Every person is familiar with the feeling of fatigue and lack of energy, especially during periods of bad weather or outbreaks of viral infections. Normally, this problem is solved with proper rest and sleep. But when such a condition drags on and significantly reduces the quality of life, this is a signal that it is time to think about the health of the nervous system.
Fatigue is a functional state of the body with a significant decrease in energy, performance and motivation, which affects both the physical and mental well-being of a person. Typically, persistent fatigue is a symptom and not a separate condition. In most cases, it is caused by a combination of lifestyle, health and social problems.
Constantly feeling tired can cause a variety of physical, mental and emotional symptoms:
- Headache, dizziness
- Decreased immunity, frequent infectious diseases
- Lack of feeling of proper rest after sleep in the morning
- Muscle weakness, body aches
- Tinnitus
- Slow reaction, problems with coordination
- Constant lethargy, inertia, apathy, laziness, lack of motivation
- Deterioration of thinking processes: decreased attention, concentration and intelligence, which means deterioration in educational and work activities
- Loss of appetite
- Problems with short-term and long-term memory
- Exacerbation of allergic reactions
- Enlarged lymph nodes
- Vision problems
Symptoms tend to worsen after exercise.
Clinically significant is a feeling of fatigue with accompanying symptoms for two or more weeks.
Certain symptoms may predominate depending on the type of fatigue. There are two of them:
Physical fatigue: Normally, muscle fatigue gradually accumulates during physical activity and goes away after rest. Pathological cases are associated with lack or insufficient sleep and health problems. It becomes difficult for a person to perform ordinary physical activities that he could easily cope with before. For example, a patient who previously visited the gym regularly and with pleasure completely gives up training due to lack of strength. The problem can also affect completely routine tasks: climbing the stairs to the second floor, walking to the nearest store. A mandatory symptom will be muscle weakness.
Mental fatigue: it is difficult for the patient to maintain not only physical, but also mental activity. Memory, concentration, and learning ability are impaired. Eternal fatigue and drowsiness prevent you from doing even light mental work. This condition affects the driver’s reaction and attention. According to statistics, sleepy people behind the wheel get into car accidents three times more often than others. This is comparable to the risks associated with being intoxicated.
It happens that a person sleeps enough every day, eats normally and leads an orderly lifestyle, but constant weakness and fatigue do not go away. Feeling exhausted can make it impossible to manage even necessary daily activities. This means that the condition requires professional diagnosis and possibly treatment.
Constant fatigue. Possible reasons
There are many reasons for constant fatigue. Lack of energy at the end of the working day is considered the norm and here it will be enough to get enough sleep. But it happens that even after a full sleep you feel overwhelmed and tired.
Here are some possible reasons why you feel weak and lethargic:
- Lack of vitamins and vital elements. We are talking primarily about vitamins B, D, C, potassium, iron, magnesium, iodine, etc. To determine what exactly your body is missing, you should take tests and undergo an examination. The vitamins and biological microelements necessary for the body are contained in food products, which means that if they are deficient, the right solution may be to organize your diet. In any case, you should consult a specialist.
- Hormonal imbalance. Hormonal imbalance in women and men can have external and internal signs. Lethargy and fatigue are one of its most harmless manifestations. If, along with fatigue, headaches, frequent menstrual irregularities (in women), increased sweating, mood swings, sudden changes in weight, etc. occur, you should consult a specialist and under no circumstances self-medicate. Most often, hormonal imbalance is caused by a malfunction of the thyroid gland.
- Depression. The symptomatic picture of a depressive state is varied and may have signs of serious illnesses: a feeling of heaviness in the chest, headaches, nausea, irritability, lack of appetite or, conversely, a tendency to overeat. A person suffering from depression is plagued by negative thoughts, decreased self-esteem, a feeling of worthlessness, and a lack of interest in life.
- Vegetovascular dystonia. This is a whole complex of serious symptoms, including dizziness, interruptions in heart function, insomnia, indigestion, etc.
- Colds, flu. Accompanied by high fever, joint pain and general malaise. Body aches are one of the signs of inflammatory processes in the body.
- Heart problems. This symptom is difficult to diagnose at home. Constant weakness coupled with heart pain is an obvious reason to visit a cardiologist.
