postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome , chronic obstructive pulmonary disease , emphysema and congestive heart failure.
• Deficiencies:Anemia and other vitamin deficiencies are often responsible for fatigue. Dehydration can cause fatigue because the body needs plenty of fluids to function.
• Weight problems and eating disorders:Anorexia, bulimia, obesity or being underweight can lead to fatigue and a range of other symptoms.

Rheumatoid Arthritis And Fatigue

Symptoms: Fatigue, morning stiffness, joint pain, inflamed joints

Rheumatoid arthritis , a type of inflammatory arthritis, is another cause of excessive fatigue. Because joint damage can result in disability, early and aggressive treatment is the best approach for rheumatoid arthritis.

Medications that may be used early in mild RA include:

• Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
• Disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs

Other drugs used in more serious forms of RA include the anti-cytokine therapies , as well as shots and other forms of treatment.

Other autoimmune disorders, such as lupus and Sjogren’s disease, may also cause fatigue.

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Identify Treatments Youve Tried

In addition to tracking the symptoms you have experienced, keep a list of treatments you have tried. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provides a medications and supplements list you can use to track your medications, their dosage, how well they help, and if you experienced side effects. Write a separate list of other treatments you have tried beyond medications and supplements, such as cognitive behavioral therapy, exercise, acupuncture, or meditation.

Can Emotions Cause Fatigue

Are you fearful about the future? Do you worry about your health and who will take care of you? Are you afraid you are no longer needed? Emotional stresses like these can take a toll on your energy. Fatigue can be linked to many conditions, including:

• Anxiety
• Stress from financial or personal problems
• Feeling that you no longer have control over your life

Not getting enough sleep can also contribute to fatigue. Regular physical activity can improve your sleep. It may also help reduce feelings of depression and stress while improving your mood and overall well-being. Yoga, meditation, or cognitive behavioral therapy could also help you get more rest. Talk with your doctor if your mental well-being is affecting your sleep or making you tired.

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