Prevent fatigue from stealing your happiness and health. Knowing what is behind your tiredness can help you make the necessary changes to overcome it.
yourfootpalace.com gathered the following short quiz and information on fatigue to help you determine what changes may be necessary to your lifestyle.
Fatigue and Tiredness Quiz
The following 5 questions will help you identify potential causes behind your fatigue and constant tiredness. You will find tips on improving your energy with each question. There are no wrong answers:
Question #1 – Do you require a stimulant or pick-me-up (coffee, cigarette, or sugar) in the morning to get going?
Tips to overcome morning stimulant addictions:
- Gradually reduce the quantity of whichever stimulant you are dependent on until it is eliminated from your morning routine.
- Increase your consumption of water in the morning.
- Consume light foods, especially fruits, in the morning.
- Exercise. Energize your body with some cardio instead of chemical stimulants.
Morning routines often develop over months or years of repetition and can be very difficult to interrupt. Behavior changes require you to make conscious and concerted efforts; otherwise, you will likely return to the old, detrimental routine because it is both familiar and comfortable.
Question #2 – Do you rely on sugar, caffeine, or cigarettes for extra energy/stimulation during the day?
Take the time to “track” your daily activities. You may find distinct patterns of when your energy seems to decrease, leading you to seek a stimulant. Here are some tips to help you overcome daytime stimulant needs:
- Pack a lunch filled with fruits, nuts, and light food that promotes an increased metabolism.
- Change your break and mealtimes so they intersect with moments of low energy or fatigue.
- Use your break time to walk or perform a light physical activity (Remember recess in elementary school?).
- Increase your water consumption during the day.
- Quit smoking, chewing, or vaping.
Note: There are no safe vectors or consumption levels for nicotine. Quitting smoking, in particular, can lower your blood pressure and heart rate immediately. Also, your risk of a heart attack declines within 24 hours.
Question #3 – Do you find it difficult to fall asleep at night?
The average adult requires 6 to 8 hours of sleep per night. For each individual, the amount of time needed to fully rest and recharge may vary. If you have difficulty falling or remaining asleep at night, these tips can help:
- Avoid consuming beverages or foods containing sugar or caffeine 3 to 4 hours before bedtime.
- Incorporate stretching, yoga, meditation, or light exercises into your evening routine.
- Read a chapter from your favorite book before lying down.
- Take a relaxing bath before going to bed.
- Lower your bedroom’s temperature (60 to 68 degrees Fahrenheit) to help trigger your body’s natural signals to sleep.
- Cease online or activities requiring you to use a screen 30 minutes to 1 hour before going to bed.
- Avoid smoking before bed.
Note: Sleeping in a cold room positively influences your metabolism, potentially contributing to a significant reduction of fatigue.
Question #4 – Are random mood swings influenced by food (especially sweets)?
Nutrition can be directly linked to low energy, tiredness, tension, and/or fatigue. Years of poor nutrition can lead to diabetes, digestive disorders, and numerous other chronic ailments. If your mood is greatly affected after eating, and especially after consuming sweets, the following tips may help:
- See your primary care physician (PCP) for a general checkup and evaluation.
- Evaluate and balance your diet with the help of your PCP or a licensed nutritionist.
- Limit sugar and sweets in your diet. Eat less candy, desserts, pastries, etc., and drink diet beverages, water, unsweetened tea, etc.
Note: Cancer-related fatigue, diabetes fatigue syndrome, and low blood sugar are conditions that may require multifaceted approaches developed and implemented under your doctor’s supervision.
Question #5 – Did you start experiencing fatigue after testing positive for or recovering from COVID-19?
Fatigue is among the most common COVID-19 symptoms and is often the disease’s presenting symptom. While long-term studies of people who’ve recovered from COVID-19 are still underway, it has been determined that even mild cases of COVID-19 potentially leave behind persistent, debilitating symptoms (fatigue, loss of smell and taste, and several other physical and/or neurological problems) in some people.