- Diabetes. To identify this disease, consultation with a specialist and a comprehensive examination are also required. Diabetes mellitus is, in a sense, the plague of our time, and the sooner the diagnosis becomes known, the more likely it is to avoid serious consequences.
- Anemia. This disease is characterized by a decrease in hemoglobin, resulting in oxygen starvation.
Why it is so difficult to establish balance: self-distrust
You have conducted an internal audit, discovered discrepancies and the most important needs that are relevant to you now. The first difficult step lies ahead: to believe that this is all true, and not a temporary weakness.
Not everyone, but many, need time to become legalized within themselves and feel the right to judge their life by their inner feelings - they are too accustomed to trusting other people’s opinions and criticism. It takes time to trust yourself.
Ideally, we all need the support of loved ones to make changes. But after revising your energy accounting, some people may lose your attention, so expecting support from them is at least naive.
Weakness in the arms and legs
A feeling of weakness in the limbs, which is not due to fatigue from physical activity, can occur for the following reasons:
- neurological pathologies,
- spinal diseases,
- endocrine disorders,
- poisoning,
- oncology,
- pregnancy,
- inflammatory processes.
Most often, after listening to a patient complaining of weakness in the limbs, the therapist makes a preliminary diagnosis and writes a referral to a more specialized specialist, prescribes a list of tests and examination.
It happens that general weakness of the arms and legs is associated with overwork. In this case, there is no special treatment; the patient is advised to reconsider his lifestyle and learn to correctly combine work, physical activity and rest.
Muscle weakness in the limbs is also observed with VSD (vegetative-vascular dystonia).
The problem of rejection: why is it such a shame not to choose something?
Alexander Mokhovikov, a respected Gestalt therapist and psychiatrist, said that there is no problem of choice, but there is a problem of rejection. It is not so difficult for us to make a choice, but we experience the pangs of rejecting potential opportunities and alternatives: choosing a certain man or woman means rejecting potentially suitable partners with whom everything could be happy, easy and simple.
If the pangs of rejection keep you from accepting the risks and consequences of your own choices, then you will have to suffer chronically, rejecting nothing and no one and spending a colossal amount of energy on this.
The problem with refusal is that by refusing, we may seem “bad” to ourselves. For example, when deciding to end a difficult, exhausting or exhausted relationship that takes a lot of energy, we can be tormented by our conscience, because these can be relationships with very close people: friends, parents, love partners... In order to maintain such difficult relationships, we suppress our feelings for people , with which there is no adequate exchange of energy. You have to endure a lot or hold back all the time. These efforts create a real black hole that sucks out psychic strength. Sometimes all the energy is spent just to withstand and not explode.
So, step two is to stop being faithful to outdated forms of yourself. And behind it comes the third step: to reject all the variety of possibilities in favor of your own choice.
Anemia
Anemia (anemia) is a condition characterized by a deficiency of red blood cells and a decrease in hemoglobin in the blood. Hemoglobin is an iron-rich protein that gives blood its red color. It helps cells transport oxygen from the lungs to the rest of the body.
The body of a person suffering from anemia simply does not receive enough oxygen, which is why one feels general weakness, fatigue, sudden changes in mood and “fog” in the head.
Common symptoms of anemia
Here are some of the most common symptoms of anemia that adults typically experience:
- fatigue, lethargy, lack of energy;
- pale skin;
- fast or irregular heartbeat;
- shortness of breath, breathing problems;
- chest pain;
- dizziness or loss of stability;
- decreased concentration;
- decreased body temperature;
- headache.
Treatment of anemia
First of all, the cause of regular fatigue should be clarified with your doctor. People tend to self-medicate, which is absolutely not worth doing.
Treatment of anemia can be either therapeutic or surgical. Therefore, you should not delay your visit to the doctor and turn a blind eye to general malaise.
Loyalty to your decisions is an obstacle
Most people are confident that loyalty to the life decisions made at one time characterizes them on the good side, and stability and perfectionism are traits of a strong personality.
