Viral Or Bacterial Infection And Fatigue
Symptoms: Fatigue, fever, head or body aches.
Fatigue can be a symptom of infections ranging from the flu to HIV. If you have an infection, you’ll probably have other symptoms like fever, head or body aches, shortness of breath, or appetite loss.
Infections that may cause fatigue include:
- Flu
Symptoms: Chronic fatigue, deep muscle pain, painful tender points, sleep problems, anxiety, depression
Fibromyalgia is one of the more common causes of chronic fatigue and musculoskeletal pain, especially in women. Fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome are considered separate but related disorders. They share a common symptom: severe fatigue that greatly interferes with people’s lives.
With fibromyalgia, you may feel that no matter how long you sleep, it’s never restful. And you may feel as if you are always fatigued during daytime hours. Your sleep may be interrupted by frequent waking. Yet, you may not remember any sleep disruptions the next day. Some people with fibromyalgia live in a constant fibro fog — a hazy feeling that makes it hard to concentrate.
Constant daytime fatigue with fibromyalgia often results in people not getting enough exercise. That causes a decline in physical fitness. It can also lead to mood-related problems. The best way to offset these effects is to try to exercise more. Exercise has tremendous benefits for sleep, mood, and fatigue.
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Work And Money Worries
Its not new to us that worrying about our jobs and our finances makes us feel exhausted. But a study has confirmed that work and money worries can also cause sleep problems, saying that nearly 1 in 3 of us are having problems sleeping more than once a week. And those who took part in the study said work and money worries were the biggest problems when it comes to nodding off.
Try setting some time aside with your boss or manager to talk through your concerns if youre stressed about work. If youre feeling overworked or not supported, and they should be able to help you. Even a small step like this will make you feel like you are doing something about it and youll feel better.
Reasons For Feeling Sleepy All The Time
Are you yawning and wondering, “Why do I feel so tired all the time?” If so, you may have excessive daytime sleepiness or fatigue. These are among the most common complaints healthcare providers hear, and they’re not an easy thing to fixin large part because they have many potential causes.
Fatigue is a “lack of physical or mental energy.” The term is often used to mean tiredness that’s not relieved by rest. For it to be clinical fatigue, meaning that it’s medically significant and should be treated, it involves:
- Feeling too weak to start an activity
- Quickly tiring during activity
- Difficulties with concentrating, memory, and emotional stability
It’s common for sleepiness, fatigue, and other terms like tiredness or low energy to be used interchangeably. They all overlap with each other and distinguishing between them usually isn’t important for a diagnosis.
EDS is defined as an “inability to maintain wakefulness and alertness during the major waking episodes of the day.” If you have EDS, you may find yourself dozing off unintentionally or at inappropriate times. EDS isn’t a passing thingthe official diagnostic criteria say it has to occur daily for three months or longer.
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Tropical Paradise Energy Drink
Get a boost and a taste of the islands with this tropical energy drink. The recipe calls for a hint of coconut water, as well as orange, banana, mango, and pineapple. The natural sugar of the fruits, combined with the refreshing benefits of coconut water, will offer a great energy boost after a workout or a long day at work.
Waking Up A Lot In The Night
A lot of us wake up in the night so briefly that we cant remember doing it. It makes us think weve slept right through but in the end, waking up more than five times a night can be the equivalent of losing an hours sleep. So while there might be plenty of reasons for waking up in the middle of the night, including the symptoms of menopause and insomnia, there are other more natural reasons like noises in the house or outside.
So if you fit into the latter category, check out this simple technique used by registered nutritionist and army veteran, Rob Hobson.
How to fall asleep in 2 minutes:
Rob Hobson shared the following trick with us that has reportedly used by the US military in the past to get to sleep in difficult circumstances.
This technique is said to work for around 96 per cent of people after practising for around six weeks, he said.
- Relax the muscles in your face, such as tongue, jaw and around the eyes.
- Drop shoulders as low as they will go, followed by your upper and lower arm, one side at a time.
- Breathe out, relaxing your chest then legs, working downwards from the thighs to the feet.
- Say Dont think, dont think for 10 seconds to clear your mind.
By setting a proper routine for yourself, its also possible that your body will adapt better to times when it should be asleep and awake so youll feel less tired. To do this, its important to fix your sleep schedule and go to bed at the same time every night, then wake up at the same time every morning.
