Fatigue is a term used to describe an overall feeling of tiredness or lack of energy but it isn’t the same thing as feeling drowsy or sleepy.
When you are fatigued, you have no motivation and no energy. Being sleepy may be a symptom of fatigue, but it’s not the same thing.
According to Dr. Gabriel Omonaiye, “fatigue is a common problem involving a physical and mental state of being extremely tired. Physical and mental fatigue is different but they often occur together. Long-term physical exhaustion can also lead to mental fatigue.” If your fatigue doesn’t resolve with proper rest and nutrition, or you suspect it’s caused by an underlying physical or mental health condition, see your doctor. They can help diagnose the cause of your fatigue and work with you to treat it says Omonaiye.
Causes
There are many potential causes of fatigue. They can be divided into three general categories namely lifestyle factors, physical health conditions and mental health issues.
Types of fatigue
Physical fatigue: A person finds it physically hard to do the things they normally do or used to do, for example, climbing stairs. It includes muscle weakness. Diagnosis may involve a strength test.
Mental fatigue: A person finds it harder to concentrate on things and stay on task. The person may feel sleepy, or have difficulty staying awake while working.
Lifestyle factors
If you are experiencing fatigue, your activities and other lifestyle choices may be the root cause. For example, fatigue can result from physical exertion, lack of physical activity and lack of sleep.
Other factors that may be responsible for your getting tired all the time include being overweight or obese, periods of emotional stress, boredom, grief and taking certain medications, such as antidepressants or sedatives.
You may also suffer from fatigue when using alcohol on a regular basis, using street drugs, consuming too much caffeine and not eating a nutritious diet,
Physical health conditions
Many medical conditions can cause fatigue, and they include:
Anemia
For women in their childbearing years, anemia is a common cause of fatigue. This is especially true for women who have heavy menstrual cycles, uterine fibroid tumors, or uterine polyps.
Anemia is a condition in which you don’t have enough red blood cells. It can be due to blood loss or decreased production of red blood cells. Other causes of anemia include a deficiency of iron, folic acid, or vitamin B12. Chronic diseases such as diabetes or kidney disease can also cause anemia. To confirm a diagnosis of anemia, your doctor will give you a blood test. If iron deficiency is the cause of your fatigue, treatment may include iron supplements. Iron-rich foods such as spinach, broccoli, and red meat can also be added to your diet to help relieve symptoms. Vitamin C with meals or with iron supplements can help the iron to be better absorbed and improve your symptoms.
Depression and anxiety
Symptoms include sadness, feeling hopeless, worthless, and helpless. Sometimes, depression or anxiety is at the root of chronic fatigue. Depression affects twice as many women as men and often runs in families. It commonly begins between the ages of 15 and 30. Women can get postpartum depression after the birth of a baby. Some people get seasonal affective disorder with feelings of fatigue and sadness. With depression, you might be in a depressed mood most of the day. You may have little interest in normal activities. Along with feelings of fatigue, you may eat too much or too little, over- or under-sleep, feel hopeless and worthless, and have other serious symptoms.
Fibromyalgia
Symptoms include chronic fatigue, deep muscle pain, painful tender points, sleep problems, anxiety and 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.
Constant daytime fatigue with fibromyalgia often results in diminished exercise. That causes a decline in physical fitness. It can also cause mood-related problems. The best way to offset these effects is to try to exercise more. Exercise has a tremendous beneficial effect on sleep, mood, and fatigue.
Food allergies and intolerance
Although food is supposed to give you energy, new medical research suggests that hidden food intolerances — or allergies can do the opposite. In fact, fatigue may be an early warning sign of food intolerance or food allergy.
Ask your doctor about the elimination diet. This is a diet in which you cut out certain foods that cause a variety of symptoms, including sleepiness within 10 to 30 minutes of eating them. You can also talk to your doctor about a food allergy test which may help you identify the offending foods.
Heart Disease
If you find yourself becoming exhausted after an activity that used to be easy such as walking up the steps, it may be time to talk to your doctor about the possibility of heart disease. Heart disease is the leading cause of death in women. If your fatigue is related to your heart, medication or treatment procedures can usually help correct the problem, reduce the fatigue, and restore your energy.
When to see your doctor
You should make an appointment with your doctor if you are feeling fatigued and you can’t think of anything that might account for your fatigue, have a higher-than-normal body temperature and have experienced unexplained weight loss.
According to Dr. Omonaiye, you should see your doctor when you feel very sensitive to colder temperatures, regularly have trouble falling or staying asleep, and when you believe you may be depressed. Go to the hospital immediately if you experience fatigue along with vomiting blood, severe headache and pain in your chest area, irregular heartbeat, shortness of breath, and severe pain in your abdominal, back, or pelvic region.
Treatment
Your doctor’s recommended treatment plan will depend on the cause of your fatigue. To develop a diagnosis, he or she will likely ask you some questions about the nature of your fatigue, including when it started and whether it gets better or worse at certain times. You will also be asked about other symptoms that you have been experiencing, medical conditions that you have, your lifestyle and sources of stress and medications that you are taking. If your doctor suspects you have an underlying medical condition that’s causing your fatigue, he or she may order for blood or urine tests.
Lifestyle changes that can help reduce fatigue
A number of measures can help lessen fatigue caused by a less-than-ideal lifestyle. To help boost your energy levels and overall health, drink enough fluids to stay hydrated, practice healthy eating habits and exercise on a regular basis. You should also get enough sleep, avoid known stressors, avoid a work or social schedule that’s overly demanding, taking part in relaxing activities, such as yoga and abstain from alcohol, tobacco, and other recreational drugs.
These lifestyle changes may help ease your fatigue. It’s also important to follow your doctor’s recommended treatment plan for any diagnosed health conditions. If left untreated, fatigue can take a toll on your physical and emotional well-being.