If you've already got down to business, give it everything! Other people depend on you! You can't quit halfway! I am a person who always works harder than everyone else and better than everyone else! I started a family - now I need to get down to business and make it perfect! I will make unhappy parents happy! My kids will do every activity under the sun! I started improving my body and now I’m doomed to spend my whole life in the gym, otherwise it’s all in vain! I started this business, gave it ten years of my life, it doesn’t matter that I mostly work for my employees, and not they for me, I will continue to bear the cross! You have to endure for the sake of friendship, or money, or family, or career, or fame, or love!
Perfectionism is the favorite child of imbalance! We make enough such “vows of fidelity” with ourselves, substitute your own version.
To maintain outdated forms of oneself, serious energy overexpenditures are needed, because in order to remain the same, one has to force oneself a little - or a lot.
To overcome the obstacle of fidelity, you must have the right to change your former self or your old image, that is, become a person who has changed priorities. Talking to a therapist can support you in the process of gaining the power to change and move away from outdated choices.
Feeling weak after eating
Food is a source of energy and it is logical that after eating we should feel full of energy and strength. However, weakness after eating is not uncommon. Why is this happening?
Most often, weakness after lunch is manifested by the desire to take a nap for about 20 minutes. Do you agree that this feeling is familiar to many?
Causes of afternoon fatigue
- heavy food and overeating,
- increased blood glucose,
- gastrointestinal diseases,
- diabetes,
- pregnancy,
- wrong diet
- unhealthy food,
- violation of the daily routine.
Some experts believe that sleepiness after eating is nothing more than a natural manifestation that depends on our circadian rhythms. However, there is no scientific confirmation of this fact.
Hormonal changes
Many women find themselves in a situation where they have no strength and energy, they want to sleep, and their favorite activities cease to bring joy. According to statistics, in most cases the cause of the development of chronic fatigue and apathy is one or another hormonal imbalance.
It's no secret that the female body is highly susceptible to fluctuations in hormone levels. Attacks of fatigue often appear during menopause. Many women feel weak during or just before their period. Loss of strength is often associated with pregnancy and hormonal changes after childbirth. Sometimes this happens while taking contraceptives.
It is worth noting that sometimes hormonal therapy is required to normalize the patient’s condition. But only a doctor can prescribe medicine and only if there are certain indications.
Chronic fatigue syndrome
Chronic fatigue syndrome is a chronic condition characterized by extreme fatigue that lasts more than six months and is difficult to diagnose.
Symptoms of CFS are:
- joint pain that moves from one place to another;
- muscle pain;
- poor concentration;
- memory loss;
- enlarged lymph nodes;
- headache;
- chills;
- high sweating;
- digestive disorders (eg, irritable bowel syndrome);
- insomnia;
- psychological disorders;
- decreased immunity.
The list of signs of chronic fatigue syndrome does not end here.
As a rule, chronic fatigue affects people aged 25 to 45 years, as well as teenagers experiencing stress due to worries on the eve of exams. At risk are people who experience frequent stress in the professional and personal spheres.
Chronic fatigue syndrome is also called white collar disease.
The feeling of stuffiness and lack of air is another problem for residents of large cities and is often the cause of weakness, loss of strength and the development of chronic fatigue syndrome.
Do you often open windows to ventilate the room where you work or live? Usually, even after thorough ventilation, after a couple of hours, the CO2 concentration returns to its previous value, and we can again experience all the delights of stuffiness and lack of air.
Keeping the windows constantly open would be an ideal solution, but due to unfavorable weather conditions and poor ecology, we cannot do this.
Breezer is a compact supply ventilation with air purification. The device will help those who want to breathe fresh and clean air. The breather ventilates the room with the windows closed, purifies the air from harmful impurities and dust.
Treatment of chronic fatigue syndrome
As a rule, chronic fatigue syndrome manifests itself as a complex of symptoms. If even after a good rest the signs of chronic fatigue do not go away: you feel a loss of strength, weakness in the body, weakness, then in order to avoid complications you need to urgently consult a doctor.
There is a possibility that the therapist will not be able to prescribe the necessary treatment due to a large list of symptoms adjacent to signs of other diseases. The final diagnosis and, possibly, treatment will be made by a specialist after a complete examination of the patient.
