Healthy Living looks for the causes of fatigue
Whether you live at a fast pace or have a set routine with less activity, there are times when you will feel a sense of weariness that can lead to deprivation of adequate sleep. And there are reasons for this. Healthy Living this weeks looks at the problem fatigue.
Marleni Cuellar reporting
Exhausted, weary, tired, lazy, sluggish. These feelings are all associated with low energy levels and what some people call lazy days. We’ve all experienced them at some point in time. One of the medical terms used to describe these feelings is fatigue. But fatigue is more than just being a bit sleepy. In fact, there are times when being excessively tired may be cause for worry.
Dr. Fernando Cuellar, Internist/Intensivist
“I generally feel that Belizeans on a whole do use the work fatigue much, we more would relate to it when we use the word tiredness. And I think that it’s important to differentiate very early what it is as a “normal” time of tiredness as oppose to one of the abnormal tiredness or abnormal fatigue. When you get tired as is expected at the end of the day depending on the works schedule, the impossibility of recovering for the following day is when there should be a call for concern. If after two-three days you feel tired it’s hard to get out of bed in the morning, you don’t have that energy, you have to sort of force yourself to do things. Things come a little bit harder to do; things that you felt so easily being done.”
This lack of motivation that is associated with fatigue is also associated with our mental state of mind. Feelings of tiredness can also affect out productivity.
Dr. Fernando Cuellar
“Mental fatigue is what is explained as unable to concentrate properly, you cannot do the mental function as quickly as before. It takes you time you tend not to be able to read as much as you could have. As opposed to physical fatigue where there’s no energy, no ‘ganas’ to do things.”
This lack of ‘ganas’ may be linked to several causes. The easiest assumption is to believe that the body or mind is tired and needs more rest. As Dr. Cuellar points out, the key is not only adequate sleep but proper sleep as well.
Dr. Fernando Cuellar
“Rest is also an interesting thing to talk about because going to rest to sleep does not necessarily mean that you sleep properly. There are sleep disorders. Not because you close your eyes, mean that you’re sleeping properly so even that is an issue. There’s always a question of how much sleep is adequate. Depending on your age group and your activity level anywhere from six to eight hours is a proper nights rest.”
The effects of lifestyle choices are a contributory factor to fatigue. Lack of sleep, overworking, and unhealthy habits can definitely run your body rugged leading to the tired feeling. But sometimes, the exhaustion may be a signal for an underlying problem.
Dr. Fernando Cuellar
“Now tiredness of fatigue is usually a symptom of something else. Well, there’s not such a—well, there is which is cause for debate but many times it is a warning, a flag being raised to tell you that something else is wrong because you have a whole different list of diseases of ailments, of sickness that tiredness fatigue is a listed as a symptom.”
Some of the medical conditions that fatigue may be indicating can be anemia, diabetes, sleep apnea, high blood pressure, diseases that affect the immune system, thyroid problems and even cancer. But the conditions, as we’ve learned before, are not limited to your physical well being.
Dr. Fernando Cuellar
“Definitely, mental illnesses, depression, for example, can be a main and only symptom may be fatigue, you just don’t feel energetic you don’t have any interest to the things that you use to.”
So, with so many potential causes for fatigue. The question remains: when do you simply need rest and when should you begin to worry?
Dr. Fernando Cuellar
“I would say quite candidly that after a week, for example, and you still do not feel recovered then it’s time for you to stop and ask yourself what’s going on. Perhaps not necessarily visit your healthcare provider then but perhaps asking yourself why am I feeling this way? What am I doing differently? Am I feeling anything else that is important, a little bit of headache or aches over the body or numbness to the hands or any other thing? People generally know they’re body. So just spend a couple minutes to ask themselves those questions. A week I think is fair enough to say. Ok I’m not feeling brighter in the morning for the past week. What’s going on?”
As for advice from our doctor as to how to shake off the effects of poor lifestyle choices: its back to basics: Diet and exercise.
Dr. Fernando Cuellar
“Some people think that by them being tired they should reduce their exercise or stop exercising. But that is the contrary because exercise would increase your energy level because you produce certain chemicals in your body when you exercise so exercising actually improves on energy. Proper eating, healthy eating and exercise frequently is always a good way to go and know your body ask yourself.”
Even in the midst of sluggish spells physical activity is important as well as monitoring your body and how it is functioning. So whether you’re just plain tired or if there are medical problems that need to be addressed don’t let fatigue stop you from recharging those batteries and embracing your daily life.
