Find Fatigue Specialists near you

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FAQs:

What is Fatigue?

Fatigue is a feeling of constant exhaustion, burnout, or lack of energy. It can be physical, mental, or a combination of both. Fatigue can affect anyone - most adults experience it at some time in their lives. Fatigue is a symptom, not a condition. Although fatigue is sometimes described as tiredness, it is different from just feeling tired or sleepy. Everyone feels tired at some point, but this is usually resolved with a nap or a few nights of good sleep. Someone sleepy may also feel temporarily refreshed after exercising.

What are the Effects of Fatigue?

The effects of fatigue can be short or long-term. In the short term, a person may show signs or report symptoms like: 

- constant yawning or falling asleep at work 

- short-term memory problems and a hard time concentrating 

- finding it hard to join in conversations 

- bad decision-making and judgment 

- reduced hand-eye coordination or slow reflexes 

- changes in behavior, for example, repeatedly arriving late for work 

- increase in unplanned absences.

What is Muscle Fatigue?

At the start of exercising or when performing tasks, your muscles feel strong and resilient. However, over time and after repeating movements, your muscles may begin to feel weaker and tired. This can be defined as muscle fatigue. Muscle fatigue is a symptom that decreases your muscles’ ability to perform over time. It can be associated with a state of exhaustion, often following strenuous activity or exercise. When you experience fatigue, the force behind your muscles’ movements decreases, causing you to feel weaker. While exercise is a common cause of muscle fatigue, this symptom can be the result of other health conditions, too.

What is Compassion Fatigue?

Compassion fatigue is a term that describes the physical, emotional, and psychological impact of helping others — often through experiences of stress or trauma. Compassion fatigue is often mistaken for burnout, which is a cumulative sense of fatigue or dissatisfaction.

While burnout is one part of this form of fatigue, the term compassion fatigue encompasses a more specific experience, which may be brought about by a stressful workplace or environment, lack of resources, or excessive hours. 

This form of fatigue is sometimes called a secondary stress reaction, secondhand shock, secondary traumatic stress, or vicarious trauma — largely because of compassion fatigue’s link to careers and positions that may regularly place you in stressful situations. 

Compassion fatigue impacts a wide range of caregivers and professions. It is most common among professionals who work in a healing or helping capacity.  If you are a legal professional, medical professional, therapist, first responder, nurse, or service provider of any kind, you may be more at risk for compassion fatigue.

What is Chronic Fatigue Syndrome?

Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), also known as myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME) or ME/CFS, is a condition in which fatigue lasts six months or longer and is not related to other diseases or conditions. People with CFS experience symptoms that make it hard to do daily tasks like dressing or bathing. Along with severe fatigue that doesn’t get better with rest, CFS symptoms can include problems with sleep, memory, and concentrating, pain, dizziness, sore throat, and tender lymph nodes.

Which Type of Fatigue is the Effect of the Stress?

When stress begins to accumulate from negative or challenging events in life that just keep coming, you can find yourself in a state of feeling emotionally worn out and drained. This is called emotional exhaustion. For most people, emotional exhaustion tends to slowly build up over time. Emotional exhaustion includes emotional, physical, and performance symptoms.

What is Adrenal Fatigue?

Adrenal fatigue is a term used by alternative health practitioners to explain tiredness and other symptoms that are thought to be due to chronic (long-term) exposure to stressful situations. However, it currently is not a recognized medical diagnosis. Many studies have failed to prove that adrenal fatigue is a medical condition.

Can Low Vitamin D Can Cause Fatigue?

Feeling tired can stem from several causes, one of which may be vitamin D deficiency. Unlike more visible causes like stress, depression, and insomnia, vitamin D deficiency is often overlooked as a potential cause of fatigue.

One study in 480 older adults linked vitamin D deficiency with fatigue symptoms. Plus, a study of 39 children associated low vitamin D levels with poor sleep quality, shorter sleep duration, and delayed bedtimes.

One observational study in female nurses also found a strong connection between low vitamin D levels and self-reported fatigue. What’s more, 89% of the participants were deficient in this vitamin.

Interestingly, several studies show that supplementing with this vitamin may reduce the severity of fatigue in people with a deficiency.

Does Asthma Cause Fatigue?

Although fatigue is not usually a symptom of asthma, having asthma can cause fatigue. Symptoms of asthma, such as wheezing and coughing, may make people feel more tired, or they may affect a person’s quality of sleep. Severe asthma or asthma attacks can also be very tiring for the body.

Fatigue is a feeling of tiredness or exhaustion. Many people with asthma report feeling fatigued, which includes sleepiness during waking hours and a lack of energy. Experiencing breathing difficulties, a chronic cough, or asthma symptoms while trying to sleep may all contribute to fatigue.

