Chronic Tiredness

Defining Chronic Tiredness

We have all had times where the demands of life have left us feeling exhausted. Normally, these times are for short periods while something out of the ordinary is going on. After the situation changes, it’s back to life as usual. In many cases, a good night’s sleep is all it takes to remedy the fatigue.

In some cases, individuals experience chronic tiredness when the fatigue does not go away and interferes with their normal function from day-to-day. When you feel tired to the point that it is interfering with your quality of life, then you are suffering from chronic tiredness.

Chronic Tiredness May Result From Physical, Mental, or Emotional Problems

With the increasing number of people considered obese in this country, the issue of physically induced chronic tiredness is also an increasing problem. The more excess weight your body is carrying, the harder it is to do the things that everyone else takes for granite. Other physical causes of chronic tiredness include illnesses, including those with heart conditions and injuries.

Sometimes when individuals have a lot of stress in their lives, they may become depressed. Depression can also be caused by a number of physical or emotional events. Regardless of the cause of depression, it can, in turn, lead to chronic tiredness. In situations where there is so much stress on an individual that there doesn’t seem to be any hope of getting to the end of their list of responsibilities, they may get to the point where they feel they can’t accomplish anything at all.

There are a number of things that can lead to chronic tiredness indirectly by preventing you from getting the sleep you need including the following:

• A new baby in the house
• Consuming too much caffeine during the day or before bedtime
• Stress
• Depression
• Irregular sleep patterns due to shift changes
• Sleep Apnea
• Uncomfortable sleeping conditions
• Physical conditions such as Acid Reflux

Prevent These Situations from Leading to Chronic Tiredness

For some people, the only thing needed to get the rest they need to eliminate or prevent chronic tiredness is to get into the habit of sleeping. The first step in doing this is to create a regular routine and stick with it. Go to bed and get up at the same time every day.

Set your thermostat at a temperature that is comfortable for you. If you have to consider your partner’s comfort zone too, set the thermostat for the one who likes the room the coolest. You can always add layers of blankets or clothing to make yourself warmer but you can’t sleep in a room that is too hot.

Many people who suffer from acid reflux have difficulty sleeping that can lead to chronic tiredness. If this is an issue for you, see your doctor for medication. You can also raise the head of your bed from 4” to 6” to relieve symptoms and don’t eat anything close to your bedtime.

If you find that you wake up in the mornings feeling as tired as you were when you when to sleep, you may be suffering from sleep apnea. Not only can this condition lead to chronic tiredness, but it can cause serious damage to your heart and cause you to doze off without warning throughout the day, even while you are driving! There are machines that you can use to help get the deep sleep and the rest you need but you need to be diagnosed by your doctor. Go to http://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/sleep-apnea/symptoms-of-sleep-apnea for more about the symptoms of sleep apnea.

Chronic tiredness is frequently caused by stress that prevents you from sleeping. Find an activity that helps you “unwind” before you go to bed such as meditation, yoga, writing in a journal, or reading. You may also try watching funny videos since humor is one of the best ways for releasing stress.

If trying these techniques doesn’t help with your chronic tiredness, see your doctor. There are some medical conditions that may be the cause of your fatigue and which may be easily treatable!