Waking up feeling more exhausted than when you went to bed can certainly affect the rest of your day. And if your fatigue is a chronic problem, you want to know why.
At Integrative Medica in Salt Lake City, Utah, our naturopathic physicians — Dr. Jake Schmutz and Dr. Joshua Hersh — are chronic fatigue specialists. We are experts at helping those suffering from fatigue.
Here, we want to share with you some of the most common causes of fatigue and what you can do to get your energy back.
Almost everyone feels a little more tired than usual every once a while. Fatigue isn’t the same as feeling tired.
Fatigue is a feeling of exhaustion that makes it nearly impossible for you to go about your daily routine. And when you can muster up the energy to go to work or spend time with friends, you leave feeling even more physically and mentally drained.
When suffering from fatigue, getting more sleep doesn’t help. Instead of waking up refreshed and energized, you wake up feeling exhausted and unmotivated. Your fatigue affects your ability to concentrate, slows your reflexes, and makes you irritable and depressed.
So, why do you feel so exhausted? Well, your fatigue may be the result of any number of causes. Fatigue isn’t a condition, but a symptom.
Your fatigue may be a symptom of:
Your lifestyle plays a significant role in your overall health and well-being. This includes your diet, exercise routine, and sleep habits.
Food is your body’s main source of energy. Filling your diet with calorie-dense, nutrient-poor foods ― fast food, chips, sweets, sugary drinks — fails to provide your body with all the nutrients it needs to function at its best. Your diet may also lead to nutritional deficiencies, which can cause chronic fatigue conditions like anemia.
Though exercise may be the last thing you want to do when you’re feeling chronically exhausted, regular exercise boosts energy.
Your sleep habits may also affect your energy levels. Adults need about eight hours of sleep a night. If you’re having a hard time falling asleep or staying asleep night after night, then chronic fatigue is likely to follow.
Chronic fatigue is a common symptom of many medical conditions, including fibromyalgia, Lyme disease, liver disease, and depression, to name a few.
Hormonal conditions, like hypothyroidism (low thyroid levels), menopause (low estrogen in women), and andropause (low testosterone in men) also affects energy, making you feel more drained than usual.
Treatment for a chronic illness, like chemotherapy for cancer or antihistamines for allergies, may also cause fatigue.
Stress is brought on by demanding or challenging situations. Under normal circumstances, stress is a good thing. It boosts your energy and your concentration, helping you complete that work project.
But chronic stress drains the body, harms your health, and leaves you feeling exhausted.
When you’re suffering from fatigue, you may be willing to do just about anything to get your energy back. Our naturopathic physicians understand how you feel.
When you come in with concerns about fatigue, we perform a comprehensive history and physical, plus diagnostic tests to find the root cause of your fatigue. Knowing what’s causing your exhaustion is key to helping you feel more like your usual self.
We provide a number of health-promoting treatments and therapies to help you shake off your fatigue.
Some of our treatment options include:
We also offer integrative oncology, providing treatments to help combat the side effects of cancer and cancer treatments.
Fatigue is a symptom. Finding the root cause of your fatigue can help you feel better. Let us help you shake your chronic exhaustion. Call our office or click the “book online” button to schedule a consultation today.