Can Allergies Cause Fatigue?

Yes, allergies can cause fatigue. Allergies cause the release of histamine, which can cause inflammation and lead to fatigue. Additionally, allergies can disrupt sleep, leading to daytime sleepiness and fatigue.

Symptoms of Fatigue

Fatigue symptoms can be physical, mental and emotional and may include:

- chronic tiredness, sleepiness, or lack of energy

- headache

- dizziness

- sore or aching muscles

- muscle weakness

- slowed reflexes and responses

- impaired decision-making and judgment

- moodiness (such as irritability)

- impaired hand-to-eye coordination

- appetite loss

- reduced immune system function

- blurry vision

- short-term memory problems

- poor concentration

- hallucinations

- reduced ability to pay attention to the situation at hand

- low motivation.

Lifestyle Related Causes of Fatigue

Common lifestyle factors that can cause fatigue include:

1. Lack of sleep – typically adults need about eight hours of sleep each night. Some people try to get by on fewer hours of sleep.

2. Too much sleep – adults sleeping more than 11 hours per night can lead to excessive daytime sleepiness.

3. Alcohol and drugs – alcohol is a depressant drug that slows the nervous system and disturbs normal sleep patterns. Other drugs (such as cigarettes and caffeine), stimulate the nervous system and can cause insomnia.

4. Sleep disturbances – disturbed sleep may occur for several reasons. For example, noisy neighbors, young children who wake at night, a snoring partner, or an uncomfortable sleeping environment (such as a stuffy bedroom).

5. Lack of regular exercise and sedentary behavior – physical activity is known to improve fitness, health, and well-being, reduce stress, and boost energy levels. It also helps you sleep.

6. Poor diet – low kilojoule diets, low carbohydrate diets, or high-energy foods that are nutritionally poor don’t provide the body with enough fuel or nutrients to function at its best. 

7. Quick-fix foods (such as chocolate bars or caffeinated drinks), only offer a temporary energy boost that quickly wears off and worsens fatigue.

8. Individual factors – personal illness or injury, illnesses or injuries in the family, too many commitments (for example, working two jobs) or financial problems can cause fatigue.

Workplace Related Causes of Fatigue

Common workplace issues that can cause fatigue include:

1. Shift work – the human body is designed to sleep during the night. This pattern is set by a small part of the brain known as the circadian clock. A shift worker confuses their circadian clock by working when their body is programmed to be asleep.

2. Poor workplace practices – can add to a person’s level of fatigue. These may include long work hours, hard physical labor, irregular working hours (such as rotating shifts), a stressful work environment (such as excessive noise or temperature extremes), boredom, working alone with little or no interaction with others, or fixed concentration on a repetitive task.

3. Workplace stress – can be caused by a wide range of factors including job dissatisfaction, heavy workload, conflicts with bosses or colleagues, bullying, constant change, or threats to job security.

4. Burnout – can be described as striving too hard in one area of life while neglecting everything else. ‘Workaholics’, for example, put all their energies into their careers, which puts their family life, social life, and personal interests out of balance.

5. Unemployment – financial pressures, feelings of failure or guilt, and the emotional exhaustion of prolonged job hunting can lead to stress, anxiety, depression, and fatigue.

Psychological Causes of Fatigue

Studies suggest that psychological factors are present in at least 50 percent of fatigue cases. These may include:

1. Depression – this illness is characterized by severe and prolonged feelings of sadness, dejection, and hopelessness. People who are depressed commonly experience chronic fatigue.

2. Anxiety and stress – a person who is chronically anxious or stressed keeps their body in overdrive. The constant flooding of adrenaline exhausts the body, and fatigue sets in.

3. Grief – losing a loved one causes a wide range of emotions including shock, guilt, depression, despair, and loneliness.

Medical Conditions that Causes Fatigue

Fatigue is a symptom of a wide range of diseases, disorders, and deficiencies affecting various parts of your body. Hundreds of conditions and disorders can lead to fatigue. Some of the most common causes of fatigue include:

1. Infections

Many infections can cause fatigue, including:

• - Mononucleosis.

• - HIV.

• - COVID-19.

• - Influenza.

• - Pneumonia.

• - Lyme disease.

2. Heart and Lung Problems

Fatigue is a common symptom of cardiovascular and lung conditions such as:

• - Heart disease.

• - Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS).

• - Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

• - Emphysema.

• - Congestive heart failure.

3. Mental Health Conditions

Fatigue due to certain mental health conditions may make it difficult or impossible to perform daily activities. These conditions may include:

• - Depression.