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Why Am I So Tired The K Health Guide To Fatigue
Are you feeling tired all the time? Are you not able to function properly due to extreme fatigue? The solutions may be relatively simple, such as making sure you get enough sleep, or making some changes to your diet. But extreme tiredness can also be a symptom of other diseases. Read on to learn about the causes of chronic fatigue, what to do to help yourself become more energetic, and when to see a doctor.
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.
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Get A Restorative Sleep
Given that wintertime makes us sleepy, it is a bit strange to think that we can actually experience a lack a restorative sleep.
However, being sleepy all the time, and sleeping whenever you feel a need to, is counterproductive and disrupts our biological clock.Often, sleeping for more than 8 hours can make us even more grumpy, tired and sluggish.
Everyone should strive to maintain a regular sleep schedule. Follow high quality-sleep rules like going to bed early, avoiding light interferences from computer screens, iPads and cell phones, before sleeping time, etc.
Youre Not Getting Enough Light
In the summer, you are bursting with energy. But on grey & gloomy days, do you feel like just curling up in a ball on the couch because youre constantly tired?
Maybe you are not getting enough light:
Darkness causes the body to release the sleep hormone melatonin.
Therefore, make sure to spend as much time outside as possible. Even on cloudy days, you will get more light outside than in the office or in your home. Go for a walk on your next sunny lunch break and refill your vitamin D stores, or hold a walking meeting outside with your coworkers. Another way to build up your energy reserves is to use a daylight lamp. And dont close the curtains in your bedroom all the way: This will let some light into your room in the morning and help your body prepare to get up and start the day.
Also Check: Shortness Of Breath And Muscle Fatigue
Watching Too Much Tv Before Bed
Rebecca Small, assistant medical director at Bupa says, Television, laptop and computer games can all stimulate the mind and therefore can prevent a good nights sleep. Reading, meditation and exercise such as yoga can have a relaxing affect, helping prepare your body for sleep.
Even having the light from street lamps come through your windows can disrupt your sleep, as the high-intensity LED light emits the same blue light as a screen, although its a smaller quantity. The American Medical Association have even issued a warning about street lights.
The blue light emitted from phones, laptops and TVs can delay the release of sleep-inducing melatonin by up to three hours, says Dr Vishal Shah, medical director at Thriva.
To avoid this blue light from screens, try limiting your TV watching and texting to an hour a night, and dont let it be the last thing you do before you go to bed and dont use your bed for anything other than sleeping. Its not a good idea to watch TV in bed, or anything else like sorting out bills, make shopping lists or arguing. Let your body recognise that when you get into bed its time for sleep.
As for the street lights, make sure to use black-out curtains to ensure that no light creeps through!
Maple Cranberry Sports Drink
All natural maple syrup serves as the sweetener in this high energy drink. Youll also love the flavorful tartness from the cranberries.
This homemade energy drink provides a mix of carbohydrates to fuel your muscles. It also contains electrolytes to help replace what your body loses through sweat. The drink is, however, high in sodium and should not be used by someone with high blood pressure.
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Pots: A Little Known Cause Of Extreme Fatigue
Everyone knows what being tired feels like at the end of a long day. But some people experience fatigue so severe and so seemingly random that its hard to describe. If that sounds familiar, there could be more going on than daily stress.
While there are many causes of fatigue, one of them is frequently missed and misdiagnosed: postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome . Physical medicine and neuromuscular specialist Tae Chung, M.D., answers questions about POTS and extreme fatigue as one of its symptoms.
The Dangerous Side Effects Of Prolonged Fatigue
No matter what the cause of your fatigue is, you shouldnt let the condition persist. Even if you are able to hold the exhaustion at bay, you are putting your physical and mental health at risk when you dont find ways to alleviate the fatigue. Not only does fatigue drain you of energy and make it hard for you to go about your daily life, it can also warp your sense of judgment and cause you to make wrong decisions that could lead to accidents.
Fatigue that is caused by a lack of sleep is also associated with a number of health conditions such as heart disease, high blood pressure and diabetes, since sleep deprivation interferes with your bodys hormonal balance and blood sugar levels. Furthermore, fatigue can lead to symptoms of depression and other mental health issues or exacerbate existing conditions.
