Good afternoon!  Thank you for reading the Self Help Tips Blog.  Best wishes to you and your family as we continue on into the transition from spring to summer.  Today I would like to discuss several different causes of fatigue.

Are you dragging yourself through another day, frustrated with your lack of energy and distracted by your need for rest?  Do you wake up after a full night’s sleep and still feel that it’s not enough to get you through the day ahead?  Is fatigue affecting your work, your relationships and your ability to enjoy life?

Fatigue is a common problem throughout many parts of the world, and the reason behind it can be simple to treat or require more intense scrutiny.  What follows is a list of several common causes of fatigue, which may shed light on why you are suffering.

A lack of sleep

Most adults need eight full hours of sleep every night in order for their bodies to get the rest that they need to repair and re-energize.  If you are not getting the full amount of sleep required, your body will start demanding it of you.

If you cannot wake up without an alarm or find yourself drifting off to sleep during the day, you should take immediate steps to provide your body with the sleep that it needs.

Other problems such as snoring or sleep apnea (brief episode of stopped breathing) can also affect your quality of sleep.  Any disturbance, including feeding infants or other sleep disruptions, can cause fatigue.

A lack of proper nutrients

Fast food and skipped meals will deplete your body of much-needed nutrients, and a lack of nutrients can cause fatigue.  The good news is that taking a multi-vitamin supplement will ensure that you are getting the nutrients that your body needs in order to function properly.  A balanced diet will further assist you in combating fatigue.

Hormones

If continued fatigue is not corrected with enough sleep or by getting the proper nutrients, it may be connected to a hormone imbalance.

Detecting a hormonal imbalance will be more difficult to diagnose than a lack of sleep or proper nutrients.  The assistance of a knowledgeable health care professional who is familiar with the symptoms of hormone imbalance may be necessary in order to track down the hormone(s) responsible.

Lowered immunity

Fighting illness requires energy.  If a person has a lowered immune system, then the constant battle against infection can easily lead to an increased level of fatigue.

Low iron or high iron

Iron deficiency can lead to anemia, which causes fatigue.  Even a mild iron deficiency, which can be missed in typical bloodwork results, can still cause a person to experience fatigue.

On the other hand, iron overload is a condition that is caused when a person’s organs absorb and accumulate iron, which can reach toxic levels - a symptom of which can be fatigue.  Special tests can be used to diagnose low or high iron levels, which then must be followed up with proper treatment.

All work and no play

Emotionally draining activities (such as working too much) can result in physical fatigue.  Taking the time to participate in activities which stimulate and strengthen the body and mind are an essential step in conquering fatigue.  For starters, try working out at the gym, reading a good book or meditating.  All of these activities will help to relieve stress and relax your body and mind.

Regardless of the cause of your fatigue, you are not alone.  A recent survey revealed that nearly one-third of adults in the United States suffer from a lack of sleep.  Combined with other causes of fatigue outlined in this article, it’s safe to say that a majority of us feel tired at least some of the time.  With the above recommendations, I hope that you are able to find the relief that many of us are desperately looking for.  If you are unable to solve the problem on your own, please seek the advice of your physician.