Fatigue: Symptoms, Causes, Treatment. Chronic Fatigue, Muscle Fatigue (Chronic fatigue)

According to many studies, physical activity boosts one's energy levels. Working out is linked to improving vigor and overall quality of life. When people become active, they have a greater sense of self-confidence as well as improved working efficiency of the heart, lungs, and muscles. Besides, it is hard to feel fatigued when you need to focus on exercises.

So, if you want to deal with chronic fatigue and fatigue symptoms in general, do types of physical activity that you enjoy or haven't tried before. It is also a good idea to take small breaks at work to do a couple of fatigue-fighting exercises and stretching. Another great solution is to perform stretches recommended by Chinese medicine. 

Dehydration one of the fatigue causes. According to a research, it zaps your energy and impairs physical performance. Moreover, drinking not enough water decreases alertness and concentration.

As a fatigue treatment, try to stay hydrated. If you can, drink about 2 liters or 68 ounces a day. How to find out if you’re suffering from dehydration? When you consume enough water, urine should be pale yellow or straw colored. But if it's darker than that, you need to drink more water.

Although almost any exercise is good for fighting depression and fatigue, yoga is especially helpful for boosting one's energy. According to a British study, six weeks of once-a-week yoga classes led to improvements in clear-mindedness, energy, and confidence among the participants, and yoga can definitely be considered a good "medication" for chronic fatigue. Besides, there are so many types of yoga and you can certainly find the type that suits you. And, it's never late to start.

There are many reasons for fatigue, but a nap can definitely help you deal with it. Although it is not always possible, nap can save you a lot of time and stress. You just need to do it the right way. 

First, check the temperature. The best temperature for a nap is 60- 68 degrees F (15-20 C). Dim the lights in the room, in order to stimulate melatonin. Then, take the ideal nap position, which is achieved by lying a bit upright so as to avoid deep sleep. 

There are a few types of a nap differing in length that you can choose from, depending on what you want to achieve:

• The power nap (15-20 mins) - Your top choice for getting right back to your work. If you choose that one, you can drink a cup of coffee right before lying down. The caffeine won't kick in for 20 minutes, but it will right around the time after you're already awake. And hold a pencil or pen while drifting off to sleep - the pencil will drop and wake you up naturally.
• The NASA nap (26 mins) - Ideal for a day, when you're to work long hours. It's been scientifically proven to improve pilot performance by 34% and alertness by 54%.
• The bad nap (30 mins) - Should be avoided as it's a cause of a sleep hangover. You would need up to 30 minutes after it for any restorative benefits to kick in.
• The slow-wave sleep nap (60 mins) - Your first choice before an important presentation or a meeting. It benefits our cognitive memory processing, remembering places, facts, and faces.
• The full sleep cycle nap (90 mins) - Great before a big test or a project deadline. It only helps your creativity as well as emotional and procedural memory. 

Many people know what is chronic fatigue, but what many of them might not know is how to treat it. A simple way to treat fatigue is a glass of lemon water. The smell of a freshly sliced lemon combined with drinking clean water will revitalize your tired body. Drink one glass in the morning and more when you feel sluggish throughout the day.  

All you need to do is squeeze the half of a freshly sliced lemon or lime into a full glass of water and drink it. You can add some mint, too. The water can be either cold or warm, depending on what you prefer. 

What causes chronic fatigue? Immune system problems and viral infections are some of the causers. Ginseng is thought to be helpful in adjusting your body to stress, which can be caused by heat or cold, hunger, or exhaustion as well as fatigue. It helps by improving the health of the adrenal system and regulating your cortisol levels, which would help you to stay active throughout the day.

What to do:

1. Put a tablespoon of dried ginseng in a tea ball or slicing an inch of the root into small pieces.
2. Cover it with hot water and let it steep for about 10 minutes.
3. You can also stir in some honey and/or lemon to improve the taste.
4. It can be drunk instead of a morning coffee. Just make sure to drink a cup daily to see an improvement. 

Licorice  is one of the natural remedies for fatigue and depression. Licorice root is a herb that can help your body more effectively and regulate cortisol levels. Balanced cortisol is crucial because too much of it can lead to sleepless nights, whereas too little, to fatigue.

