25 Sep Fighting Chronic Fatigue the Right Way
Feeling fatigued lately? Fatigue is a common side effect of living, especially as you add more and more to your schedule. However, when fatigue is constant, it could be a sign of something more chronic than just a lack of sleep. Hard work should leave you tired and ready to rest. Fatigue is more a general and pervasive lack of energy and doesn’t improve significantly with rest. There are many side effects of fatigue that can be dangerous such as memory loss or mental fogginess as well as depression. Instead of relying on stimulants (like caffeine) to keep you awake during the day, seek out effective therapeutic methods with our treatments. We just may find the cause of your fatigue and remedy it so you can live a life with more energy!
Fatigue Vs. Being Tired
Many patients may think that fatigue is normal and is the same as being tired. However, fatigue is very different than normal tiredness. Hard work throughout your day should leave you tired and ready to rest. However, fatigue is that ever pervasive feeling of being tired no matter how much rest your body receives. When fatigue sets in, it can be difficult to accomplish basic everyday tasks or keep a job. That’s because chronic fatigue causes a person to feel a pervasive lack of energy instead of an acute need for rest like normal tiredness causes.
What Will You Feel?
With general tiredness, even a power nap can make a huge difference for your day. Fatigue won’t be conquered by simply sleeping or investing in naps. Those with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome will experience a lack of restfulness no matter the amount of sleep they feel. This can cause mental fogginess or memory loss. Some patients experience depression and anxiety if chronic fatigue persists. Others will feel chronic pain in the joints or diffuse aching throughout the body, especially when moving around. Quite commonly, our patients will also experience daily or frequent headaches and migraines.
Facts About Fatigue
- For most people, 6-8 hours of sleep is all they need to feel refreshed and ready to tackle their day. For those with chronic fatigue, they can sleep 12-14 hours or more and still feel tired.
- If chronic fatigue is caused by a chronic illness, it could come from a cold or flu, nutrient deficiencies, heart or kidney problems, thyroid issues or infections.
- Excessive work or stress can cause chronic fatigue if a patient doesn’t receive enough relaxation and sleep each day.
- Over-the-counter, prescription or illegal drugs can create side effects that cause fatigue.
- Electrolyte imbalances or not enough water throughout the day can cause dehydration, which causes your body to become tired.
- Fatigue is a factor in many auto accidents. At least 20% of fatal accidents involve a fatigued driver.
- Each individual needs around 7-8 hours of sleep at night to function properly.
Caffeine Use in the United States
Although there are many products on the market to combat fatigue or being tired, they are not generally the best options for your health. Caffeine can make fatigue worse and can cause other problems in the body. You can become dependent on caffeine and will constantly need more of it to feel energized. Caffeine use also causes patients to feel a spike of energy, just to crash a few hours (or sooner) afterwards. Plus, constant intake can take a hit to your bank account, as many coffee joints charge anywhere between $2-$7 per coffee. Here are some more of the facts about caffeine intake:
- The common sources of caffeine are coffee, chocolate, tea and soft drinks (especially energy drinks).
- Soft drinks generally contain about 30-40 mg of caffeine in every 12 ounces of drink.
- Most energy drinks will contain around 200 mg of caffeine.
- The average amount of caffeine consumed PER PERSON each day is around 300 milligrams.
- The suggested safe amount of caffeine for a pregnant person is up to 200 mg a day.
Fight Fatigue the Right Way
There is no magic cure for fatigue that will help every single patient, especially because there are so many factors that can cause it. We can however, assess your diet and sleep to see if lack of sleep or nutritional deficiencies are causing your symptoms. In many cases, making the body healthier can help fight how tired you feel. If we find the cause through nutritional assessments, our supplementation and diet plans can help fix your deficiencies.
We also provide exercises and stretching regimens that can help release muscle tension and pain that could be draining your energy. Sometimes problems with misalignment of the body can be putting extra pressure and strain on the body that causes fatigue. We can provide you correct and gentle adjustments and spinal care that can help relieve the issue. There are many ways to combat fatigue, but the first step is getting help. You can receive that professional help through us, and we’ll work to correct your symptoms and provide you more natural energy throughout the day.
Your Health and Wellness
Sleep is an indicator of our overall health and wellness. Receiving enough sleep and nutrition can help you feel more energy throughout the day. However, when you are doing everything right and still feel chronic fatigue, it could be a sign of a more chronic condition. Let us help you find the cause of your fatigue and work to stop it. Call Mile High Spine & Pain Center today at (720) 507-0080 for your free consultation!