Originally published May 26 2008
Are You Tired of Being Tired?
by Leigh Erin Connealy, M.D.
(NaturalNews) Are you one of the millions of Americans who are always tired? Do you feel that you can never catch up on your sleep or your energy reserves have been permanently depleted? Do you wonder if you will ever return to your normal self again?
If you're like most people you probably assume that your fatigue is the result of a hectic lifestyle, but what if it isn't? What if your fatigue is a symptom of something more serious than the every day chaos of life? And, by the same token, what if there was a way to reverse the fatigue by addressing the root cause?
Fatigue is one of the top ten complaints I hear from my patients. By definition, fatigue is more than simply feeling sleepy. Fatigue is the constant sensation of being tired or lethargic and is often accompanied by a feeling of weariness and a lack of energy. Normal fatigue happens to all of us, at times when we are sick with a cold or flu, putting long hours in at the office or after exercising hard. You may also experience normal fatigue when you fail to exercise, are bored or when you simply are not getting enough sleep. These types of fatigue can all be reversed with the proper amount of rest and generally do not last longer than a few days.
Fatigue lasting longer than 2 weeks is defined as abnormal and should be evaluated by a health care provider. Fatigue is a sign that something is not functioning properly within your body and should be addressed immediately. Since there are various causes of fatigue, your physician will ask you a panel of questions designed to determine your specific health problem or problems. Fatigue can be a complex condition and often times there is more than one issue at the root of the problem.
Some of the more common causes of abnormal fatigue range from mental health issues such as anxiety, stress, depression, respiratory or cardiovascular impairment, less thyroid, chronic infections, hormone imbalances, poor nutrition and adrenal gland depletion. Here is a brief overview of just some of the health problems that could be causing your fatigue.
Mental Health Issues
One commonality shared between anxiety, depression and stress is that they all tend to result in fatigue. With anxiety, you often are not getting the proper amount of sleep at night. Depression may cause you to have disruptive sleep or to sleep more than your body requires, both of which will cause fatigue. People with chronic stress are in a persistent state of fight or flight, overtaxing their adrenal glands which takes a dangerous toll on all of the body's systems. As a result, the cardiovascular, digestive, adrenal glands, neurotransmitters and respiratory systems are all being affected. This can upset the body's balance of hormones such as Cortisol and Melatonin and neurotransmitters, Serotonin, Epinephrine, glutamate, histamine, Norepinephrine, GABA and PEA levels leading to a state of constant fatigue
Respiratory & Cardiovascular Impairment
Any time your heart or lungs are failing to work properly or at their optimal performance levels you will experience a feeling of fatigue. The reason behind this is that your heart and lungs are chiefly responsible for the circulation of oxygen-rich blood to all of the organs in your body. This oxygen-rich blood is necessary to maintain healthy energy levels. While the cause of fatigue might be something serious such as Coronary Artery Disease or heart failure, it could also be something as simple as allergies, such as hay fever or asthma, which can limit the amount of air that is coming into your body.
Sleep Disorders
Sleep disorders are a common problem in today's society with approximately 40 million Americans living with some form of sleep disturbance. If you're suffering from insomnia (difficultly falling asleep) or hypersomnia (excessive sleeping) then you are more than aware of the problem. The same is true with Restless Leg Syndrome, a condition that causes uncomfortable sensations in the legs making it difficult to fall asleep or stay asleep. However, you could be suffering from the disorder Sleep Apnea and not even be aware of it. Sleep Apnea causes you to stop breathing for at least 10 seconds at a time while you are sleeping. This interruption in breathing usually occurs more than 20 times during each hour that you are asleep. The condition, which is associated with aging, obesity and depression, is a major risk factor for stroke and heart attack and should be taken very seriously.
Lack of Exercise
Lack of exercise leads to a health problem called "deconditioning" wherein the organs of the body begin to deteriorate resulting in fatigue. Researchers studied athletes at the top of their health and found their organs began deteriorating within 24 hours after the end of physical activity. The same research team found even mild exercise could counteract the deconditioning response. This discovery has been especially useful to patients confined to bed rest, but can also apply to those who live a sedentary lifestyle.
Pain
Pain is a complex problem that can cause fatigue in many different ways. Fatigue may be caused by sleep disruptions associated with chronic pain or the deconditioning that results from being confined to a bed. Pain can also lead to isolation which can cause depression and, thereby, fatigue.
Malnutrition
Malnutrition can take many forms, from simply not getting enough nutrients from the foods that you consume, to more serious concerns such as eating disorders or problems with your digestive system. The immune system is the first body function hit by the lack of proper nutrients, resulting in disease and fatigue, unless the problem is reversed.
Thyroid Disorder
The thyroid gland regulates the rate of your body's metabolism and, consequently, energy levels. If your thyroid is failing to produce enough hormones your metabolism slows down, resulting in feelings of sluggishness, as well as weight gain, a condition called hypothyroidism. Hypothyroidism is a common problem in America and affects nearly 11 million Americans.
While this list is far from comprehensive, it is a good example of how complex the problem of fatigue can be. Discovering the underlying cause of your fatigue will not only put you back on the path to your old, energetic self again but it could also be the beginning to restoring your health!
Dr. Connealy recommends products like perfectlyhealthy Mega Greens plus MSM or perfectlyhealthy pH Plus to help you get your energy back!
If you are experiencing fatigue that has lasted longer than 2 weeks, schedule an appointment with your health care provider today and stop your fatigue in its tracks.
About the author
Leigh Erin Connealy, M.D. has specialized in Integrative Medicine for over twenty years, using conventional and natural methods to determine and discover the "root of the cause" in her clinic, Center for New Medicine in Irvine, California, each and every day. Many people come in to the clinic from all over the world with severe chronic illnesses that conventional medical protocols have been unsuccessful treating. She realized early on that she can truly change lives through education as well as treatment protocols.
Leigh Erin Connealy, M.D. and her medical staff strives to look at the whole person while exploring the effects and relationships among nutrition, psychological and social factors, environmental effects and personal attunement. Out of frustration of trying to find the right products to help her patients she formulated the perfectlyhealthy brand of products. All perfectlyhealthy products are clinically tested. For more information on recommended products, please visit www.perfectlyhealthy.net or www.perfectlyhealthy.com.
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