• - Anxiety.

• - Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

4. Autoimmune Disorders

Fatigue is a symptom of many autoimmune diseases, including:

• - Type 1 diabetes.

• - Lupus.

• - Multiple sclerosis (MS).

• - Myasthenia gravis.

• - Rheumatoid arthritis.

• - Sjögren’s syndrome.

5. Hormonal Imbalances

Problems with your endocrine system (the glands in your body that make hormones) can lead to exhaustion. Hypothyroidism is a common cause of fatigue.

6. Other Chronic Conditions

Certain chronic conditions can cause severe, long-lasting fatigue. These include:

• - Cancer.

• - Chronic fatigue syndrome (also called CFS or myalgic encephalomyelitis).

• - Fibromyalgia.

• - Kidney disease.

• - Type 2 diabetes.

7. Deficiencies

Anemia and other vitamin deficiencies (such as vitamin D or vitamin B12) are often responsible for fatigue. Dehydration can cause fatigue because the body needs plenty of fluids to function.

8. Weight Issues and Eating Disorders

Certain weight issues and eating disorders can lead to fatigue and a range of other symptoms. These may include:

• - Anorexia.

• - Bulimia.

• - Overweight/obesity.

• - Underweight.

Types of Fatigue

The following is an explanation of the six types of fatigue.

1. Social Fatigue

This is the fatigue one might feel after speaking to a person (or many people) for an extended period. Fatigue might occur after speaking in person, especially when going out or traveling to meet up, which requires more energy. Responding to text messages or comments on social media can also cause a person to feel fatigued. Additionally, video calls are a new way of communicating and require a whole new level of energy, especially for those who aren’t tech-savvy. Setting up a call and appearing on screen might cause someone to feel stressed. Social fatigue can make us feel overwhelmed, stressed, and wiped out, which affects our energy levels. 

2. Emotional Fatigue

Emotional fatigue entails the times we’ve felt sadness, anger, depression, or frustration for an extended period. It’s like those times when we are sad and cry a lot, and our eyes hurt afterward. The body is affected because so much energy is used to experience those feelings, and it can leave us feeling pretty wiped out of energy. 

3. Physical Fatigue

This type of fatigue follows physical activity. It can come from having a shower, prepping a meal, or going for a run. Many people like the feeling of physical fatigue after doing an activity because it can have benefits, such as better sleep. Often with a chronic illness like MS, we can feel exhausted, even when we’re not doing anything. Ironically, more physical activity over time improves fatigue levels. 

4. Pain Fatigue

Pain may have caused a bad night’s sleep, leading to fatigue the next day. Trying to explain that pain to someone else can be tiring, which can prompt emotional fatigue. Sometimes the mental aspect of having pain can make us feel depressed, and therefore, exhausted. When every movement hurts, it becomes harder and harder to find the energy to move. 

5. Mental Fatigue

This comes from expending a lot of mental energy. Examples include doing puzzles, problem-solving, and answering questions. After this type of activity, it’s common to feel more cognitive symptoms such as brain fog. Then, a lack of quality sleep can cause fatigue the next day. 

6. Chronic Illness Fatigue

Sometimes there is no other explanation for what makes us feel fatigued than chronic illness. Damage to the brain or spinal cord in different areas might result in fatigue. Research using MRIs has shown that people with MS use more energy than the average person because our minds must work twice as hard to find new ways to send messages, which causes fatigue.

How to Ease or Relieve Fatigue at Home

If a medical condition isn’t causing your fatigue, lifestyle changes may improve your symptoms. To reduce fatigue, you can:

1. 1. Practice good sleep habits: Aim for seven to nine hours of sleep every night. Don’t drink caffeine, use electronics, or exercise right before bed. Try to go to bed and get up at the same time every day.

2. 2. Avoid alcohol and substance use: Don’t use illegal drugs, and drink alcohol in moderation, if at all.

3. 3. Eat a healthy diet: A balanced diet and plenty of water will keep your body nourished and hydrated.

4. 4. Manage stress: Yoga, mindfulness, meditation, and regular exercise can help you relieve stress and gain more energy.

5. 5. See your healthcare provider: Make an appointment to rule out infections, disease, illness, vitamin deficiencies, and other health conditions. You should also talk to your provider about the medications you’re taking to see if they’re causing your symptoms.

6. 6. Exercise often: Regular exercise is crucial for a healthy lifestyle. Though it might seem counter-intuitive, vigorous exercise can help you feel more energetic once you get used to it. But exercising too much can cause fatigue, so talk to your provider about what’s best for you.

7. 7. Reach and maintain a healthy weight: Talk to your healthcare provider about your ideal weight and try to stay within that range.

