Everyone gets tired from time to time. A lack of sleep, overactivity, stress, and too much work can all contribute to a feeling of weariness. The difference between everyday tiredness and fatigue is that fatigue involves more than simply a desire to sleep. It also includes a lack of energy or desire to do anything. Chronic fatigue is persistent, and it isn?t relieved with sleep. It can be debilitating, affecting both your emotional and physical health. Fatigue causes usually fall within three categories: medical conditions, lifestyle factors, and emotional causes.
Fatigue?especially if it is significant?could be a sign of a physical illness. A number of different medical conditions can make you weary, including anemia, in which a lack of iron in the body prevents enough oxygen from traveling to the tissues. Other medical fatigue causes include diabetes, thyroid disease, heart disease, arthritis, COPD, and cancer. A doctor?s exam can help identify whether a health condition is causing fatigue.
Lifestyle contributors to fatigue include diet, too little or too much activity, sleep problems, and medications. Foods high in sugar and carbohydrates burn off quickly, leaving the body drained. A diet high in protein, fruits, vegetables, and whole grains supplies the fuel the body needs to stay alert. Alcohol use can also affect energy level, in part by preventing you from getting a good night?s sleep. Overdoing it at an intense job or hardcore workout can drain you of energy, but staying sedentary also contributes to fatigue. Certain medications, including antihistamines, antidepressants, and sedatives, can cause fatigue as a side effect.
Mental health problems don?t cause fatigue, but feeling drained can be a symptom of an emotional issue. Psychological fatigue causes include depression, anxiety, and stress. Grief from losing a loved one or going through a traumatic life event can also contribute to the feeling of weariness.
Fatigue is a common symptom in people with medical conditions like cancer and diabetes, mood disorders like depression and anxiety, and even in people who are otherwise “healthy.” Yet despite how prevalent it is, medical researchers still do not completely understand what happens in the body to cause fatigue. They … Read More
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You’re feeling spent, listless, and/or exhausted after work almost every night—and the next morning. You can’t seem to break out of a pattern of dragging through the day and collapsing into bed at night. You're looking to get some zip back in your step—and to learn how to improve energy … Read More
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You’re looking for a boost, and you’re wondering if vitamin supplements are all you need to lift that sagging energy level. Perhaps you’ve taken vitamins sporadically over the years and are thinking about taking them on a daily basis. First, realize that extreme fatigue may be a symptom of a … Read More
If you find yourself tired all the time, you may suspect a sleep disorder. And while that’s a wise place to start, there may be other reasons for your daytime tiredness. “Fatigue and sleepiness are two different things,” explains clinical psychologist Jennifer Martin, PhD, David Geffen School of Medicine at … Read More
