Already penned again? Constant fatigue and its causes

Everyone’s on their feet, but you just don’t get out of bed?
You don’t have any energy after eating and feel leaden fatigue?
Despite a sleepy night, do you almost nod in the afternoon?

You probably know at least one of these situations.

Fatigue encounters us in a variety of forms and from time to time this is completely normal.
Because the causes are usually banal things like too little sleep or a cold. However, if fatigue becomes a chronic problem, this can have serious causes.

Oh, does that mean that I may be seriously ill if I am regularly tired?

Don’t worry: Constant fatigue should not be taken lightly as a symptom, but in most cases there is no serious illness behind it. Nevertheless, it is important to clarify the reasons – and they can be versatile.

So what’s behind it and when should you go to the doctor? With us you will find everything about the possible causes of constant fatigue.

The definition: What is fatigue

But what exactly is meant by fatigue? The definition is very important for the search for the causes. After all, there are several terms here that are often attributed to the same meaning, but which actually mean something else: fatigue, exhaustion and lack of drive.

Aha – and what is what now? Here is a short definition:

Fatigue / Exhaustion

There are two types of fatigue or exhaustion:

• Physical fatigue
  This refers to muscle fatigue. So it is the reduction of physical performance due to increased physical exertion or simply poor training status of a person. It is this form of fatigue that plagues us after a visit to the gym.
• Spiritual fatigue
  It occurs independently of physical exertion and is manifested above all by an inner feeling of exhaustion or a deterioration in the coordinatorial abilities. Like the physical variant, mental fatigue occurs after increased stress. For example, after a long period of learning or a persistent over-stimulation.

Lack of drive

Lack of drive is a problem that only affects our psyche. “Drive” means the concrete will to do something. If it is missing, you feel incapable of doing anything on your own. It is therefore the basic prerequisite for all mental health services.
The best way to do this is to drive you to do things.

So lack of drive or lack of drive can be accompanied by fatigue, but it is not the same. If both symptoms occur together, they can even amplify each other.

Fatigue

Fatigue refers to a state of diminished attention, often in conjunction with a feeling of lack of drive or physical exhaustion. Physiologically, it occurs when our organism demands sleep. Fatigue in certain situations is therefore something completely normal.

General signs of fatigue are primarily:

• Limited concentration and performance
• Impaired perception
• Easy irritability
• Hallucinations (but these occur only with long-lasting, severe fatigue)

You know this for sure: The movie in the evening was just too exciting and although you have to get out early, you go to bed too late. The next day you find it difficult to get on your feet and feel almost completely sluggish and tired. This is arguably the most common form of fatigue.

The cause is not a big puzzle: we are tired when we get too little sleep. Logical.

But what if you are tired despite seemingly sufficient sleep time – and over a long period of time? Finding the causes of chronic fatigue is not so easy. What is the point of this?

Constant fatigue: causes

Persistent fatigue is often a sign that our bodies need something. Often these are banal things like fresh air or just more sleep. Sometimes, however, fatigue also indicates a disease or a lack of nutrients. The most common causes are:

Too little sleep

As already mentioned, lack of sleep is the reason for fatigue. However, not only the duration,but also the quality of sleep is decisive. If, for example, you suffer from insomnia,you may be tired even after a long sleep. Likewise, if you need to change your sleep behavior frequently, for example when working shifts.

Too little fluid in the body

One of the simplest things we can do for our bodies is the adequate fluid intake. You drink enough? Many people think so, but the reality is unfortunately different: every one in three Germans drinks too little water. We need two liters daily and already with a loss of fluid of 5 first symptoms such as headaches, concentration disorders or even fatigueshow up. Kopfschmerzen

Underfunction of the thyroid gland

The chronic underfunction of the thyroid gland, in some cases also Hashimoto-Thyroiditis,refers to a deficiency of thyroid hormones. The reasons for this are manifold – but a common symptom of underfunction is constant fatigue or exhaustion.

Medications

Certain medications often lead to fatigue as a side effect. This is particularly the case with allergy medicine or antihistamines. Do you take medication regularly and are common, so be careful about possible side effects.

Persistent stress

If the body is in a state of stress,it consumes energy. The stress releases more adrenaline, which on the one hand makes your body more powerful, but on the other hand costs a lot of energy. If you don’t take time out after constant stress to recharge your reserves, chronic fatigue can be a consequence.

Low or high blood pressure

Both low and high blood pressure can lead to fatigue. With significantly less dangerous low blood pressure, this is caused by simply too little blood in the body. High blood pressure, in turn, can trigger sleep disturbances that can lead to fatigue.

Lack

It is well known that permanent lack of exercise is not healthy. If our organism rests too much, this has negative effects in many areas. Often occurring fatigue is one of them.

Magnesium deficiency

As one of the essential substances, magnesium is important for numerous functions in our body. So nothing works without magnesium. If you have too little of it in your blood, there are a number of symptoms that often come with fatigue: from sleep disturbances to headaches to constant fatigue.

Phases of physical development

If our body is in a developmental phase,mild fatigue is nothing out of the ordinary. This is especially the case in growth, puberty or menopause. As a woman, you can also tire of the physical processes associated with the menstrual cycle.

Overweight or underweight

Whether too much or too little – even with body weight, both can be harmful. Chronic fatigue and fatigue are part of the effects.

Mental illnesses

Not to be underestimated should be mental health problems related to fatigue. Depression or burnout take away any drive. Fatigue is a natural consequence.

Fatigue due to vitamin deficiency

Proper nutrition plays a crucial role in health. If your body gets too little of certain substances, symptoms such as constant fatigue often manifest themselves. Especially vitamin D and B12 you should pay attention in this context. For example, vitamin B12 is only available through animal products and meat in a sufficient dose. Vitamin D, on the other hand, forms our own body – but only with enough sun exposure to the skin. In both cases, dietary supplements can help you get rid of leaden fatigue.

Chronic fatigue syndrome

Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is a chronic condition that leads to constant physical and mental exhaustion. The exact causes are still unknown, but the syndrome is thought to affect between 1 and 3 percent of the population. People between the ages of 30 and 45are most likely to fall ill. Since the disease is often not accurately diagnosed, many people live with it unnoticed.

Diabetes

Since the high-energy glucose cannot be properly processed by our cells in diabetes, poor performance and fatigue are often associated symptoms.

Cancer can also be a cause of fatigue

Constant fatigue for no reason is also an early warning sign for cancer. This tumour-related exhaustion affects almost all cancer patients at times and should therefore be taken seriously.

In case of fatigue to the doctor? Pay attention to the causes

As you can see, fatigue is a condition that is absolutely natural under certain conditions and can indicate a serious illness, among other conditions.

So you suffer from constant fatigue, which you can’t explain or get rid of through a healthier lifestyle: listen to your body and go to your GP.