Feature:
|
|
|
|
| Beating Fatigue
We’ve all had times when we’ve felt really
tired. It might be due to a long, busy day at home or
at work, a late night, a long trip and so on. However
this kind of tiredness is usually rectified by a good
night’s sleep. Fatigue, on the other hand, is
a tiredness that does not go away when you’ve
had a chance to rest. In this article, we look at what
fatigue is, the latest on Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and
what can be done to help people cope with and manage
their fatigue. |
|
|
Fatigue may be described as a feeling of extreme tiredness, or
exhaustion, which can be a physical and/or a psychological experience.
With physical fatigue, your muscles cannot do things as easily as
they used to, for example when climbing stairs or carrying shopping
bags.
With psychological fatigue, it may be difficult to concentrate for
as long as you used to. In severe cases, you might feel depressed
and don’t get out of bed to do your regular daily activities.
Fatigue can start and increase very slowly. If you feel extremely
tired even after you rest, you should consult your doctor. Think
about what the causes might be and how you would answer the following
questions:
- How long have you been tired?
- Compared to a few months ago, how has your activity level changed?
- When are you tired? Is it after certain activities, like climbing
stairs? Do you wake up tired?
- How do you feel when you are tired? Are you short of breath?
Are your muscles sore? Is it difficult to concentrate or remember
things? Is it hard to get interested in your daily activities?
- Are you sleeping well? How long do you sleep each night? How
many times do you get up? Is it hard to fall asleep or stay asleep
because of pain or other problems?
It is important to provide as much information as possible to
your doctor to help them diagnose the cause of your tiredness.
The causes
Fatigue may be due to many causes, including, but not restricted
to:
- illness, such as health problems with the heart, lung, and
thyroid
- depression,
- joint and muscle pain,
- stress or worry,
- overdoing it,
- poor sleep,
- anaemia,
- nutritional problems
- little or no physical activity.
The causes vary from person to person and the resulting fatigue
can last a long or short time.
Don’t despair! There is much you can do to help decrease
the effects of fatigue. Knowing how it affects you will help you
manage it better. Click here for tips on how to manage your fatigue.
|
