After a long day, fatigue is a normal symptom that tells us it is time to rest. Fatigue is that all-familiar feeling of tiredness that can strike after a stressful day or periods of high physical or emotional activity. Normal fatigue should be relieved by rest, if it is not, it may actually be a symptom of a problem in your body. If you feel fatigued for more than a week-even after adequate sleep and good nutrition, especially if accompanied by other symptoms such as muscle weakness, aches and pains, or weight loss or gain, you should see your doctor to rule out a medical condition. Some conditions that can cause chronic fatigue are:
- Anemia (low levels of the oxygen carrying substance, hemoglobin, in the blood)
- Hypo or hyper-thyroidism (hormone imbalances)
- Depression
- Medications
- Diabetes
- Certain cancers
- Autoimmune disorders
- Sleep disorders
- Inadequate nutrition/electrolyte imbalance or nutritional deficiencies
- Viral infections, like mononucleosisMost of the time lifestyle changes like getting adequate exercise, nutrition, taking multivitamins and practicing good sleep hygiene can resolve fatigue issues. If a medical issue is found, treatment can help you feel more like yourself and remove the ball and chain feeling of chronic fatigue.