All of us have felt fatigued at one time or another. In fact, it’s perfectly common to feel drained after a long day at the office or a physically-demanding workout. However, when fatigue becomes persistent, it can interfere with your ability to live your life and potentially even turn your entire existence into an exhausting chore. So, if you’re currently dealing with persistent fatigue, it’s important that you get to the bottom of the issue posthaste.
Anemia
Anemia is a condition that’s characterized by a body lacking a sufficient number of healthy red blood cells to transport adequate oxygen to the tissue. Left untreated, anemia can cause a host of health issues, with fatigue being one of the most prevalent. So, if you’re suffering from anemia-induced fatigue, reach out to your doctor to discuss possible treatment options. Certain types of anemia are considerably easier to treat than others, and having your doctor identify the type of anemia from which you’re suffering, as well as its root cause(s), will enable you to start treating the condition in a timely manner. You may also want to discuss the services offered from Vitalant red blood cell donation with your physician.
COVID-19
Persistent fatigue is among the most common symptoms of the novel coronavirus. So, if you’ve been experiencing fatigue, it’s strongly advised that you get yourself tested. There’s certainly a possibility that COVID isn’t the cause, but given the virus’s highly infectious nature and the risk it poses to you and others, this isn’t a chance you should be taking at the present time.
It’s also important to keep in mind that a negative test result doesn’t necessarily mean you aren’t infected. In some instances, the infection simply hasn’t developed to the point at which it shows up in tests. Additionally, certain strains of COVID-19 are less apt to show up in tests than others. So, even if you test negative, it may be a good idea to get in touch with your physician – particularly if the fatigue and/or other symptoms persist.
Unhealthy Sleep Habits
The cause of your fatigue may be something as simply as not getting enough sleep. If you go to bed at inconsistent times and regularly fail to get a proper night’s rest, there’s a good chance your sleep habits are at least partially to blame. As such, you’ll need to make an effort to get a handle on your nightly respite.
First off, make a point of getting at least seven to eight hours of sleep per night. In order to do this, you’ll need to give yourself a bedtime that allows for this sleep and stick to it. If you haven’t had a bedtime since you were a child, this is liable to be a bit of an adjustment. However, if you’re truly committed to getting your sleep habits in order, it shouldn’t take you more than a few weeks to acclimate to this new routine.
Secondly, if you have trouble getting your mind and body in the mood for sleep, you should engage in a relaxation-inducing pre-bedtime routine. This involves turning off your phone – or any other screens you happen to be staring at – 30 minutes to a full hour before climbing into bed, as the blue light from these devices gives our brain the impression that it’s time to be awake. Next, engage in relaxing pastimes that calm you down and leave your brain primed for slumber. Reading, journaling, meditating and deep breathing exercises are all prime examples of such pastimes.
Extreme Physical Exertion
Although consistent physical activity can be a great way to combat certain types of fatigue, it’s possible to have too much of a good thing. So, if you regularly put yourself through strenuous workouts or physically overexert yourself in any other areas, dialing things back a bit may serve to decrease your fatigue.
Few things are more aggravating than dealing with an unyielding cause of fatigue. Lacking sufficient energy to go about your normal routine can prove both disheartening and inconvenient on a number of levels. As such, anyone currently experiencing advanced fatigue should get a handle on the issue as soon as possible. This is a fairly common issue for which there are a wide variety of potential causes. And the sooner you determine the underlying cause(s), the sooner you bid a long overdue farewell to fatigue.