The following can help cope with chronic fatigue syndrome:
- psychologist. If the illness is associated with constant stress, worry and anxiety, a psychologist or psychotherapist will help cope with emotional overload;
- neurologist - if the syndrome is caused by overstrain of the nervous system;
- endocrinologist If fatigue is associated with disturbances in the endocrine system or hormonal imbalance, the endocrinologist will refer you for a more detailed examination;
- immunologist Weak immunity, frequent colds and exacerbations of chronic diseases can also take away vitality.
What is “energy balance”
The energy balance consists of two parts: what gives energy and what consumes it. In a good scenario, you manage everything - that is, you spend as much as you need - and keep a reserve in case of unforeseen circumstances that happen periodically.
Work with a psychologist mainly begins with stating the fact of dissatisfaction with the existing balance: for example, family and children take up too much time or, conversely, work takes up everything; diseases, one’s own and those of others, take away resources – this is also a common occurrence; or in general there is excessive disharmony in the form of depression or mania. If you are happy with everything and don’t feel like you’re missing out on anything important, and you’re living “your” life, then everything is fine with your balance.
A good energy balance means that a person will be present in areas of life that are important to him - and this requires a competent distribution of strength, attention, energy and resources.
A poor balance is subjectively felt as excessive expenditure of energy without a corresponding return - then this is an overexpenditure of energy, causing chronic fatigue; or as unspent, unfulfilled - then this is underexpenditure, causing boredom or even depression.
With chronic overexpenditure of energy, the psyche will sooner or later recover, but the question is how it will do this. Drug addiction, alcoholism, and somatic illnesses are also options for barbaric restoration of balance, for example, when a person goes on a binge to relax, and disappears on business trips in order to spend less time with his family. Even some psychiatric inpatients at the hospital are taking a break from their lives.
These people do not yet have any other way to maintain their energy accounting. But these, of course, are extreme options.
Persistent weakness in women and men
If you feel well, you can remain cheerful, active and productive at work for a long time. However, for various reasons, men and women experience fatigue, drowsiness and weakness. Let's figure out why this happens.
Causes of constant fatigue and weakness in men
Contrary to the belief that lethargy, headaches and stress are inherent in women, men also suffer from supposedly imaginary ailments.
Constant fatigue in men develops due to the following reasons:
- psychophysical fatigue,
- insomnia,
- lack of oxygen
- lack of vitamins and microelements,
- taking sedatives and antihistamines,
- viral diseases,
- depression,
- low testosterone levels,
- non-compliance with the daily routine and incorrect lifestyle.
Causes of constant fatigue in women
A feature of the female body is the ability to procreate, which is associated with many changes in a woman’s body.
First of all, severe fatigue is felt during premenstrual syndrome, menstruation and pregnancy.
As a rule, there is no specific way to treat fatigue that occurs against the background of habitual changes in the female body. Here it is possible to correct pain sensations, if any.
Also, severe fatigue and weakness in women can be associated with gynecological diseases and hormonal imbalance. In order to prevent the development of serious women's health problems in time, it is worth visiting a gynecologist every six months.
How burned out are you? Assessing the damage
You need to know the stages of burnout not only in order to notice its signs in yourself in time. Different stages have different recovery methods. At the stage of idealism and exhaustion, the body has enough strength to be interested in new things and appreciate the present. All you need is to find time and space in your life for this. But if you are already at the stage of loss of purpose and cynicism, or experiencing disgust and depression, you will have to significantly change your attitude towards work and leisure and acquire new habits.
Re-read the descriptions of the stages of burnout above. What seems similar to what is happening to you now? Remember in what state you started working. Is the same enthusiasm still there? Do you have the same amount of strength - or do you need to push yourself with stimulants? Do you have to force yourself to complete tasks that used to inspire you? Do you finish work with the thought “this will do”? Maybe you just want to lie down or cry when a new task comes up?
Have you determined what stage of burnout you are at? Now you can select the type of tools to exit this state. But before you get acquainted with them, download short instructions
: for mild burnout (idealism and excess or exhaustion) and for severe burnout (loss of purpose and cynicism or depression and disgust). The pictures show the main recovery steps in the order in which they need to be performed.
How to overcome fatigue?
