Fatigue

What is fatigue?

Fatigue is defined as an overwhelming sense of tiredness, lack of energy, and feeling of exhaustion. It can have both physical and mental components.

Physical fatigue manifests as muscle weakness, reduced performance, and difficulty completing physical tasks. This type of fatigue is often caused by intense physical exertion, poor sleep, nutritional deficiencies, illnesses, or medical conditions.

Mental fatigue refers to difficulty concentrating, mood changes, anxiety, and memory problems. Common causes include excessive mental exertion, emotional stress, or underlying psychological issues.

Some key characteristics of fatigue:

• It is persistent and often not relieved by rest


• It reduces productivity and the ability to perform daily activities


• It can significantly lower quality of life if severe

There are many potential reasons someone may experience fatigue:

• Lack of sleep - Not getting 7-9 hours of sleep prevents the body from fully recovering from daily exertions


• Poor nutrition - Deficiencies in iron, B vitamins and other nutrients reduces cellular energy production


• Dehydration - Not drinking enough water denies cells the fluids they need to function


• Stress - Physical or emotional stress elevates hormones like cortisol that wear the body down over time

Prolonged and excessive fatigue should be evaluated by a doctor to check for potential medical conditions like anemia, thyroid disorders, heart disease, autoimmune diseases, sleep apnea, diabetes, and depression among others.

While occasional fatigue is normal, regular feelings of exhaustion or tiredness should not be ignored. Making positive lifestyle modifications such as prioritizing sleep, reducing stress, eating a balanced diet, and getting regular exercise can help manage fatigue in many otherwise healthy adults. However, a hormone imbalance may also contribute to exhaustion so getting hormone levels tested may provide additional answers.

The medical team at Vitality Wellness Clinic specializes in diagnosing and addressing hormonal causes of fatigue. We provide customized treatment plans featuring bioidentical hormone therapy to help patients regain their energy, focus and an overall sense of wellbeing. Feel free to schedule a consultation to discover potential hormonal factors behind your fatigue.