Reasons for Tiredness & Fatigue
Fatigue is defined as a lack of energy or a feeling of tiredness or weariness. Fatigue usually stems from a simple lack of sleep, but there are also medical and psychological conditions that cause physical and mental fatigue. At times, people with fatigue simply think that getting a few extra hours of shuteye is the cure for this, but many people find that this is not the case. Getting to know what's causing your fatigue will be a great help in finding an effective treatment.
Allergies
Pet dander, dust and pollen are all triggers to allergic rhinitis. Allergic rhinitis usually affects the nose and eyes and may also include the lungs. People often sneeze, cough or complain of itchy eyes associated with these allergies. Because the body is going through a period of illness, its natural response it to slow down and induce fatigue. In order for your body to heal faster, it beckons you to rest. Unfortunately, the first course of action for treating allergies is usually by prescribing antihistamines. Antihistamines such as the brand Benadryl can cause sleepiness as a side effect. However, new antihistamines such as Zyrtec and Allegra do not.
Anemia
Iron-deficiency anemia is the most common type of anemia. According to the National Institutes of Health, 20 percent of women, two percent of men and 50 percent of pregnant women do not have enough iron in their bodies. Iron is used to produce hemoglobin, which carries oxygen through the blood. Usually your body gets sufficient iron from foods and from recycling old red blood cells. Heavy blood loss and heavy menstrual bleeding are two of the most common causes of iron-deficiency anemia. The most common signs of anemia are weakness and fatigue.
Insomnia
Having an uncontrollable urge to stay up all night can do more than just damage your health. The average person under the age of 60 needs at least eight hours of sleep per night, and those 60 and up are required to have only six. Even though these guidelines are universal and not problematic to the most of us, 25 percent of Americans still report sleeping problems and 10 percent of these people report having insomnia, according to the National Institutes of Health. Insomnia forces you to stay up all night, causing you to get less sleep than the amount recommended. This in turn, can give you mild to extreme daytime fatigue. Insomnia can be caused by jet lag, anxiety, heartburn, street drugs, lack of sunlight, medication side effects, sleeping too much in the daytime, stimulants and stress.
Pregnancy
In the first trimester of pregnancy, most women report having reoccurring feelings of fatigue. Several things cause this fatigue; mainly it is due to a rapid increase in the hormone progesterone. Pregnancy fatigue is also contributed to symptoms of pregnancy such as frequent urination, which disturbs your night's sleep, causing you to feel more fatigued in the mornings. Morning sickness can also have you feeling drained throughout the day. These feelings of exhaustion usually subside in the second trimester of pregnancy.
Depression
Depression is defined as feeling blue or unhappy. At one point or another, we all get this feeling briefly. However, for some people this feeling can be an everyday occurrence that causes interferences in their everyday activities. A person suffering from depression may sleep a lot or sleep too little, which will cause moments of fatigue throughout the day. Some people would rather sleep more than usual during this trying time as a means for escaping the depression. Fatigue as a result of depression usually clears up when the depression is treated.
Tags: most common, anemia most, anemia most common, fatigue Insomnia, Institutes Health