Getting tired at the end of a day’s long work doesn’t count as fatigue. It is here tiredness. Fatigue has more to it. It can be as impactful as not being vale to get out of bed or carry out routine tasks. It can be physical or mental exhaustion that causes fatigue.
What is Fatigue?
Going by the definition given by verywellhealth.com, Fatigue is often discerned as the scarcity of energy and motivation to do even the basic chores, it can be mental or physical. Sleeplessness, air drowsiness I even tiredness is very different from fatigue. These might be one of the symptoms, but that is all. Fatigue is a superior whose causes might or might not include these terms. Reducing excessive activity and rating with proper intervals during work can be helpful to reduce fatigue. But, if the condition becomes serve, there is a need for professional help.
It includes several symptoms that we are going to discuss further. It is not necessarily a disease or illness. Furthermore, it can sometimes be a symptom of some other disease. Let us now look at the varied symptoms of fatigue. These will help you to comprehend if you have fatigue or not.
Symptoms of fatigue:
Be it social fatigue, physical fatigue, or mental fatigue, these have quite similar symptoms. A report in the journal ‘Biological Research for Nursing’ of 2019, suggests fatigue is better described as “overwhelming, debilitating, and sustained” exhaustion which interferes with the ability of a person to carry out routine activities and functions.
A group of family physicians reports that at least 20% of the patients infer that they feel fatigued and around 35% of adolescents also fall prey to fatigue once at least four weeks.
It is often noted that there are gender differences in the reports of fatigue. Men and women tend to repost fatigue differently. Men are more likely to report feelings of tiredness and expiration, while women register extended symptoms such as anxiety and depression. There are various terms out around traded for ‘Fatigue’- feeling exhausted, listless, weary, or rundown.
Here are a few primary symptoms and complaints that are often listed:
- Lack of motivation to get up and get work done
- The extensive feeling of tiredness all the time
- Mental fatigue and issues in concentrating and working
Usually, fatigue appears as a gradual onset. It worsens with time. Hence, it is imperative to badge fatigue beg, for it manifests into a huge problem.
Here are some of the common symptoms:
- Lack of energy
- Scarce motivation
- Weakness
- Consistent tiredness
- Lack of concentration
- Difficulty in starting a task
- Headache
- Muscle weakness
- Low stamina
- Sore and achy muscles
- Sluggish reflexes and response
- Moodiness, irritability
- Appetite loss
- Hand to eye coordination impaired
- Immune system strength declined
- Memory issues
- Blurry vision
Causes:
There is no one particular cause of fatigue. Several potential causes can be listed down in the name of fatigue. Fatigue can even be a symptom of several illnesses. Lets, it is an umbrella term consisting of various symptoms that we just discussed.
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Medical causes:
Unrelenting exhaustion or fatigue can be caused by various medical reasons. A number of diseases trigger fatigue in an individual. These can be:
> Metabolic or endocrine:
Anemia, diabetes, hormonal changes, or liver or kidney diseases
> Infections:
Such as influenza, tuberculosis, or even malaria can cause fatigue.
> Cardiac/ pulmonary:
Congestive lung failure, arrhythmias, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease( COPD), or asthma can lead to fatigue.
>Vitmain deficiencies, mental health issues, sleep deprivation, or other sleep problems can all cause fatigue for a longer duration of time.
- Lifestyle: Diet, alcohol, and drugs, sleep cycles, and other conditions of routine lifestyle can also result in fatigue over time.
- Stress: A prolonged stressful environment, be it physical or mental can be a significant contributor of fatigue.
What is Post COVID fatigue?
The pandemic hasn’t been turned off yet. Hence, it is necessary to introduce and explain this term here. Fatigue after COVID has been a typically heard term these days. COVID, being a respiratory infection, has resulted in a substantial amount of complications among those infected.
Those who were infected have to go through the cruelty of the disease while in the period of illness and even toll several months afterward. The weakness, fatigue, and other issues have trailed along with the disease of the greatest pandemic.
Fighting the virus itself takes a huge amount of energy from the body. After that, the anxiety resulting from COVID, the flight responses of the body, continuous exertion, all have significantly contributed to the condition called ‘COVID Fatigue’.
How to fight Fatigue?
Treatment of fatigue is rather easy and does not often require specialized help from a professional. One can hop onto vitamin tablets, asset changes in their diet, lifestyle and avoid unhealthy eating and other unhealthy habits- smoking, drinking, drugs, etc.
Medications and CPAP machines are rarely used in cases of fatigue, since the symptoms are mostly curable. Here are some changes that you can adapt to chuck away fatigue from your body and mind:
- Hydration
- Taking a balanced and healthy diet
- Avoiding junk food
- Avoiding strong beverages
- Getting rid of known stressors
- Practice relaxation, yoga, and deep breathing
- Exercise regularly.
- Anti fatigue mats and Anti fatigue kitchen mats provide better control over fatigue.
Takeaway:
From experience and treatment over the years, fatigue has shown to have a good prognosis. But this does not mean that you can easily get out of the condition every time. It is necessary to keep a watch on your daily habits and the food that you eat. Keep a record of your unhealthy patterns and maintain them before it’s too late.
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