Fatigue is one of the most common health complaints and is often due to stress, lack of sleep, poor diet and several other lifestyle factors.
If you’ve ever felt run-down, tired, physically or mentally exhausted or generally lacking in motivation, chances are you are suffering from a bout of fatigue.
Fortunately, fatigue is temporary in many cases and can be sorted out with a good night’s sleep or some extra rest. However, if you are feeling tired or lacking in energy all the time, there may be underlying health issues or other problems at the root of it.
Five Medical Reasons You May Feel Tired
When it comes to combating fatigue, it’s important to first rule out any medical conditions that may be causing you to feel so run down and tired. Medical reasons for feeling fatigued include:
Sleep Apnoea
When your throat narrows or closes due to Sleep Apnoea, this can lead to a restless night’s sleep and often leaves you feeling exhausted the following day.
Anaemia
Iron deficiency is one of the most common reasons for feeling tired and run down. Anaemia makes your muscles feel especially heavy and makes you become exhausted very quickly.
Glandular Fever
This common viral infection causes extreme fatigue, along with a fever and swollen glands. Glandular Fever is especially prevalent among teenagers and young adults. Although it usually clears up within six to eight weeks, the fatigue can linger.
Diabetes
Both type 1 and type 2 diabetes can leave you feeling tired due to too high or too low blood sugar levels.
Mental Health
Depression and anxiety both play a part in making you feel fatigued. Both can prevent you from getting enough sleep or good quality sleep, which leaves you feeling drained the next day.
Managing Fatigue After A Viral Infection
Fatigue is a normal response your body has when fighting a viral infection. If you have suffered from coronavirus, one of its lasting effects is fatigue, so it’s important to still take time to rest and stay lightly active. To help get over this extreme tiredness, try getting yourself into a daily routine as this helps your body to stabilise itself. As you begin to improve, it’s important to remember to keep a healthy, balanced lifestyle with quality rest and routine both physically and mentally. If you find these lifestyle changes aren’t helping enough and have ruled out any health conditions that may be the root of the problem, you can take several health supplements to beat fatigue.
Home Remedies to Beat Fatigue
There is a wide range of ways to fight fatigue naturally, and we’ve listed just a handful below to get you feeling back to your usual self.
Getting the day off to a good start means having a nutritious breakfast. This will help keep your blood sugar levels steady and will set you up for the day ahead. Some foods that can help boost energy levels and get you feeling more alert are:
- Eggs
- Bananas
- Almonds
- Watermelon
- Kale
- Chia seeds
- Oats
