It is common to feel sleepy and tired from time to time. However, if you are always in a state of weariness that gets worse with time, you may be suffering from fatigue. The team at Integrative Medica can help you navigate the causes of fatigue and the available treatment options.
Fatigue is more than just being tired. The weariness that comes with fatigue is more profound and unrelenting. In some cases, it persists even after you rest.
Fatigue may have adverse effects on your motivation, energy, and concentration levels. It may also affect your emotional and psychological health.
If you’re confused about why you are unable to get out of bed even when you want to, this article is for you. Below, we highlight 10 possible causes of fatigue:
Table of Contents
Sleep Disorders
Your body needs enough rest and sleep to function optimally. If you are experiencing fatigue, the first thing you should check is your sleep pattern. Sleep disorders like sleep apnea, insomnia, narcolepsy, hypersomnia, and restless leg syndrome can get in the way of you getting a good night’s sleep. This, in turn, may leave you weary and fatigued during the day.
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
If your fatigue persists for up to 6 months and affects your daily activities, it may be because of chronic fatigue syndrome. CFS is a long-term condition characterized by extreme fatigue that does not go away even after rest. Other symptoms of CFS include:
- Sore throat
- Muscle soreness
- Weakness and joint pain
- Headaches
- Brain fog and memory impairment
The exact cause of this condition is unknown. Nevertheless, several factors may contribute to its development. They consist of brain abnormalities and autoimmune conditions.
Poor Diet
Eating an unbalanced diet may deprive your body of the vital nutrients it needs to function properly. You may experience fatigue as your body tries to compensate for this deficit. It is equally critical to make sure you are eating enough.
Sedentary Lifestyle
Leading an inactive life means your body is continuously underutilized and is likely to adopt a resting state. You may experience sleepiness, general body weakness, and fatigue.
Medications
Some medications such as antidepressants, antihistamines, anxiety medication, cough medication, and blood pressure medication may cause fatigue.
If you feel tired all the time after taking any of these medications, then see your doctor or pharmacist.
Anemia
Iron deficiency anemia limits the amount of oxygen carried from your lungs to your body, thus starving your muscles, body, and brain of energy.
Consequently, the most common symptom of iron deficiency anemia is extreme fatigue.
Diabetes
Patients with diabetes may experience a multifactorial syndrome called diabetes fatigue syndrome. This condition may cause feelings of fatigue and tiredness.
Hypothyroidism
The thyroid hormone affects your metabolism and, thus, energy levels. Consequently, patients suffering from hyperthyroidism often feel extremely tired and sleepy.
Stress And Depression
Prolonged stress can drain your energy. It can lead to a change in your sleeping pattern or cause a lack of sleep altogether. When this happens, you often feel weary during the day and experience brain fog.
If left unchecked, extreme stress can lead to depression.
Alcohol Use
Alcohol raises the epinephrine levels in your body, thus, increasing your heart rate and raising your temperature at night. This disturbs your sleep pattern.
Additionally, epinephrine is a stress hormone, which may be why alcohol use is the cause of 10% of all insomnia cases.
Treatment Options
The good news is, fatigue is treatable. Your doctor usually recommends a treatment plan for you, depending on the cause, nature, and symptoms of your fatigue. He/she also puts your lifestyle and other medical conditions you may have into consideration.
Finally, your lifestyle is critical to your overall health. Make an effort to drink more water, eat healthy foods, exercise, avoid stress, abstain from drug use, and get enough sleep.
