We have written about tiredness and fatigue syndrome before because it is such an important subject and affects both physical and mental health at home and in the workplace.

Some people can feel tired even though they appear, on the surface, to have enough sleep. If this is the case they might try a short nap during the day or have an early night but sometimes this doesn’t help.

Tiredness is a complex issue and it can affect your entire being and cause headaches, aching muscles, moodiness, short-term memory problems, poor concentration and low motivation. If all this sounds more like a mental health issue then you may be right.

Constant tiredness can impact on your personal and work life and will affect your ability to do your job and have an impact on the health and safety of those around you dependent on the sort of work that you do.

If you do feel tired all the time then examine the quantity and quality of your sleep but for many of those who visit the doctor complaining of fatigue it’s most likely that something else is to blame for the lack of sleep and constant feeling of exhaustion.

The cause of fatigue isn’t always obvious, and you may have an underlying medical problem such as anaemia, and underactive thyroid sleep apnoea, diabetes, heart problems or an auto immune disorder such as rheumatoid arthritis

It can also be a side-effect of any medication that you might be taking so your to examine doctor should investigate the potential knock-on effect of any prescription medicine that they recommend before you take it.

Alternatively, feeling tired all the time can be a response to your personal lifestyle, or your social and psychological issues rather than a medical condition. Here are a number of possible reasons why you might be tired all the time.

Top of the list is stress, anxiety or depression because studies suggest that between 50 and 80% of tiredness is due to psychological factors. Stress and emotional shock such as a bereavement or a relationship break up can leave you feeling worn out. In fact,  fatigue is regarded as one of the main symptoms of generalised anxiety disorder and depression which affect up to 7% of the worlds population. The good news is that doctors and health professionals will be able to help.

Insufficient iron. The mineral iron is essential for transporting oxygen in your blood so if you’re not eating enough iron rich foods you’re likely to feel constantly tired women are more prone to developing and efficiency than men because of their menstrual cycle.

If you suspect that this could be the reason for your tiredness examine your diet and consider foods that are rich in vitamin C.

Exercise. It’s probably the last thing you feel like doing if you’re constantly in a state of tiredness but research shows that regular low intensity exercise can boost energy levels and people suffering from fatigue.

Even a brief 15 minute walk and help and one British study found that yoga was effective at increasing energy. Why exercise alleviates fatigue isn’t clear but study findings suggest physical activity axed directly on the central nervous system to increase energy.

Dehydration. You can feel tired when you are mildly dehydrated. We see more and more people carrying bottles of water these days and this is a very sensible remedy to ensure that you do not become even mildly dehydrated. If you’re planning to exercise ensure that you are well hydrated before you start and sip water throughout your work out re-hydrating afterwards.

We hope that some of these tips may help you if you are one of those who feel constantly tired. Please review our other blogs on the same subject which you may also find to be of assistance.

Remember, Mayfair we care

Nowadays many of us live a life in a way that is not really natural for either our bodies, or in many cases, our mental state. Of course, we are tough and many will adapt sooner or later.

However, there are negative side effects that many of us have to deal with and severe fatigue is definitely one of those side effects.    

The pace of an average person's life has increased significantly over the past two decades. And even at primary school, we all have countless pressures and often too much to deal with.

Important Note:   Severe fatigue can be a side effect of countless diseases and mental illnesses, and as such it is extremely important to visit your personal doctor as soon as possible if you are facing constantly weary.        

What is Severe Fatigue?     

The severity of fatigue is rather hard to determine as we all deal with fatigue in different ways. What might be an extreme case for one person may be just tiredness for someone else and if you are simply tired, or even exhausted, by the end of a tough and long day, you are not facing severe fatigue. The term severe fatigue is used when one is constantly tired.

When one must deal with very low energy levels all day every  day for then you've probably got severe fatigue on your hands and should definitely schedule an appointment with your doctor to check your physical and mental health.

How to Fight Severe Fatigue?     

Once you have determined that the cause of severe fatigue doesn't actually lie in health issues, then it is time to take the matter in your own hands. For a healthy person to be facing severe fatigue, it absolutely means s/he is doing quite a few things wrong and that s/he should make some lifestyle changes ASAP.    

Understanding that modern-day pace of life can result in many perfectly healthy individuals facing severe fatigue too often. For those, we offer the following hints and tips to get your energy levels back to normal.     

Get more sleep    

Many of us deal with the crazy pace of work and life in general by creating longer days and cutting down on sleep hours to work longer or fit in some leisure time. Keep in mind that we all need to get between 7-9 hours of sleep every night. Sleep is basically recovery time and we just can't function properly without getting enough of it.    

Change your dietary habits    

Just as sleep is the recovery time, the food we consume is the fuel. If the fuel is of poor quality, it is just not providing our body with the nutrients it needs. Our body needs enough minerals, vitamins, healthy fats, fibre, proteins, and complex carbs. As such proper diet is as equally important as sleep. Examine the possibility of having a well balanced diet and try cutting out or reducing the amount of fast and processed food intake.   

Exercise      

It might sound strange to deal with severe fatigue by exercising, but a human body is built to move. You should aim to get at least 30 minutes of some sort of exercise performed daily. Walking is one of the healthiest choices. Also add some straight exercises, such as push-ups, squats, and lunges.

When we exercise our bodies produce hormones that will elevate your energy level and help you cope with severe fatigue.    

Everyone needs a relaxation    

If we are mentally exhausted, our physical state won't be any different. As such it is important to treat yourselves with some sort of relaxation that best suits you on a daily basis.

Meditation and Yoga (which will at the same time cover the above point) tend to be the most effective ones, but it can be anything you like that helps you relax and clear your mind; reading, or a hobby you enjoy are other alternatives to help you switch of from the daily grind.

In summary

If you believe you are dealing with severe fatigue, first schedule an appointment with your doctor. If you are physically and mentally healthy, you should change your lifestyle by improving all four aspects that affect your energy levels the most - SLEEP, DIET, EXERCISE, and RELAXATION.         

Good luck!

Mayfair, we care.

List of sources: 

https://www.healthline.com/health/fatigue#causes   https://www.webmd.com/balance/how-tired-is-too-tired#1   https://www.mayoclinic.org/symptoms/fatigue/basics/causes/sym-20050894   https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/248002.php