Fatigue fighting tips

Do you often find yourself wondering, "Why am I so tired all the time?" If you do, you're not alone. Fatigue is a pervasive issue that can impact various aspects of your life, from your daily activities to your overall well-being. In this comprehensive article, we will delve into the world of fatigue symptoms, exploring their causes and offering insights into how to manage and overcome them.

If you feel so tired that it interferes with normal activities, feel you need to sleep at unusual times, or wake feeling unrested, you are probably dealing with fatigue. There are many causes of fatigue. A period of continuous stress can leave you asking “why am I so tired?” and is sometimes called “adrenal fatigue”, although this is not a medically recognised diagnosis. A loss, like a bereavement, the breakdown of an important relationship or job can leave you exhausted and fatigued. 

This article is divided into three key sections, each addressing a different aspect of fatigue.

What causes fatigue?

Physical causes of fatigue symptoms

When you present with symptoms of feeling overly tired, your doctor will want to first eliminate any potential health condition where fatigue is a symptom with a physical examination and medical tests. They may run blood tests to check for an iron deficiency, make sure you don't have an underactive thyroid and rule out any other hormonal problems or health conditions. Lung conditions, heart disease and any other chronic condition will also need to be ruled out as they can lead to fatigue. They may also decide to refer you to a sleep clinic, to rule out sleep disorders and sleep apnea (most commonly obstructive sleep apnea wherein your breathing starts and stops during sleep and leaves you very tired in the day).

You might also discuss the possibility of whether you might be pregnant, as this is a common symptom, especially in the first trimester. If you feel you’re overweight or underweight, this might also be a contributing factor. Small lifestyle changes such as smaller frequent meals, weight loss or gain, relaxing activities and regular exercise can all help when experiencing fatigue.

Any medications you’re taking for health conditions may be reviewed for side effects that can lead to fatigue, and you’ll be asked if you have recently been ill with a virus. And you may be tested for carbon monoxide poisoning. Although rarer, it’s very important to rule out these causes of your fatigue as you may need treatment.

Psychological causes of fatigue symptoms

It is more likely that your fatigue is psychological in nature, or caused by mental health issues. You feel exhausted, your symptoms are very real, and can sometimes be minimized or misunderstood by health professionals and family members alike.

What does fatigue feel like when it has a psychological cause? For most people, daytime fatigue will be linked to a life event or mental health condition that inhibits their ability to achieve predictable, natural, restful sleep. Sleep disorders are a common symptom, as not getting enough sleep means you enter into a vicious cycle when dealing with difficult life events. Mental health issues, such as anxiety can cause cause sleep problems, which in turn cause fatigue. Good quality sleep is essential when trying to reduce fatigue. That's why it's important to speak to your doctor and examine your lifestyle habits to decide the best treatment options for better sleep, to reduce stress during and to identify any underlying health conditions. Good crisis and mental health management and increasing physical activity can help alleviate severe fatigue.

Stress is a major contributor to sleep disturbances, fatigue and other symptoms. Stress can be caused by anything from work or school pressure to living in an abusive relationship. Sometimes the source of the stress can be a “happy” event such as an upcoming wedding or buying a new home. Nevertheless, your sleep quality can still be significantly affected. Pranamat massage is proven to reduce the impact of daily stress by 90% when used daily for twenty minutes.

A significant emotional shock, such as the breakdown of a relationship, a bereavement or losing your job can also leave you feeling exhausted all the time and cause fatigue.  

If you feel sad, low and lacking in energy, and you also wake up tired, you may be suffering from depression. It’s important to see your healthcare provider to decide on the best cause of treatment for your fatigue. In the meantime, or in tandem, you can use Pranamat as a complementary therapy. Acupressure massage has both mood-boosting effects, as well as increasing energy-levels.

If you suffer from chronic, or long-term anxiety, you will probably also be experiencing sleeplessness. Just one massage on Pranamat can reduce the experience of anxiety significantly. In a 2014 study, 90% of participants reported feeling less anxious and more energetic, as well as falling asleep faster at bedtime and waking fewer times during the night. We know that a single massage can down-regulate your cortisol levels (stress/anxiety) as well as trigger the release of endorphins (calm-inducing).

Lifestyle causes of fatigue

In this 24/7 world, we try to cram too much into our lives and place many demands on our time and energy. We work hard and we play hard. But too much stress as well as too much alcohol can wreak havoc with our health and cause fatigue. We all know lifestyle changes are important, and a healthy diet can change everything. Even exercising too much or not enough can both result in daytime tiredness; although physical activity is generally helpful for increasing energy and eliminating other symptoms, such as anxiety. Or drinking too many caffeinated drinks to fight tiredness after a night-shift can cause fatigue in the long-term. If you suddenly gain weight or lose weight it has an impact. Napping during the day can also arguably make night-time sleep more difficult and result in lower energy levels. Poor diet can make you feel tired - losing weight and a balanced diet are both shown to manage fatigue and lower the risk of developing sleep apnea (which in turn disrupts sleep). But it’s important to listen to your body, trust what it’s telling you and be real about how lifestyle factors are affecting your sleep habits. If you have no choice but to work nights, drink coffee to stay awake or sleep when you need to, you can still reset your routine, mood, sleep and energy with a daily massage from Pranamat.

What is Chronic Fatigue Syndrome?

Chronic fatigue syndrome symptoms include extreme fatigue (feeling tired all the time), debilitating physical pain, brain fog, memory problems and finding noise or light unbearable. Some sufferers also find it difficult to eat without feeling nauseous, suffer headaches, dizziness and palpitations. It can sometimes to misdiagnosed as other health conditions.

Why am I so tired all the time?

The human story of living with chronic fatigue is more than a list of symptoms. Many people with the condition are treated with skepticism by medical professionals and family members, despite being too ill to stand, walk, embrace their children, enjoy their relationships or advance or even participate in the careers in which they were flourishing. So, although CFS is not a psychiatric condition, it can have serious psychological consequences for people who are burdened with undeserved guilt, feeling misunderstood and judged, or even left feeling hopeless or depressed. 

Sudden episodes of extreme fatigue symptoms

The sudden onset of being always tired, doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s chronic fatigue syndrome. Some people can experience a period of post viral fatigue after an illness and more and more people are reporting post covid fatigue. If these symptoms do not resolve, your doctor may consider a diagnosis of chronic fatigue syndrome.