Why You're Always Feeling Tired Explained at Last
- By Kirsten Whittaker
- Published 11/29/2008
- Fitness
- Unrated
Kirsten Whittaker
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As women, we all know how quick we are to overdo it... work, home, family, stressful commutes, lack of sleep all contribute to the sensation of “always feeling tired” that seems to dog us these days.
Consistently getting 5 to 6 hours of sleep a night is going to catch up to you sooner or later, and your body will force you to rest. If you're getting a good 7 to 8 hours of sleep each night, and still feeling sluggish and tired it's time to look for another explanation, beyond lack of sleep, that might be causing your fatigue.
Fatigue that lasts for a week (or longer) can actually be a sign of serious illness... or it can signal a minor problem that's easy to correct. Whichever the case, you need to know, or you'll never feel rested and refreshed. There's no reason to delay finding out what's happening. A visit to your doctor will give you the answer (and reassurances) that you need.
Here are some things your doctor may consider as contributing to your fatigue...
1) Anemia - especially if you're in your reproductive years, can be a cause of fatigue. The monthly blood loss leads to a deficiency of hemoglobin - the iron rich protein in red blood cells that delivers oxygen to all parts of the body. Fatigue is a sign that the tissues and organs are not getting enough oxygen. The solution is an iron supplement or adding iron rich foods like broccoli, spinach and red meat to your meal plan.
2) Caffeine Overload - the well used stimulant of our times can turn on you, and instead of giving you that quick burst of energy, it can have exactly the opposite effect. A study published in the journal US Pharmacist by W. Stephen Pray, PhD., RPh, found that continued doses of caffeine led to fatigue. Add more caffeine and the fatigue gets worse too. The best (though hardest) thing you can do for yourself is to reduce your intake - cutting coffee, chocolate, tea, soda and any over the counter medication that contain caffeine. But do so gradually, so as to avoid the unpleasantness of sudden withdrawals.
3) Food Allergies - are believed by some doctors to take energy away from the body, and even if they're mild, these intolerances can make you tired. Eat the troublesome food a lot, and you'll be fatigued all the time. If you think allergies to certain foods may be the source of your exhaustion, try an Elimination Diet to cut out foods and additives for a time, then reintroduce them one at a time and watch for the fatigue to return. You might also speak to your doctor
about a food allergy test, or try a home test like ALCAT.
4) Heart disease - as yet undiagnosed, could be the culprit behind your lingering fatigue - especially if you get exhausted after activities that used to be easy. If you're wiped out after ordinary tasks, like vacuuming, doing yard work or at the end of your workday, it's time for a visit to your doctor. Heart disease is the leading cause of death in women. These signs, though likely nothing to worry about, may be your first clue that something is amiss, and your best chance to get the medications or treatment that help to correct the problem and restore your energy.
5) Hypothyroidism - by age 60 about 17% of women will have a thyroid disorder and not even know it. If you find that you're fatigued, generally sluggish, run down and maybe a bit depressed to boot the cause may be hypothyroidism. Your thyroid is a butterfly shaped gland in your neck that controls the speed at which your body works... also known as your metabolism. Blood tests for both T3 and T4 are the best way to detect this condition, safe synthetic hormones can then be administered.
6) Sleep Apnea - can be a problem if you're getting enough sleep but continue to feel constant fatigue. This sleep disorder causes you to momentarily stop breathing often over and over again during the night. Each time your breathing stops, your sleep cycle is disturbed as you are jolted awake, though you're usually not aware this is happening. A visit to a sleep lab or care by a specialist who focuses on sleep apnea are the best ways to get diagnosed and be on your way to the restful, restorative sleep your body needs.
7) Urinary Tract Infections - can sometimes present without the hallmark burning and urgency, fatigue being the symptom that brings a patient to her doctor. UTI's are caused by bacteria being brought into the urinary tract (a risk when you wipe back to front) and causing problems. If your doctor suspects an infection without the customary symptoms, a simple urine test can deliver the answer and then antibiotics can be prescribed. If you're a woman who suffers chronic UTI's, you might want to ask about low dose antibiotic therapy to prevent the infection from coming back.