When the body is faced with oxygen starvation, which occurs due to impaired blood circulation and metabolism, we feel powerless. Feeling dizzy, experiencing pain in the temples, and decreased concentration and productivity. If this happens, consult a doctor immediately. As they say, take care of your health from a young age, and they say it right.
But if we are not talking about pathological changes in the body, but about a functional disorder, then here are some tips on how to cope with fatigue and feel cheerful for the whole day.
- Sleep at least 7–9 hours a day. Try to accustom yourself to the correct daily routine: go to bed and wake up at the same time every day. Remember, healthy sleep is the key to feeling great. During sleep, our body recovers and gains strength.
- Cool shower. Water procedures in the morning can both invigorate and normalize the functioning of the cardiovascular system.
- Evening exercise. Taking a walk before bed is very beneficial, especially if you spent most of the day sitting.
- Fitness. You can exercise even at home; you don’t have to visit a gym or pay for the services of a personal trainer. Regular 15-minute warm-up in the morning or throughout the day improves blood circulation and restores vascular tone.
- Rejection of bad habits. Alcohol and smoking often cause serious disorders in the body, at a minimum they cause vasospasm and poor health
- Healthy diet. Overeating and addiction to fast food can also be classified as bad habits. To avoid problems with excess weight, start eating right. Eat more vitamins and other useful microelements.
- Phytotherapy. If your work involves regular stress and severe overwork, there is nothing wrong with drinking soothing or tonic infusions or teas made from chamomile, lemon balm, mint, valerian, rose hips, ginseng, strawberries, etc. This habit will help strengthen the immune system and, perhaps cope with nervous overload.
Physical exhaustion
Why is there no strength and energy? The cause may be physical exhaustion. A modern woman often takes on absolutely all the worries, including childcare, career, home and everyday problems. But not all representatives of the fair sex remember that they also need rest.
What should be done in such cases? Don't forget to relax, because your body also needs time to restart. Regular massage, spa treatments, acupuncture - all this helps relieve muscle tension, improve blood circulation and tissue trophism and, of course, significantly improve well-being.
Diagnostics
The primary examination is carried out by a general practitioner. The initial diagnostic stage consists of a detailed collection of all complaints, a history of the development of the disease, on the basis of which the presence of a certain pathology or risk factor is assumed. Then, based on the complaints, special laboratory and instrumental methods are prescribed that make it possible to confirm the probable causes of weakness. The most informative ones are:
- Neurological examination
. To study the functioning of the nervous system, cognitive functions are examined, and the time of occurrence of dermographism is measured. Specific tests (orthostatic and Danini-Aschner) reveal discoordination of sympathetic and parasympathetic regulation. The functional activity of the brain is clarified using EEG. - Blood tests
. A general blood test determines leukocytosis, hemoglobin and red blood cell levels. A biochemical study is carried out to assess liver function, detect signs of inflammation or residual electrolyte disturbances. The content of free T3 and T4 in the blood must be taken into account, and a fasting glucose test is done. - Coprogram
. If weakness occurs after symptoms of poisoning, it is necessary to do a microscopic examination of the stool and culture the material on nutrient media to detect pathogenic microorganisms. In case of prolonged dyspepsia for no apparent reason and malabsorption syndrome, stool is examined for the level of fecal elastase and specific antigen H. pylori. - Ultrasound examination
. If there are complaints from the digestive system, a survey ultrasound of the abdominal organs and retroperitoneal space is performed. In women, the pelvic organs are additionally visualized. If there are signs of a pathological process, more informative examinations are recommended - endoscopy, radiography of the intestine using a contrast agent. - ECG
. In middle-aged and elderly patients, an electrocardiogram must be recorded in standard leads and with a load. For a detailed examination of the heart, 24-hour Holter monitoring is effective. To examine the anatomical features of the heart and identify signs of valve damage, echocardiography with vascular Dopplerography is performed. - Additional methods
. To study the respiratory system, a chest x-ray is taken. Spirography helps to assess the function of external respiration. If weakness is caused by a lack of thyroid hormones, scintigraphy of the thyroid gland with iodine is indicated to diagnose organic damage. MRI and CT scan of the brain will help rule out inflammation and degenerative changes.
