Fatigue at your own request

In the first place among the causes of chronic fatigue is insufficient sleep. As scientists from the Karolinska Institutet in Sweden note, compensating sleep (“I will sleep at the weekend”) is not only impossible, but also harmful. Sleeping 10-12 hours during these two days completely disrupts the circadian rhythm and leaves a person broken and exhausted on Monday, as if he had never rested. Even the supposedly perky mood on Monday morning will end up with sleep problems the same day in the evening. According to Swedish scientists, 7,5 hours of continuous night rest for a man is a necessary norm. For a woman, a little more is needed – approx. 8 hours. These are not constant values: the body of each of us has its own individual standard, which, however, oscillates around 8 hours. As you get older, this time can get shorter, but until around the age of 60, it is almost constant, according to researchers at IC. photo: Shutterstock

The procedure would seem natural, because we think that we will not be able to exercise effectively. Meanwhile, researchers from the University of Georgia say, if adults, even those feeling exhausted, but healthy, will exercise lightly for 20 minutes a day, three times a week, after 6 weeks their chronic fatigue will disappear from them. Regular exercise increases endurance and strength, supports the circulatory system, enabling it to work more efficiently and facilitates the supply of nutrients and oxygen to organ tissues. To begin with, in the case of “exhausting fatigue after a hard day’s work”, it is best to go for a long walk after eating a meal. The next day, the tiredness will not be as noticeable and you will be able to start exercising. photo: Shutterstock

Just water, not juices, carbonated drinks, coffee or all kinds of “liquid stimulants”, says Dr. Amy Goodson, nutritionist at Texas Health Ben Hogan Sports Medicine. Reducing the daily amount of water in favor of different types of beverages or abstaining from drinking leads to dehydration. Even at 2 percent. loss of fluid, the blood becomes thicker and its volume smaller, the heart has to work harder to pump blood, which will also reduce the efficiency of transport – along with blood – of oxygen and nutrients to organ tissues. There are different systems for determining how much water is needed for the body to function properly, but as a result all calculations are about 1,5-1,7 liters of water per day, depending on your weight.

Another cause of constant fatigue is a lack of iron in the body, according to Dr. Goodson. The lack of this essential micronutrient makes a person feel weak, nervous, lethargic, and their ability to concentrate decreases. “Less oxygen flows through the cells and muscle tissue and makes you feel tired – such is the effect of lack of iron,” says Dr. Goodson. She adds that the lack of iron in the body may be a sign of a serious disease, e.g. anemia, but to find out this, apart from standard blood tests, you should check your iron levels from time to time or undergo such tests in case of constant fatigue. However, Dr. Goodson notes that usually the problem with iron deficiency is the result of a poor and monotonous diet or constant weight loss. Iron can be found in red meat (preferably liver), fish, red beans, eggs, nuts, and spinach. When eating such vegetables, you should take vitamin C, and preferably fruits or vegetables that contain it, e.g. spinach salad with grapefruit. photo: Shutterstock

Nowadays, it is an increasingly common disorder – says prof. psychiatry, Irene S. Levine of the New York University School of Medicine. “Setting yourself unrealistic goals or goals that are very difficult to achieve, the natural sequence of things causes a decrease in self-esteem and causes constant exhaustion” – he adds. She advises us to carefully set the time for carrying out our tasks, especially those related to work, because perfectionism forces us to devote more and more of our daily activities to it. Meanwhile, prof. Levine notes that devoting extra time to work will not bring us any closer to achieving our professional goals. photo: Shutterstock

This is the second cause of constant fatigue commonly known to psychiatrists, notes Prof. Levine. Usually, such people, when summoned to an emergency meeting with the boss, anticipate immediate dismissal, they are afraid to ride a bike, because it may end in an accident, and they always anticipate the worst possible development of the situation. Feeding their fears paralyzes them and makes them mentally tired. As the first type of therapy, prof. Levine offers them “a deep breath and remember how many times this worst-case scenario has come true”. A separate issue is that in many cases, when such thoughts are obsessive, the help of a psychiatrist may be needed, because it may result in, for example, anxiety nerve, which is already a serious ailment. photo: Shutterstock

This is not a way to diet, but a way to fatigue and overcool your body, making its supply of nutrients and energy discontinuous, warns Dr. Goodson. «Breakfast is like starting an engine in our body; because it starts the metabolic engine »- he adds. Skipping breakfast causes the body to enter the activity mode very slowly. It should be possible to be healthy – for example oatmeal, whole grain flakes and a sandwich or a soft-yak, fish or a ham sandwich. Fruit and low-fat yoghurt won’t hurt either. However, beware of mixtures that cause flatulence – then you will feel unwell for most of the day. photo: Shutterstock

Lack of breakfast and the day started with a bar will quickly lead to a fast-food lunch, scientists from the University of Illinois say. This food is high in sugar, high in saturated fat, and has a high glycemic index, which shows how quickly your blood sugar will rise after eating it. This kind of rapid growth will cause post-meal lethargy and fatigue in the evening. Meanwhile, a constant level of sugar can be ensured by eating a dinner that includes lean meat (not necessarily chicken) or fish, brown rice, porridge and vegetable salad. Then fruit is enough for dessert. It is worth mentioning that scientists from UI use the name of junk food not only for products of well-known fast-food chains, but also buns, sweet rolls, blueberries and other cookies, lavishly covered with icing, which are popular in Polish companies. photo: Shutterstock