What to do:

1. Steep a tablespoon of dried licorice root in boiling hot water, cover it.
2. Let it steep for about 10 minutes.
3. Strain the mixture and add honey and/or lemon to improve the taste.
4. Drink it first thing in the morning.

It is helpful to eat more complex carbohydrates as opposed to the simple ones, as one of the natural remedies for fatigue and depression. Simple carbohydrates (e.g. sugar from cakes and cookies, artificial syrup, candy) get quickly burned up. Even tough they might temporary give you a boost in energy when your glucose spikes, you’ll use it up pretty fast. Complex carbs (e.g. peas, beans, whole grains, and vegetables), on the other hand, are able to give you a steadier and greater energy level. This is also helpful when you are physically active. Avoid getting exhausted by ingesting glucose about 30 minutes before you might normally hit the wall, in order to give time to the glucose to be absorbed into your blood.

If you are waking up fatigued, it is possible that too much time spend in poorly illuminated area is the reason. You should increase the amount of lighting in your home as well as your office. The consequences of a poorly lit area can include a signal to the brain that it is night, which encourages your body to sleep. Avoid that by switching more lights on. Blue lights can be especially helpful. 

Technology can cause stress (and stress causes fatigue) and can make your work life spill into your home life, thus, keeping your body constantly tense and exhausted and may also lead to you waking up fatigued. Try to take a day off or, at least, an hour without using any technologies.

It is common for people to easily get bored when it’s too quiet around, and boredom leads to fatigue. Therefore, turn up the radio, or start listening to your favorite tunes on the phone, as a way to fight against depression and fatigue. As you repeat (sing) the lyrics of the songs in your head, your thoughts of being tired will slowly disappear. 

Coenzyme Q10 is a substance produced by the body that can encourage your mitochondria to make energy. Try to take 30 milligrams of it twice a day, at breakfast and lunch, to avoid chronic fatigue (and taking medication for chronic fatigue). An additional source of Coenzyme Q10 are nuts and oils.

This type of amino acid is able to promote the activity of mitochondria, i.e. the cell components that produce energy and stand in the way of muscle fatigue and fatigue symptoms. Although it can be found in some foods, most people don’t get enough of it in their diets. Make sure to take the supplement according to the dosage instructions on the label.

Warm colors as red, yellow, and orange, are energizing and attention-grabbing, which means that they can activate our brain circuitry. The most energizing color is thought to be orange, since it's a blend of the red that activates adrenaline production and yellow that reminds of the Sun. 

The solution to excessive fatigue is simple - surround yourself with energizing colors. Get some orange accessories or clothing items, such as socks, scarves, shirts. It's also a nice idea to stock your office or house with orange sticky notes. You can also put an item with an orange color on your desk.

If stress and fatigue trouble you and you want natural remedies for fatigue, try drinking ginger tea. You don't need caffeine to get energized as the same effect can be achieved with the help of ginger tea. Ginger tea possesses strong stimulating properties that are equally great when it comes to dealing with mental and muscle fatigue.

All you need to do is add hot water to a slice of ginger and let it steep for a few minutes before drinking.

Yogurt is soft, which is why our bodies processes it way more quickly than a solid food, and make it a great source of quick energy. Also the efffects are longer, because of a good ratio of protein and carbohydrates. 

Protein is known to stay in the stomach longer than carbohydrates, which makes it a steady source of energy. Probiotic supplementation can promote feelings of calmness and tranquility and help you fight against physical and emotional fatigue.

So, if you still wonder how to overcome fatigue, eat some yogurt and make it a habit.

If you have any of the signs of fatigue and you just cannot stand drinking pure water, try drinking self-made juice. It is important that you blend the juice yourself, because the juice or fruit drinks bought from a store usually contain a lot of sugar, but lot less of the high-fiber and high-nutrient pulp, thus, resulting in more fatigue and calories for you.

Lack of sleep leads to the increased risk of accidents and is one of the main causes of daytime fatigue. The solution is simple: go to bed earlier to get a full night’s sleep.

