Fatigue is an epidemic in our busy society

-D.S. Culp

Are you tired? Always running low on energy? Let’s take a look at who is suffering from fatigue, the consequences on our health and society, and dietary/ lifestyle suggestions for putting some energy back into our lives.

What is Fatigue?

Fatigue is physical and/or mental exhaustion, which can be caused by a wide variety of factors. The symptoms vary from a low level constant tiredness to debilitating exhaustion. Burning the candle at both ends has some of us at the burn out point, both physically and mentally. Who is most at risk for high levels of fatigue?

Fatigue- Who has it?

• Women (compared to men, two to three times as many women experience fatigue)
• Certain medications may produce fatigue or worsen existing problems.
• Chronic pain is often accompanied by fatigue.
• Heart disease, diabetes, low blood pressure, end-stage renal disease, and cancer can produce ongoing long-term fatigue.
• Fatigue is commonly associated with psychological or psychiatric conditions, such as depression.
• Workers with fast pace, demanding, stressful jobs are at high risk.
• Workers with low prestige, unchallenging, low pay jobs are at high risk.
• The CDC estimates more than 100,000 Americans have CFS (Chronic Fatigue Syndrome). CFS is extreme unabated fatigue which lasts for at least six months and is not the result of a diagnosed disease or illness

I’m just tired; it’s not life threatening right?

Regardless of the cause, fatigue­ can affect all aspects of our life including our work performance and personal relationships. This degradation of our quality of life can produce even more stress and fatigue.

A March 2000 National Sleep Foundation poll found on average, that adults sleep just under 7 hours per night during the workweek. 33% of adults sleep 6-1/2 hours or less nightly and 45% of adults state that they sleep less in order to accomplish more.

The Federal Highway Administration’s 1995 Truck and Bus Safety Summit voted driver fatigue as their number one safety concern. Driver fatigue is the primary cause of approximately 100,000 crashes and more than 1,500 deaths annually. The number of lawsuits is on the rise against companies whose tired employees cause severe damage and/or loss of human life.  Industrial accidents, shipwrecks, plane crashes, and more… due to fatigued individuals on the job.

What can I do?

How you treat fatigue should depend on its direct cause, but dietary and lifestyle changes can be of tremendous benefit in altering your fatigue levels.

Dietary Suggestions

·        Drink plenty of water. Dehydration may reduce your blood volume, leading to fatigue. Drink 9 to 12, not just 8, glasses of water a day.

·        Avoid high fat foods. After eating blood flow increases dramatically to the digestive tract, and away from the brain, heart and muscles. This is why we often want to take a nap after a big meal. High fat foods take longer to digest, reducing blood flow to the rest of the body for a longer period of time.

·        Eat more unrefined protein and carbohydrates for long lasting energy.

·        Eat iron-rich foods such as liver, spinach, and raisins.

·        Take your B complex vitamins. B vitamin deficiencies can trigger fatigue.

Lifestyle Suggestions:

High stress levels, long work hours, lack of social or family interactions, and poor sleep patterns can all result in prolonged fatigue.

• Quality of life- let it be your guiding principle.  Place what energy you have into the things that are important to you. If at the end of most days, you’ve had little contact with those you love—start scheduling in specific times for your family, friends or pets.
• Prioritize your schedule. Determine what “must” be done and place those items at the top of your list.  The world will not come to an end if the laundry does not get folded or the car does not get washed.
• Take naps, or at least take five minutes with your feet up and eyes closed.
• Share or delegate chores both at work and at home. If finances allow hire someone to do the yard and house work.
• Increase rest time, both sleeping and just relaxing- physically and mentally.
• No matter how tired you are maintain some level of physical activity, even if it’s just a short walk around the yard as you groom the flowers. Otherwise, your muscles will weaken and activities will tire you more easily.
• Set a regular bedtime to avoid disruptions in your sleep patterns.
• Make your bedroom a quiet and comfortable refuge. Do whatever is necessary to prevent noise or lights from disturbing your sleep.
• Utilize relaxation techniques such as massage, aromatherapy, hydrotherapy, and deep breathing exercises to reduce stress and increase your sense of well being.
• Certain essential oils have been shown to stimulate the nervous system and reduce fatigue. Try using rosemary, lemon, orange, peppermint, or eucalyptus in massage oils or added to bathwater, vaporizers, or steam baths. Never use the pure essential oil directly on your skin; it can be quite irritating. And always test a diluted sample on a small skin area to make certain you are not allergenic to the herb.
• Some internal herbal remedies for fatigue are ginger root, ginseng, and rosemary.