If, after checking out all these physical possibilities, you have no answers, don't despair. Maybe your body is trying to let you know you're doing too much... pushing to hard. After all, complaints of always feeling tired is common in our ‘got to be everywhere and do everything world'. Recognizing your limitations, letting go (or saying “no” judiciously) and slowing down accordingly, might just be enough to help lift the fatigue that's become a part of your life.
Consistently getting 5 to 6 hours of sleep a night is going to catch up to you sooner or later, and your body will force you to rest. If you're getting a good 7 to 8 hours of sleep each night, and still feeling sluggish and tired it's time to look for another explanation, beyond lack of sleep, that might be causing your fatigue.
Fatigue that lasts for a week (or longer) can actually be a sign of serious illness... or it can signal a minor problem that's easy to correct. Whichever the case, you need to know, or you'll never feel rested and refreshed. There's no reason to delay finding out what's happening. A visit to your doctor will give you the answer (and reassurances) that you need.
Here are some things your doctor may consider as contributing to your fatigue...
1) Anemia - especially if you're in your reproductive years, can be a cause of fatigue. The monthly blood loss leads to a deficiency of hemoglobin - the iron rich protein in red blood cells that delivers oxygen to all parts of the body. Fatigue is a sign that the tissues and organs are not getting enough oxygen. The solution is an iron supplement or adding iron rich foods like broccoli, spinach and red meat to your meal plan.
2) Caffeine Overload - the well used stimulant of our times can turn on you, and instead of giving you that quick burst of energy, it can have exactly the opposite effect. A study published in the journal US Pharmacist by W. Stephen Pray, PhD., RPh, found that continued doses of caffeine led to fatigue. Add more caffeine and the fatigue gets worse too. The best (though hardest) thing you can do for yourself is to reduce your intake - cutting coffee, chocolate, tea, soda and any over the counter medication that contain caffeine. But do so gradually, so as to avoid the unpleasantness of sudden withdrawals.
3) Food Allergies - are believed by some doctors to take energy away from the body, and even if they're mild, these intolerances can make you tired. Eat the troublesome food a lot, and you'll be fatigued all the time. If you think allergies to certain foods may be the source of your exhaustion, try an Elimination Diet to cut out foods and additives for a time, then reintroduce them one at a time and watch for the fatigue to return. You might also speak to your doctor
4) Heart disease - as yet undiagnosed, could be the culprit behind your lingering fatigue - especially if you get exhausted after activities that used to be easy. If you're wiped out after ordinary tasks, like vacuuming, doing yard work or at the end of your workday, it's time for a visit to your doctor. Heart disease is the leading cause of death in women. These signs, though likely nothing to worry about, may be your first clue that something is amiss, and your best chance to get the medications or treatment that help to correct the problem and restore your energy.
5) Hypothyroidism - by age 60 about 17% of women will have a thyroid disorder and not even know it. If you find that you're fatigued, generally sluggish, run down and maybe a bit depressed to boot the cause may be hypothyroidism. Your thyroid is a butterfly shaped gland in your neck that controls the speed at which your body works... also known as your metabolism. Blood tests for both T3 and T4 are the best way to detect this condition, safe synthetic hormones can then be administered.
6) Sleep Apnea - can be a problem if you're getting enough sleep but continue to feel constant fatigue. This sleep disorder causes you to momentarily stop breathing often over and over again during the night. Each time your breathing stops, your sleep cycle is disturbed as you are jolted awake, though you're usually not aware this is happening. A visit to a sleep lab or care by a specialist who focuses on sleep apnea are the best ways to get diagnosed and be on your way to the restful, restorative sleep your body needs.
7) Urinary Tract Infections - can sometimes present without the hallmark burning and urgency, fatigue being the symptom that brings a patient to her doctor. UTI's are caused by bacteria being brought into the urinary tract (a risk when you wipe back to front) and causing problems. If your doctor suspects an infection without the customary symptoms, a simple urine test can deliver the answer and then antibiotics can be prescribed. If you're a woman who suffers chronic UTI's, you might want to ask about low dose antibiotic therapy to prevent the infection from coming back.
If, after checking out all these physical possibilities, you have no answers, don't despair. Maybe your body is trying to let you know you're doing too much... pushing to hard. After all, complaints of always feeling tired is common in our ‘got to be everywhere and do everything world'. Recognizing your limitations, letting go (or saying “no” judiciously) and slowing down accordingly, might just be enough to help lift the fatigue that's become a part of your life.