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When To See A Doctor About Being Tired All The Time
While making certain lifestyle tweaks could help with your fatigue, its unlikely to do much if youre struggling with an underlying health condition. In those situations, youll need to seek help from a medical professional.
Of course, that can be tricky to detect on your own. So, when should you seek medical attention? If fatigue is persistent, and it is disrupting daily tasks, work productivity, or limiting your participation in enjoyable activities, it may be time to speak to your doctor, Dr. Waters says.
How Tired Is Too Tired
Excessive sleepiness and sleep deprivation can have significant impacts on your health. They increase the risk of falling asleep while driving, increase chronic pain, throw off hormonal balance, and lead to weight gain. Quality of life can be significantly compromised by poor sleep. Symptoms of being sleep deprived can include:
- Desire to rest or sleep
- General weakness
- Stress levels
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How Is Fatigue Managed
Making sure you have good quality sleep can help you manage fatigue. Ensure you go to bed at the same time each night and stick to healthy sleep habits.
Eating a healthy diet and doing regular physical activity will also help improve your sleep and lessen fatigue. Eat small, frequent meals throughout the day with plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables avoid junk food and try to avoid alcohol and caffeine since these can affect your sleep.
If you have fatigue, talk to your doctor about whether it is safe to drive or carry out your normal work duties.
Could It Be Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome is distinct from the types of fatigue we discuss here. CFS refers to severe, continued tiredness that is not relieved by rest and does not appear to be directly caused by other medical conditions. For more information, read Beyond Tired: Understanding Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Chronic Fatigue Get Your Energy Back! and other articles in my health library on fatigue and insomnia.
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Does Your Lifestyle Need A Tweak
First off, ask yourself this: Do you treat your body right?
“With my patients, I talk about the three pillars of health: sleep, diet, and exercise,” says Theodore Friedman, MD, PhD.
“If you aren’t getting good sleep, it’s hard to eat well, and it’s hard to exercise. And the same is true the other way around. They’re all related.”
So try not to short-change yourself on shut-eye. Adults need 7 to 9 hours of sleep. Eat a balanced diet of fruits, veggies, and lean protein, and get a regular dose of physical activity.
If you’ve checked all those boxes and you still drag through your days, it might be time to check possible medical causes of fatigue.
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Fatigue Due To Insufficient Or Poor Quality Sleep
Not surprisingly, if you are not getting a sufficient number of hours of sleep, you will feel tired. The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute recommends that adults sleep 7-8 hours each night, yet one in three of us are not getting that. You may be able to function on more or less than the recommended number of hours, but its important to get in the habit of achieving them every night.
You may also feel extreme tiredness if your sleep is of poor quality. Signs that your sleep quality needs to improve are:
- You take more than half an hour to fall asleep after getting into bed
- You tend to wake up more than once per night
- Once awake in the middle of the night, it takes you more than 20 minutes to get back to sleep
- You are asleep less than 85% of your time in bed
Generally, poor sleep is due to bad sleeping habits which can be improved. There are also medical causes of poor sleep quality, such as sleep apnea.
What Is Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Chronic fatigue syndrome , also known as myalgic encephalomyelitis or ME/CFS, is a condition in which fatigue lasts six months or longer and is not related to other diseases or conditions. People with CFS experience symptoms that make it hard to do daily tasks like dressing or bathing. Along with severe fatigue that doesnt get better with rest, CFS symptoms can include problems with sleep, memory and concentrating, pain, dizziness, sore throat, and tender lymph nodes. Learn more about CFS.
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Psychological Causes Of Tiredness
Psychological tiredness is far more common than tiredness that’s caused by a physical problem.
One key reason is anxiety , which can cause insomnia and, in turn, lead to persistent fatigue. A survey by the Mental Health Foundation found that nearly a third of the population are severely sleep-deprived, often because of job and money worries. The Foundations report, Sleep Matters, suggests a link between insomnia and low energy levels.
The worries and strains of daily life can be exhausting even positive events, such as moving house or getting married. Emotional shock, such as bad news, bereavement or the break-up of a relationship, can make you feel drained.
Mental health problems such as depression or anxiety can make you feel more tired. They can also prevent you from getting a proper night’s sleep.
If you think your tiredness may be rooted in low mood, try this short audio guide to dealing with your sleep problems.