Your fatigue (exacerbated by COVID-19) may, in fact, have originated from:
- Medical treatments (radiation, chemotherapy, dialysis)
- Anxiety, stress, or depression
- Consuming too much caffeine, sugar, alcohol, or tobacco
- Taking antidepressants, antihistamines, or pain medications
- Staying up too late
If your fatigue persists for more than one week or is accompanied by shortness of breath/difficulty breathing, you should see your primary care physician for an evaluation.
What am I Lacking if I am Always Tired?
Some cases of fatigue may be attributed to low levels of vitamin D, vitamin B-12, magnesium, iron, or potassium.
However, you may not be lacking anything. Fatigue is often a normal and necessary response to exercise, physical activity, emotional stress, boredom, or lack of sleep. Fatigue is relatively common and usually not due to a severe illness, disease, or deficiency.
The following may help you find relief to your fatigue:
- Get enough sleep
- Improve your nutrition
- Promote a low-stress home and work environment
- Book a tour or other fun activity
- Treat yourself to a spa day
- Get a regular massage
- Stop smoking, chewing, or vaping
If your fatigue persists or worsens after making such positive changes, you should see your primary care physician for a health and wellness evaluation.
What Makes a Person Extremely Tired?
Many times, fatigue can be traced to one or more habits or routines, particularly lack of exercise. Fatigue is commonly related to depression, and on occasion, fatigue is a symptom of an underlying condition that requires medical attention.
Some lifestyle contributors may include:
- Alcohol or drug use/abuse
- Excess physical activity
- Lack of physical activity
- Medications (antihistamines, cough medicines, pain medications)
- Lack of sleep
- Unhealthy eating habits
Some conditions or treatments of those conditions can contribute to ongoing fatigue. They may include:
- Allergic rhinitis Anemia
- Anxiety
- Cancer
- COPD
- COVID-19
- Depression
- Diabetes
- Emphysema
- Fibromyalgia
- Heart disease
- Hyperthyroidism/Hypothyroidism
- Kidney disease
- Liver disease
- Multiple sclerosis
- Obesity
- Stress
Work with your primary care physician or other health care professional to accurately diagnose and develop a treatment(s) that lead you away from fatigue.
When Should I Be Worried about Fatigue?
Most people perceive when fatigue feels wrong or more serious. If your fatigue worsens or lasts longer than a week, schedule an appointment to see your primary care physician, especially when your fatigue is accompanied by symptoms such as a fever, shortness of breath, trouble breathing (gasping for air), or loss of appetite.
If you frequently wake up exhausted despite sleeping well, lack the motivation to begin your day, or have difficulties performing ordinarily easy activities, it’s time to see your doctor. These symptoms may indicate a sleep disorder, depression, or an underlying/developing health condition.
Why am I So Tired All The Time?
In this article, you discovered a 5 question quiz and related information to help you identify possible causes and treatments for fatigue.
Identifying contributors to your constant tiredness is one of the first steps to overcoming it. Fatigue is not considered a disease, rather a symptom or result of something else. Regain your happiness and energy by eliminating and preventing causes of fatigue.
Ignoring the causes of fatigue can lead you to poor health decisions, exacerbation of underlying conditions, and catastrophic medical emergencies.
Disclaimer: No content from this article, regardless of its claim, subject, or reference, should ever be used to substitute medical advice from your primary care physician, doctor, or other qualified clinicians.
Sources:
health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/when-should-you-worry-about-fatigue
mayoclinic.org/symptoms/fatigue/basics/causes/sym-20050894
nutrition.va.gov/docs/EducationMaterials/EatingHealthyWithDiabetes.pdf
medlineplus.gov/ency/article/000386.htm
smokefree.gov/quit-smoking/why-you-should-quit/benefits-of-quitting
cdc.gov/me-cfs/about/index.html
covid19.ca.gov/symptoms-and-risks/
newsroom.uw.edu/news/%E2%80%8Beven-mild-cases-covid-19-impact-can-persist
cidrap.umn.edu/news-perspective/2020/11/half-recovered-covid-19-patients-report-lingering-fatigue
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