Senior Living News

Fatigue is a problem that affects everyone at some point in their life. It's that feeling when you seem unable to do much of anything. Your motivation drops off completely. It can be caused by a variety of factors and be detrimental to emotional, physical, mental and spiritual well-being.

Fighting fatigue is important to living a satisfying, full life. Here are some causes of fatigues along with some potential solutions.

STRESS

Stress is tiring. It's a leech that constantly drains your energy throughout the day, and if you don't keep it under control, it leaves you fatigued and unable to do the things you love. But managing stress can be a real challenge. Here are a few methods to try to reduce stress.

• Calm your mind. If you let all your worries rattle around in your brain at the same time, you'll never be able to think through them clearly. Take a second to breathe and collect your thoughts.
• Ask yourself: Can I do anything to solve the problem? If the answer is yes, then work to come to that resolution to remove the stress from your life. If the answer is no, is it really worth all the stress over something you can't control?
• Change your environment. Some stress is caused by surroundings that are too abrasive. Making sure there isn't a lot of loud noise or other nuisances can go a long way in easing stress.
• Think ahead. Notice events that stress you out and plan how you can avoid or mitigate those scenarios.
• Talk to someone. Communicating your feelings to a trusted friend or family member can help you discover root causes of stress or ease worries.

TENSION

Many people don't realize how much tension they carry constantly. The muscles in the neck and face of most people are being flexed all day, every day. This, of course, leads to tension as the body uses resources to support and repair these muscles.

One way to combat this problem is through mindful relaxation. Basically, all you have to do is be conscientious of tension and relax the muscles that feel tightened. You can relax tense muscles by taking a deep breath and imagining everything going slack when you breath out.

Another cause of tension is poor posture, which causes your muscles to support your head and back in an unnatural way. Correcting your posture may help relieve tension issues and, in turn, fight fatigue. If you're not sure how to correct your posture, consider talking to the staff at Bethesda Gardens in Monument about appropriate exercises or occupational therapy you might try.

POOR NUTRITION

Not eating well can lead to a lack of energy. Your body needs fuel — the right kind of fuel. Food provides energy through calories but also provides nutrients to help regrow muscle and keep your brain functioning well.

Eating the wrong foods can cause fatigue in many ways, one of which is tying up all your energy in digestion. If you're feeling fatigued, swapping out heavy, greasy food for some green vegetables may help.

DEHYDRATION

Hydration plays a huge role in fighting fatigue. Water is the delivery man for nutrients; without it, eating healthy is almost useless. If your body isn't getting all the nutrients that make you feel energized, you're going to feel fatigued because your body simply doesn't have the resources to complete the tasks at hand.

If you start feeling fatigued, ask yourself, "When did I last have something to drink?" Along with fatigue, emotional distress and irritability are also signs of dehydration, so if you find yourself growing disproportionately frustrated with something or getting short tempered with someone for no reason, it might be a good idea to get some water.

TOO MUCH COFFEE

Coffee is another common culprit when it comes to fatigue. It gives such a huge energy boost at first, but that leads to an inevitable crash. And some people might not even get the initial boost if they've built a tolerance to caffeine.

Getting off of caffeine is usually a great help when fighting fatigue, but it can be extremely challenging to succeed. Here are some tips to help you quit coffee.

1. Communicate. Telling the staff at Bethesda Gardens your plans can help them accommodate you and prepare them for any withdrawals you may have.
2. Commit. There are two types of decisions: preferences, which are how you would like things to be, and convictions, which are how you're going to make things be. If you aren't convicted that you're quitting, you'll always fall short.
3. Create a plan. Having a strategy can help a lot with any goal. Making a plan to slowly wean yourself off coffee might work better than going cold turkey.
4. Have a set reason. One of the main reasons people don't achieve their goals is that they ask, "why am I doing this?" and can't answer. Increase your chances of success by deciding on a solid reason from the beginning.

Most fatigue can be solved using at-home remedies and lifestyle changes. But if you experience fatigue intensely or for a long duration, seek the advice of a medical professional, as it can be a symptom of other issues.