How to Battle Fibro Fatigue

It’s possible to manage fibro fatigue with medications and lifestyle changes, though it may be difficult to make the tiredness completely go away. Here are some strategies that may help you reduce your fatigue:

1. Identify your triggers

Learning the triggers for fibro fatigue might help you combat it. Start keeping a written or electronic record of your fatigue level each day. Record what you ate, when you woke up, and when you went to bed, along with any activities you did that day. After a couple of weeks, see if you can identify any patterns. For example, maybe you feel the most fatigue after eating a sugary snack or when you skip your morning workout. You can then use that information to avoid or limit the things that tend to make you more tired.

2. Exercise regularly

Finding the motivation to exercise can be hard when you’re tired or in pain, but exercise is one of the most effective ways to manage fatigue. Exercise may also help reduce fibromyalgia pain if done properly. Exercising helps increase your muscle mass and strength, as well as your overall health. As a bonus, the endorphin release you experience during exercise can also improve your quality of sleep and increase your energy.

3. Change your diet

No specific diet has been shown to reduce the symptoms of fibromyalgia for everyone, but it’s always a good idea to aim for a healthy, balanced diet. To follow a balanced diet, look for ways to include fruits, vegetables, whole grains, healthy fats, and lean protein in your daily meals. Avoid processed, fried, salty, and sugary foods, and try to maintain a healthy weight.

4. Create a relaxing bedtime routine

Fibro fatigue isn’t necessarily something that can be fixed with a good night’s sleep, but quality sleep can help over time. A relaxing bedtime routine is an important first step toward getting a good night’s rest.

5. Treat other conditions

People with fibromyalgia often have other health conditions (co-morbid conditions), like restless leg syndrome (RLS), insomnia, depression, or anxiety. These conditions could make fibro fatigue worse.

6. Reduce stress

Living in constant pain can cause stress. Stress, in turn, can make your fatigue worse. Yoga, qi gong, tai chi, meditation, and other mind-body activities can be excellent ways to reduce stress.

7. Consider alternative therapies

There’s not a lot of evidence regarding complementary and alternative medicines (CAMs) for fibro fatigue. Massage therapy has been shown to provide some benefits. Results from one 2009 study of 50 women with fibromyalgia suggested that a specific type of massage, known as manual lymph drainage therapy (MLDT), may be more effective than connective tissue massage for reducing morning tiredness and anxiety.

8. Nutritional supplements

There isn’t much research to show whether supplements work well for treating the symptoms of fibromyalgia. Of the clinical research performed, most studies are small, involving few participants. While many natural supplements haven’t been shown to offer any help, a few supplements have shown promising results:

a. Melatonin

A small, older pilot study with just 21 participants showed that 3 milligrams (mg) of melatonin taken at bedtime significantly improved sleep and pain severity in people with fibromyalgia after 4 weeks.

b. Co-enzyme Q10 (CoQ10)

A double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial found that taking 300 mg a day of CoQ10 significantly reduced pain, fatigue, morning tiredness, and tender points in 20 people with fibromyalgia after 40 days.

c. Acetyl L-carnitine (LAC)

In a study from 2007, 102 people with fibromyalgia who took acetyl L-carnitine (LAC) experienced significant improvements in tender points, pain scores, depression symptoms, and musculoskeletal pain.

d. Magnesium citrate

Researchers who conducted a 2013 study observed that 300 mg a day of magnesium citrate significantly reduced the intensity of fibromyalgia and the number of tender points in premenopausal women after eight weeks.

9. Schedule your rest time

A good way to manage fatigue caused by fibromyalgia is to schedule rest into your day. Sitting or briefly lying down at some point could be what you need. Try to plan your most rigorous tasks for times when you think you’ll have the most energy. Similarly, take time to pace yourself and find balance within your day.

When to See a Fatigue Specialist Near Me

You should see your healthcare provider if you are fatigued:

• 1. Has come on suddenly and is not the result of normal short-term physical or mental stress   

• 2. Is not relieved with rest, sleep, or removal of stressors

• 3. Has become severe or chronic

• 4. Is accompanied by other unexplained symptoms

• 5. Associated with weakness, fainting, or near fainting

• 6. Is accompanied by unexplained weight loss, masses or lumps anywhere on the body, fever (greater than 101 degrees Fahrenheit), abnormal vaginal bleeding, and/or unexplained pain anywhere in the body.

• Sources:

  Better Health

  Cleveland Clinic

  NIH

  Healthline

  WebMD

  Multiple Sclerosis

  Mayo Clinic

  Health Direct

  Wyndly

  Medical News Today

  Safe Work Australia

  Very Well Health