Sometimes, sleep just won't happen. In order to avoid restless nights, try the following tips:

• Find the comfortable time for you and stick to the schedule in order to let your body get used to it. By doing that, you can set your body’s internal clock and maximize your sleep's quality. Begin by setting a realistic bedtime that will compliment your lifestyle and soon you will be waking up naturally before the alarm clock wakes you up.
• Use the technique developed by Russian special forces' agents. Lie down on your back with hands on your stomach. Breathe slowly. Close your eyes and move your pupils under the eyelids up. Keep them there. Keep breathing and don't think. You should fall asleep within a couple of minutes.
• Keep your room dark. Even bright numbers on a clock may disrupt your sleep. If you need to wake up at night, avoid turning on the lights. Instead, use a small flashlight or install a dim nightlight in the hall or bathroom.
• Make sure that the temperature in the room is sleep-friendly (around 65° F or 18° C) with adequate ventilation. 
• Reserve your bed for sleep and sex only. If you associate your bed with work or errands, it will be much harder for you to relax.

Drinking some potato water can be helpful in fighting fatigue, due to the fact that potato contains potassium. Since our body does not produce potassium naturally, we have to consume it. Without enough of it, our muscles wouldn’t move as they should and our nerve impulses wouldn’t fire in the correct manner.

What to do:

1. Slice up one unpeeled potato.
2. Add the slices to a glass of water.
3. Let it steep overnight in your fridge.
4. Drink in the morning.

Many muscles and nerve function, protein synthesis, as well as energy production require magnesium. The best way to get the right amount of it is to eat foods rich in magnesium, e.g. dark leafy greens, nuts, fish, whole grains, bananas, etc.

 Alternatively, you can take a magnesium supplement. Adults should take the maximum of 350 mg/day in the form of supplements.

Spinach is rich in iron and can help you boost red blood cell count, thus, providing you with more energy. Moreover, it also contains a lot of magnesium. According to an early research, consuming more spinach may even improve your muscle function during a workout.

Therefore, try to eat at least a cup of raw or cooked spinach daily. 

According to a group of doctors, losing extra weight can provide you with a powerful energy boost. It applies to even small reductions in body fat. As a result, you will improve your mood, vigor, and quality of your life in general.

In order to achieve that, try to cut down on portion sizes, eat balanced meals, and increase physical activity.

It can be helpful to eat smaller meals but more frequently during the day. Such method may help you keep your blood sugar level at a good level. Try to consume the right type of food, though - go for fruits, vegetables, whole grains, some protein.

Talking can be a simple yet effective way to combat tiredness. We often find ourselves being tired when we are quiet and just follow a routine.

The solution is to actively participate! Not only can speaking bring almost the same benefits as movement (moving your muscles while talking does count), but it also gives us an extra boost in focus and energy to counter the feeling of fatigue. Therefore, chat with a co-worker, or pick up a phone and call your friends for a few minutes.

Talking therapies such as counseling or cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) might be helpful in fighting fatigue. You can get a referral from your GP for talking treatment on the NHS or for advice on seeing a private therapist.

Despite the fact that a few glasses of wine in the evening can help you fall asleep, you actually sleep less deeply after drinking alcohol and you'll be tired the morning, regardless of how many hours you've slept.

Therefore, try to cut down on alcohol before bedtime. This way, you will be able to get a better night’s rest and have more energy. 

According to the Royal College of Psychiatrists, anyone feeling tired should eliminate caffeine. Although they do tend to quickly perk us up, they also lead to low-energy periods (also known as crashes) when their stimulating effect wears off. Moreover, consuming more of caffeine drinks during a day makes your body develop a habit, thus, decreasing the effect of caffeine.

And the best way to do so is to gradually stop drinking caffeine (including coffee, tea and cola drinks) over a three-week period. You would need to stay off caffeine completely for a month to see if you feel less sluggish without it.

During that period, you may find out that caffeine wasn't the cause of your headaches. In that case, cut down on the amount of caffeine that you drank earlier.

Stressful situations at home or at work may lead to quite a variety of long-term problems, including fatigue. Especially if you allow them to build up. Serious stress can be quite extremely harmful to your body, leading to physical and emotional exhaustion.

How to deal with stress? Relaxation techniques, e.g. meditation, biofeedback, Tai Chi, imagery, and many more can alleviate some of the tension you experience. 

Does diabetes cause fatigue? Yes, it can and not only disease, but many others. Fatigue and general tiredness can be caused by some underlying condition such as diabetes, depression, anemia, cancer, AIDS, tuberculosis, sleep apnea. Therefore, if you notice any other symptoms that could be a proof of a more serious condition, check with your doctor.

