Why
you might be feeling tired and fatigued all the time
Tiredness
is something that all of us experience at one time or another and itcan usually
be relieved by sleep and rest – but 1in 5people are unusually tired and 1in 10
have prolonged fatigue.
According
to the experts at House Call Doctor,
tiredness and fatigue are different. Fatigue is when tiredness isn’t able to be
relived by sleep and is overwhelming. Women are more likely to feel fatigued
than men.
Reasonsyou could feeltired
There
are two main categories of causes for tiredness: lifestyle factors and medical
conditions.
Lifestyle Factors
Stress:Fatigue is most
commonly linked to mood and the accumulation of stress. Identifying causes of
stress in your life (work, family, friends) and having strategies to manage it
will help relieve feelings of tiredness.
Lack of sleep:
while this may seem obvious, having a healthy amount of sleep is vital. Adults aged18-60
need 7-8 hours of sleep every night to function properly.
It is
important to maintain a consistent sleep routine. Avoid naps and limit the time
spent awake in bed to 5-10 minutes to promote healthy sleep patterns.
Diet:having a poor diet
is linked to feelings of tiredness and fatigue. Ways you can improve your diet
include:
·
Eating the correct number of calories
for someone your age, height, weight and sex
·
Having plenty of fruits and vegetables
·
Cutting down on refined sugar
·
Never skipping breakfast
·
Eating varied sources of protein.
Sedentary lifestyle: exercise
gives the body a boost of energy and a consistent exercise program has been
shown to fight fatigue. Adults should aim to complete 30 minutes of moderate
intensity exercise a day to avoid feeling tired.
Medical conditions
While
there are many medical conditions that can leave you feeling tired, anaemia and
an underactive thyroid are two major medical conditions that can cause fatigue
and exhaustion.
Anaemia: anaemia is the
most common medical reason for tiredness and fatigue. It is caused by a lower
than normal level of red blood cells in the body or lowered levels of
hemoglobin.
Red
blood cells and hemoglobin carry oxygen to the body. Without proper amounts of
oxygen, the body can feel tired and weak.
A
blood test by your GP can identify anaemia and a treatment for it can be started.
Underactive thyroid: an
underactive thyroid means not enough thyroid hormone (thyroxine) is being made
by your body. This hormone controls metabolism and when it is low,it can cause
symptoms of tiredness, along with weight gain and feeling cold.
A
blood test can determine whether your thyroid gland is functioning correctly,
and treatment can be started if it isn’t.
Other
medical conditions that can cause fatigue include:
·
Diabetes
·
Depression
·
Chronic FatigueSyndrome
·
Urinary Tract Infection
·
Heart disease
·
Sleep Apnoea
·
Vitamin and mineral deficiencies
·
Coeliac Disease
·
Glandular Fever
·
Restless legs.
Contact
your GP if you are experiencing unusual tiredness or fatigue to determine the
cause and work out the best treatment plan for you.
