If you often feel exhausted, you are not alone. Chronic fatigue is a complaint that ranks high on the list of reasons people seek care.
Next time you are in a room of 10 or more people look around. How many others have the tell-tale signs of fatigue?
Here are some symptoms that may be the result of chronic fatigue: trouble sleeping, feeling too tired to do fun things, lack of excitement, trouble concentrating, sighing, inability to get a deep breath, daytime drowsiness, muscle weakness, feeling tired even when you wake up in the morning.
Of course, there are many reasons that you can be feeling tired. This article assumes that you have already seen your physician and there is no medical reason for your fatigue. If you haven’t, you should.
Stress and worry can be a cause of exhaustion.
Initially, stress causes a release of adrenaline and other hormones that actually cause you to feel more energy and less pain.
However, after a period of continued stress the adrenal glands become depleted and the level of hormones that cause an energy lift is insufficient for the demands from your body.
The result can be fatigue. If the stress level continues, your body continues to break down system by system.
This is believed to be a significant factor in many chronic conditions. Ongoing stressful living can result in symptoms of digestive trouble, allergies, food sensitivities, skin conditions, joint pain, muscle pain, weakness and headaches.
Fatigue doesn’t have to be a permanent condition. Many of the patients that see me for painful conditions report that their energy improves as they begin to respond to treatment.
There could be several reasons for this. One possibility is that their pain is improved. Pain can rob the body of energy. When people begin to feel better, their energy returns.
Many chiropractic patients report increased energy, possibly due to improved neurological functioning.
Acupuncture patients also may see an increase in energy. What is surprising is that they sometimes feel more energetic by the time they get off the table.
Some people report improved sleep following acupuncture treatment, as if they can finally relax enough to get the rest they have been lacking.
Your nutritional habits can also affect your energy. Drinking more water, eating less high-carb foods and eating more frequently can also be helpful.
Many products such as “energy drinks” promise a quick lift. These products usually contain elevated levels of sugar and caffeine. They also tout vitamins, natural herbs or other exotic ingredients, but the buzz is from the caffeine and sugar.
The quick rush can be followed by an energy crash. Using these products repeatedly can make your problem worse.
Emotional stress can be exhausting. Strained relationships, money troubles, health challenges and employment issues are the most frequently cited problems.
Many times we try to ignore problems that seem too difficult to fix. Or sometimes we are in a situation that doesn’t seem to have a fix … there are too many components that are out of our control.
Professional counseling with a licensed therapist can often help. With a trained counselor, it may be possible to recognize solutions that you were unable to see otherwise.
So, if you are experiencing a level of fatigue that seems excessive, what should you do? Obviously that would depend upon several factors.
If it is the result of a temporary increase in demands such as working overtime, simply catching up on rest may help.
If you haven’t had a real vacation for a while, some time on the beach or in the mountains may be in order.
If you are pulled in too many directions constantly, perhaps you can find a way to take control of your life in a way that is missing now.
If you feel more tired than you think you should, consider a check-up. A health evaluation may help determine whether you are “sick and tired,” or just tired. |
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