Fatigue - Rejuvenate Clinic

Understanding and Overcoming Fatigue

Fatigue is a common symptom that can have many causes. It refers to an ongoing feeling of tiredness, weakness, and lack of energy that doesn't go away with rest or sleep. While occasional fatigue is normal, chronic fatigue that persists for weeks or months may indicate an underlying medical condition.

Types of Fatigue

There are two main types of fatigue:

Physical fatigue - This refers to muscle weakness and reduced endurance. It's the feeling you get after exercise or a long day of physical activity. Physical fatigue is considered normal and often resolves with rest.
Mental fatigue - This refers to difficulty concentrating, poor memory, and reduced motivation. Mental fatigue may occur even without physical exertion and doesn't always resolve with rest.

Common Causes of Fatigue

Some common causes of fatigue include:

Lack of sleep - Not getting 7-9 hours of quality sleep per night can lead to persistent tiredness.
Poor diet - Nutrient deficiencies, low protein intake, and dehydration can all cause fatigue.
Sedentary lifestyle - Lack of physical activity leads to loss of endurance and energy over time.
Stress - Ongoing emotional or psychological stress taxes the body and mind.
Depression - The apathy and lack of motivation associated with depression can manifest as severe fatigue.
Chronic diseases - Many conditions like anemia, thyroid disorders, heart disease, rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes and cancer sap energy and make people feel chronically tired.
Medications - Many prescription and over-the-counter drugs can cause fatigue as a side effect.
Hormonal imbalances - Issues with hormones like cortisol, testosterone, estrogen and growth hormone can lead to unexplained fatigue, especially in women and older adults. Getting your hormone levels checked by an endocrinologist or hormone clinic like Rejuvenate Clinic can identify any imbalances contributing to fatigue or low energy.

Cause of Fatigue	Description
Lack of sleep	Not getting 7-9 hours of quality sleep per night
Poor diet	Nutrient deficiencies, low protein intake, and dehydration
Sedentary lifestyle	Lack of physical activity leads to loss of endurance and energy
Stress	Ongoing emotional or psychological stress
Depression	Apathy and lack of motivation associated with depression
Chronic diseases	Anemia, thyroid disorders, heart disease, rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes, and cancer
Medications	Prescription and over-the-counter drugs with fatigue as a side effect
Hormonal imbalances	Issues with cortisol, testosterone, estrogen, and growth hormone levels

When to Seek Medical Help

If you're struggling with ongoing, persistent fatigue that isn't relieved by lifestyle changes like more sleep, exercise, stress management or dietary improvements, see your doctor. Unexplained chronic fatigue needs medical evaluation to identify any underlying conditions that may be causing it or making it worse. Blood tests can check for anemia, thyroid problems, vitamin deficiencies and illnesses associated with fatigue. Your doctor may also refer you to a specialist like a sleep doctor, endocrinologist, cardiologist or neurologist for further testing and treatment.

Specialist	Area of Expertise
Sleep Doctor	Sleep disorders and insomnia
Endocrinologist	Hormonal imbalances and endocrine disorders
Cardiologist	Heart disease and cardiovascular conditions
Neurologist	Neurological disorders and brain health

Conclusion

Fatigue is a complex symptom with many potential causes, ranging from lifestyle factors to chronic illnesses and hormonal imbalances. If you're experiencing persistent fatigue that doesn't improve with self-care measures, it's important to seek medical attention to identify any underlying issues and develop an appropriate treatment plan. Don't ignore debilitating fatigue - get to the root cause with help from your healthcare providers. You deserve to feel energized, focused and vibrant for all of life's activities. Rejuvenate Clinic wishes you the very best in overcoming fatigue and regaining your energy and zest for life!