Today’s fast-paced life cannot keep everyone energetic and, on their toes, all the time. According to experts, no matter how fast and systematic you are, you may get fatigued – a term used to describe an overall feeling of tiredness or lack of energy.
It isn’t the same as simply feeling drowsy or sleepy. When you’re fatigued, you have no motivation and no energy. Being sleepy may be a symptom of fatigue, but it’s not the same thing. Fatigue is also a common symptom of many medical conditions that range in severity from mild to serious.
According to experts, if your fatigue does not resolve with rest and nutrition, see your doctor to diagnose the cause.
Many people also have hyper-fatigue – a phrase that originated from a 2023 trends report by the market research firm Mintel and related to consumers being bombarded by too much information. “The pandemic, rising cost of living, energy crisis, geopolitical unrest, and climate crisis are taking their toll”. But when does fatigue become a medical matter? And what can you do about it?
How does hyper-fatigue affect your overall health?
According to experts, being tired all the time – or hyper-fatigue stems from three major issues:
- Lifestyle factors
- Physical health conditions
- Mental health issues
Doctors say that fatigue is different from tiredness – which usually goes away with sleep and rest. Hyper-fatigue on the other hand may have bursts of energy but could then feel exhausted for hours or days afterward.
Your doctor may advise taking a few blood tests to try to rule out anemia, vitamin deficiencies – particularly vitamin B12 – kidney disease, liver problems, underactive thyroid, and diabetes, which can all cause the condition. However, experts call it the new epidemic since COVID-19 as the ongoing symptoms of the infection last for at least two months.
Signs and symptoms of hyper-fatigue
Doctors advise making an appointment with them if you:
- Cannot think of anything that might account for your fatigue
- Have fever all the time
- Have unexplained weight loss
- Feel sensitive to low temperature
- Keep falling asleep
- Feel depressed all the time
How will the doctor treat hyper-fatigue?
Doctors say their treatment plans totally depend on what causes your fatigue. To make a diagnosis, they will likely ask you questions about:
The nature of your fatigue, including when it started and whether it gets better or worse at certain times
- Other symptoms that you have been experiencing
- Medical conditions that you have
- Your lifestyle and sources of stress
- Medications that you are taking
Lifestyle changes to get over hyper-fatigue
According to experts, there are a large number of measures you can take to help get over this condition. Boost your energy levels by:
- Drink lots of water and stay hydrated
- Eat healthy and seasonal foods
- Exercise regularly
- Sleep properly
- Avoid known stressors
- Avoid a work or social schedule that’s overly demanding
- Do relaxing activities like yoga and meditation
- Quit smoking and drinking alcohol
