Running On Empty: The Hidden Dangers Of Exhaustion
Do you feel tired all the time? Do you have no energy? Do you feel like you’re sleepwalking through life? If so, it may be time to focus on your health and work out why you’re exhausted and what you can do about it. It’s perfectly normal to feel tired from time to time, especially if you’re not sleeping well, but if exhaustion is taking over, there may be underlying problems that need addressing.
What’s normal?
In an ideal world, we would all sleep soundly for between 6 and 8 hours every night. The reality is that this is not always possible. It’s very common to experience disturbances in sleep patterns, especially if you have young children, you work shifts, or you’ve been traveling. If you don’t sleep well, it’s completely normal to feel tired the next day. What’s not normal is to experience fatigue or lethargy if you do get enough sleep or to find it difficult to sleep on a regular basis.
What causes exhaustion?
There’s a difference between tiredness and exhaustion. When you’re tired, you feel like you could benefit from sleep and you might be a little drowsy and distracted. When you’re exhausted, you feel like everything is difficult and even the simplest task can be draining. You may find it hard to focus and concentrate, and you might have little or no motivation when it comes to working or socializing. A lack of sleep is a common cause of exhaustion, but there are also many underlying health problems that can affect your energy levels. If you feel tired even when you’ve had a good sleep or you’re struggling to get through the day on a regular basis, it’s advisable to see your doctor.
Hormone imbalances, low blood pressure, anemia and vitamin deficiencies are just some of the potential causes of low energy levels and extreme tiredness. In some cases, using hormone boosters like Tongkat Ali extract or taking vitamin supplements can help to make you feel more lively, but it is possible that fatigue is linked to underlying illnesses that require more intensive treatment. Some forms of cancer, diabetes, liver disease and an underactive thyroid gland can all contribute to exhaustion.
What happens next?
If you experience exhaustion and there is no obvious cause, the best thing to do is see your doctor. Your doctor will ask some questions about your symptoms, they will check your pulse and blood pressure, and they may take urine and blood samples. They will use the results of tests to try and determine a cause. Once a diagnosis has been confirmed, your doctor will discuss treatment options with you. In some cases, the solutions may be very simple, for example, changing your diet and your sleep routine. In other cases, more long-term or intensive therapies may be recommended.
Do you feel like you’re running on empty? Are you tired all the time or does the simplest task zap you of energy? If you’re exhausted, don’t just assume that all you need is rest. Fatigue can be a sign of more serious issues, and it’s always best to get checked out.