Fatigue: Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis & Treatment

Fatigue is a term utilized to explain the general feeling of being tired or lacking energy. It's not just drowsiness or drowsiness. When you are tired, you lose motivation and energy. Drowsiness may be a symptom of...

Overview

Fatigue is a common symptom of a variety of medical conditions ranging from mild to severe. It is also a natural result of lifestyle choices for example lack of workout and an unstable diet.

If your fatigue does not go away with adequate rest and diet, or if you suspect that an underlying physical or mental health condition is causing it, see your doctor. They can analyze the reason for your fatigue to work with you to help treat it.

What Causes Fatigue?

Fatigue can have many causes. These fall into three widespread classes:

Lifestyle factors
Physical health conditions
Mental health issues

Lifestyle Factors

If you're encountering fatigue, your workouts and additional lifestyle options may be the core cause. For example, fatigue can occur from:

Physical Exertion
Lack Of Physical Activity
Lack Of Sleep
Being Overweight Or Obese
Periods Of Emotional Stress
Boredom
Grief
Taking Specific Medicines, For Example, Antidepressants or Sedatives
Using Alcohol Regularly
Using Illicit Drugs, Such as Cocaine
Consuming Too Much Caffeine
Not Eating A Nutritious Diet

Physical Health Conditions

Many medical conditions can also cause fatigue. Examples include:

Anemia
Arthritis
Fibromyalgia
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Infections, Such As Cold And Flu
Addison's Disorder, A Disorder That Can Impact Your Hormone Grades
Hypothyroidism, Or Underactive Thyroid
Sleep Disorders, Such As Insomnia
Eating Disorders, Such As Anorexia
Autoimmune Disorders
Congestive Heart Failure
Cancer
Diabetes
Kidney Disease
Liver Disease
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)
Emphysema

Mental Health Issues

Mental health situations can also direct to fatigue. For example, fatigue is an expected symptom of anxiety, depression, and seasonal affective disease.

When is the right time to see your physician? Call your doctor if you feel tired and:

Can't think of anything that might account for your exhaustion
Have a higher-than-normal body temperature
Have experienced unexplained weight loss
Feel very sensitive to colder temperatures
Regularly have problems falling or staying sleeping
Believe you may be depressed
If you've made actions to address the most common lifestyle results, for example, lack of naps, impoverished eating habits, and stress, without success, and your fatigue has resumed for two weeks or more, make a meeting with your physician.

In some circumstances, your exhaustion might be induced by a serious medical situation. Go to the clinic instantly.

if you experience exhaustion along with any of the following signs:

Rectal Bleeding
Vomiting Blood
Severe Headache
Pain In Your Chest Area
Feelings Of Faintness
Irregular Heartbeat
Shortness Of Breath
Intense Discomfort in Your Abdominal, Back, Or Pelvic Region
Thoughts Of Suicide or Self-harm
Thoughts Of Harming Another Person

How will your Doctor Treat Fatigue?

Your doctor's advised treatment strategy will rely on what's inducing your exhaustion. To make a diagnosis, they will probably inquire about your daily routine along with your night-time routine:

The Nature of Your Exhaustion, Including When It Started And Whether It Gets Better Or Worse At Certain Times
Other Symptoms That You've Been Experiencing
Other Medical Conditions That You Have
Your Lifestyle And Sources Of Stress
Medications That You're Taking
If Your Physician Suspects You Have An Underlying Medical Ailment That's Inducing Your Fatigue, They May Call Some Medical Examinations. For Example, We May Order Blood or Urine Tests.

Food fixation: Anti-Fatigue Food

What lifestyle changes can help reduce fatigue?

Various measures can help reduce fatigue from daily activities. To gain your energy grades and overall fitness:

Drink enough water to stay hydrated
Practice a healthy diet
Regular exercise
Get enough sleep
Avoid Known Stressors
Avoid overly demanding work and leisure schedules
Take part in relaxing workouts such as yoga
Avoid liquor, tobacco, and other unfair drugs
These lifestyle changes can help reduce fatigue. It is also important to follow your doctor's recommended treatment plan for any diagnosed health condition. Left untreated, fatigue can affect physical and emotional health. Are you tired?

Have you been yawning a lot lately? Does sense like you can sleep the whole day?

There are many reasons to get tired. You may be staying up too late and not getting enough sleep, but you may also be tired because you have an undiagnosed illness.

How Much Sleep Should You Get?

Experts at the National Sleep Foundation have established the following guidelines:

Age Sleep Amount

Newborn 14-17 hours (including naps)
Infant 12-15 hours (including nap)
Infant 11-14 hours (including nap)
Pre-schooler 10-13 hours
School children 9-11 hours
Youth 8-10 hours
Adult 7-9 hours
Elderly 7-8 hours

These numbers vary because everyone has different sleep requirements. You may need more or less sleep than anyone else to function optimally. The sleep you need can also be affected by health and lifestyle factors such as pregnancy, illness, age, sleep deprivation, and sleep quality.

