Fatigue and sleepiness, the byproduct of hectic work schedules, have become a part and parcel of today's lifestyle. A 1998 poll on women and sleep conducted by the National Sleep Foundation revealed that 31 percent of women report some drowsiness during the day, with 25 percent reporting significant daytime sleepiness. In fact, this is not the sole problem for women alone! Men are equally affected through the feelings of fatigue. Sleepiness during and after the lunch hour may affect their performances. Sleepiness and fatigue can affect the quality of life, safety as well as productivity. Daytime sleepiness can reveal certain underlying health conditions apart from being a potential threat for causing other health issues.
The Causes and the Remedies of Fatigue and Sleepiness
- Lack of Adequate Sleep: Generally, an individual requires eight hours of sleep in a day. Lack of adequate sleep may affect his concentration and health.
Remedy: Make sure you get enough sleep. Shut down your laptop at least thirty minutes before going to bed and don't forget to switch off your cell phone too! - Sleep Apnea: Some people are not able to get a complete sleep during night due to sleep apnea. In this disorder, the breathing stops briefly during sleep. Every time it occurs, the quality of sleep declines. You may feel that you have had a sleepless night even though you have slept for eight hours.
Remedy: Quit smoking, reduce weight if necessary or use a CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) mechanism to keep your breathing process normal throughout the night. - Lack of Energy: You may feel fatigued if you are not able to get proper nutrition through your food.
Remedy: A balanced diet can keep the blood sugar level in its normal range and can prevent you from feeling sluggish all the time. Make sure to eat breakfast every day. Include high protein and complex carbohydrate in every meal. - Anemia: One of the leading causes of fatigue, especially amongst women, is anemia. Menstruation in women causes iron deficiency.
Remedy: Have a lot of iron rich foods like meat, liver, shellfish, green leafy vegetables and enriched cereals. - Depression: Prolonged depression may lead to serious health issues. Depression may give birth to feelings of fatigue, headache and loss of appetite.
Remedy: Share your problems with others, engage in conversation and do meditation. - Urinary Tract Infection: Infection in the urinary tract causes burning sensation and pain. But most often the symptoms do not get expressed. The symptom only shows up as a feeling of fatigue.
Remedy: Seek doctor's advice immediately and get the proper antibiotics. - Hypothyroidism: This may be one of the reasons of feeling fatigued all the time. When the thyroid gland fails to function properly, the symptoms will get expressed in the form of weight gain and feelings of fatigue.
Remedy: Get proper medication to restore your body's performance. - Diabetes: Fluctuations in blood sugar levels can make the body run out of energy. You may often experience fatigue and sleepiness without any cause.
Remedy: Change in diet, exercise pattern, insulin therapy and medication will help you to control diabetes. - Dehydration: Our body needs enough water to work and function well. Dehydration may cause you to feel fatigued and tired throughout the day.
Remedy: Drink enough water after every two hours to remain hydrated throughout the day. - Shift Duties: Working in shifts, especially during night, may disrupt the normal sleeping pattern. As a result, you may feel tired and fatigued during the daytime.
Remedy: Try to get a very good night sleep whenever it is possible. Create a dark room setting with a quiet and a cool atmosphere to make way for a sound sleep. - Heart Disease: Feeling fatigued while doing normal routine works like cleaning home, weeding the yard may indicate the symptoms of heart problems.
Remedy: Consider a visit to your doctor's chamber. Change your lifestyle and diet as per his recommendations.
You need a lot of energy for yourself and for others in your family and workplace. You cannot say "No" to others who demand some amount of time and involvement from your side. You cannot cite lack of energy as a possible reason for your denial. For once it seems to be alright, but you cannot give the same reason again and again. Thus, staying energetic by maintaining a healthy lifestyle is the main way to keep you and everyone around you happy and satisfied.