Fatigue can be side effect of medications like beta-blockers (often prescribed for high blood pressure), antidepressants, and both OTC (over-the-counter) and prescription antihistamines (prescribed for allergies). Moreover, some common cold medications and pain relievers also contain caffeine, which can cause sleep-related issues and fatigue. 

If any of your medications are able to cause tiredness, consult with your doctor on what you can do to counteract your exhaustion, or if there are any alternative medications available for you to try.

Taking vitamins to help with fatigue is a wise step. By adding a multivitamin supplement to your diet, you'll be able to fight the fatigue caused by poor nutrition. It is known that some supplements containing magnesium sulfate, melatonin, and Vitamins B12, A, and C, are useful.

Ginkgo can promote blood flow to the brain, which can make you feel more alert and less sluggish. What you need to do is take 15 drops of ginkgo tincture in the mornings.

According to some studies, minty aromas help people exercise longer as well as complete clerical tasks faster and more accurately. Therefore, keep something minty around. It can be as simple as packaged mints, gum, minty lotions, and tea or a bit of fresh mint that can even be added into drinks and salads. 

A frequent reason for fatigue is the feeling of regret or guilt that you cannot let go. Beating yourself up over the past causes you to shut down psychologically and physically, which, in turn, leads to fatigue and loss of motivation. Besides, feelings of remorse can also cause your blood pressure go up, which is another reason for the energy loss.

What can you do to get rid of this draining state? You can put your regrets in context. According to a research, people who compare themselves with those whose lives appeared harder than their own are happier and report fewer symptoms of being worn down.

Dark chocolate contains mood-enhancing anti-oxidants which can perk one up. Moreover, dark chocolate is richer in cocoa and contains less sugar than milk chocolate, thus, making it less likely to cause an insulin spike and induce fatigue. 

Also, according to an English study, dark chocolate can be helpful in treating chronic fatigue syndrome. In order to experience the benefit, choose chocolate of 70% or above.

Oatmeal, especially minimally processed organic oats, outranks almost all breakfast cereal and most whole-grain breakfast products, when it comes to the health benefits for you, including energy. Although carbohydrates spend the least amount of time in the stomach, which is accompanied by a quick boost of energy, whole oats don't cause a sugar crash later, as compared to processed, sugary cereal. Moreover, oats contain a lot of fiber, as well as magnesium, protein, phosphorus, and B1.

Eat some oatmeal first thing in the morning to get an instant energy boost. Go for minimally processed oats, which are often labeled as "Scottish", "Irish", "Steel-cut", "Thick cut", or "Old-fashioned". For an even better effect, add some protein-rich flaxseed or nuts to the oatmeal.

Slouching is not only making you look like you are tired - it makes you feel tired, too. When you slump, you put excess strain on your neck, back and hips. Moreover, when your joints are aligned in a wrong way, your whole body has to work more than it should. An additional benefit of standing or sitting tall is in an improvement of the oxygen flow to your brain, which can increase your body's alertness and attentiveness.

It can be really hard to start working on some project, but the only thing that stands between you and the desired result is your initial inertia. It is well-known that as soon as you make yourself start, your fatigue may disappear completely. So, persuade yourself not  to think about the work, but get down to working right now.

You are awesome. You know that! Make sure to remind yourself a few reasons what makes you such a great person. Think of some of your positive qualities and compliment yourself on them. You'll quickly realize that your fatigue is gone. Make this an everyday habit to avoid tiredness.

Movement is an incredible remedy for fatigue. However, you might not be able to actively work out at the moment, due to physical or time restraints. So, instead, go for a walk! This way, you'll get some oxygen and change of scenery. Find time to squeeze a walk into your daily schedule, in order to avoid fatigue before it arrives.

You feel burnt out because of lack of sleep? Maybe what you should do is to change your position. It's well-known that there are different perfect sleeping positions to help you with basically any condition you might have.

Skipping breakfast may seem like it's not a big deal at all. After all, you might not have an appetite or time at the moment. However, when you skip breakfast, you’re more prone to overindulging in the afternoon. And that will lead to your empty stomach being hit even harder, which may make you feel even more tired and result in stomach pain, headache, fatigue, etc.

If you aren't hungry, you don't have to force yourself into eating a full meal - fruit or yoghurt can be enough.