Too much or too little sleep can cause a variety of problems, including:

1. Iron deficiency: Iron deficiency, also known as anemia, is a condition that leaves you feeling extremely exhausted and wasted. This is because iron creates red blood cells, and without adequate red blood cells, your blood cannot function properly. cannot get the amount of oxygen it needs to do so. Other signs of this condition possess shortness of breath, palpitations, and pallor.
Iron deficiency is common not only in menstruating women but also in about 1 in 20 men and postmenopausal women.
2. Sleep Apnea: Sleep apnea is a condition in which the throat contracts or closes for more than 10 seconds during sleep. This can make breathing difficult and wake you up frequently during the night as your body reacts to the cessation of airflow.

Waking up frequently during the night can make you feel tired during the day. Sleep apnea can also cause snoring and lower blood oxygen levels. This condition is common in overweight middle-aged men.

3. Depression: Fatigue is a common symptom of depression. Depression can make you feel like you have used up all your energy, make it difficult to fall asleep, and even wake you up early each day. Other symptoms of this mood disorder include feelings of hopelessness, It can include loss of libido, and pain, and can range from mild to severe.

4. Pregnancy: Fatigue is one of the early symptoms that can appear during pregnancy. During early pregnancy, progesterone, a sleep-inducing hormone, is produced in large amounts.

Other early symptoms of pregnancy include late periods, breast pain, nausea, and increased urination. If you feel you are pregnant, discuss it with your physician or take an over-the-counter pregnancy examination to verify.

5. Diabetes: Excessive fatigue is one of the main symptoms of diabetes. They may also become excessively thirsty, go to the bathroom more often, and lose weight. Since diabetes is induced by too much sugar in the blood, blood examinations can help physicians analyze it.
6. Hypothyroidism: A common symptom of hypothyroidism is fatigue. Symptoms of this condition progress slowly, so you may not notice them right away. You may also experience weight gain, depression, or muscle aches and pains.

Blood tests help doctors measure hormone levels for a correct diagnosis. Hypothyroidism is more common in women and older people.

7. Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Have you been extremely tired for more than 6 months? You may contain Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS). In this form, even if you relax well, you will feel exhausted.

Other symptoms that may occur include sore throat, headache, muscle, and joint pain. CFS most generally affects people in their early 20s to mid-40s. It can also impact children aged 13 to 15 years.

Narcolepsy and Fatigue: Narcolepsy, which causes sudden sleepiness, usually begins between the ages of 10 and 25.

Symptoms of narcolepsy include:

An impulsive loss of muscle tone can direct to slurred speech or general weakness. Also called cataplexy, this symptom can last from seconds to minutes. It is usually started by intense feelings.

Sleep paralysis is the incapacity to shift or speak when dropping asleep or waking from sleep. These episodes mainly last a few seconds or minutes, but they can be relatively alarming. A hallucination is when you wake up between dreams and experience the dream as reality.

Sleep Debt: Humans cannot live without sleep. For many, lack of sleep causes them to feel chronically tired throughout the day. Sleep lack happens when you don't get enough sleep for days, weeks, or months. It can have negative health effects such as Increasing cortisol levels or creating insulin resistance.

You can't "catch up" with sleep, but lifestyle changes can help your body and mind feel rejuvenated and rested again. Think of it as paying off your sleep debt. Try sleeping a few hours longer on weekends or proceeding to bed a few hours before night.

When to See a Doctor?

If lifestyle shifts and adequate sleep habits aren't assisting you, see your physician. Also, if drowsiness is accompanied by symptoms of any of the above situations, or if you have any other health problems, consult your physician.

Your doctor may perform tests based on what you think is causing the fatigue. It may be helpful to keep a sleep diary to provide your doctor with an overview of your nighttime habits. Note when you fall asleep and wake up, how often you rouse up during the night, and any other signs worth remarking on.

Tips for Better Sleep

Follow these tips to sleep better:

Try to stick to your sleep schedule. Follow it on weekdays and weekends to keep your rest periods consistent. Create a bedtime ritual. Dim the lights and join us for a quiet and relaxing activity.
Avoid naps as they can interfere with your night's sleep. A late afternoon nap can make it especially difficult to fall asleep at night.
Train every day. Vigorous exercise can help you sleep better, but even light exercise can help you fall asleep at night.
Adjust your sleeping environment. Most people sleep nicely when the room temperature is 16-19°C. Assess utilizing blackout curtains, earplugs, or a white noise device if there are distractions around you.
Review pillows and accommodation. If you are not sensing satisfaction, you may find it difficult to fall asleep. The lifespan of a mattress is roughly 10 years. While you're at it, make sure these commodities are free of allergens that might annoy you.

Summary

Many health conditions and lifestyle factors can contribute to fatigue, including diabetes, depression, and chronic pain.

If fatigue and drowsiness are interfering with your daily life and none of the tips in this article help, see your doctor for advice.

To help with the diagnosis, a person can keep a diary of their sleep habits and symptoms. After diagnosis, a doctor can suggest appropriate treatment options.