Always Tired?

Always Tired?

There are many possible reasons for why you feel tired all the time. Some causes are very simple and easy to address, while others may be rooted in chronic conditions that require a more thorough approach. Fatigue can impact your life to the point where it's negatively affecting your work, relationships and other aspects. I found this great article that I'd like to share with you.

Below are a few potential causes and how they can be addressed. And a list of very simple things you can do to improve your sleep. Check it out:

Some common causes:

• Lack of sleep - One of the most common reasons why people feel tired is chronic sleep deprivation. A good night's sleep can give you the energy you need to do your day-to-day activities but, according to CDC stats, 1 in 3 adults doesn't get enough of rest.
  
• Unhealthy diet - When you eat healthy food, your body is better able to perform at its peak. Conversely, unhealthy foods can contribute to a loss of energy and cause you to feel drained. For example, junk food with added sugars and carbs and other sugar-rich foods can cause spikes in your blood sugar levels, which can lead to sugar crashes that result in fatigue.
  
• Sedentary lifestyle - Not moving around can actually make you feel more tired. According to one study, you can actually boost your energy levels even by just performing 25 to 40 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise.
  

Besides the ones mentioned above, fatigue can come from myriad underlying medical conditions. The list below sheds light on the most common culprits:

1. Acute liver failure -- Research indicates that fatigue stems from changes in neurotransmission within the brain. One suggestion is that a patient's psychological well-being can manifest in feelings of fatigue after a diagnosis of cirrhosis or liver failure is confirmed.
   
2. Anemia — Fatigue may develop due to your body being starved of oxygen, when you don't produce enough red blood cells to transport oxygen throughout your body efficiently.
3. Traumatic brain injury — Fatigue is a common complication after experiencing a brain injury. Mental fatigue can occur because the brain is trying to process plenty of information but cannot do so efficiently.
4. Cancer — Tumors can produce cytokines that cause tiredness. Other cancers can slow down the production of red blood cells, which can result in anemia.
5. Chronic fatigue syndrome — The fatigue caused in this disease may stem from immune system problems, hormonal imbalances or viral infections.
6. Chronic kidney disease — Fatigue may manifest as a symptom of chronic kidney disease due to anemia and inflammation.
7. Concussion — Suffering from a concussion may give you mental fatigue. You may feel that your reactions are slower or that routine tasks suddenly become difficult.
8. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease — Patients suffering from COPD develop fatigue due to impaired lung function, which may impact their quality of life.
9. Depression — Negative feelings such as sadness, hopelessness and helplessness can lead to sleep problems, which eventually lead to fatigue.
10. Diabetes — This metabolic disease can cause dehydration or kidney disease, both of which can eventually cause fatigue.
11. Emphysema — Shortness of breath is one the most common symptoms of this condition, which can eventually make you feel tired since you’re lacking energy.
12. Fibromyalgia — The pain in your muscles when fibromyalgia strikes can result in fatigue afterward.
13. Grief — According to a report from The Atlantic, bereavement can weaken the immune system due to the stress you may be experiencing from the loss of a loved one, and leave you feeling excessively tired.
14. Heart disease — Defects in the way your heart works, such as a cardiac infection, can cause weakness or fatigue.
15. Hyperthyroidism — An overactive thyroid may cause muscle weakness, which directly leads to fatigue.
16. Hypothyroidism — An underactive thyroid can affect your biological processes in many ways, such as making you feel tired all the time.
17. Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) — Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, the two diseases that make up IBD, can cause fatigue due to the pain experienced by the patient. In other cases, it is a side effect of inflammation or a nutritional deficiency.
    
18. Medications — Many medications can cause fatigue as a side effect. Common examples include antihistamines, antidepressants, anxiety medications, beta-blockers and opioids.
19. Multiple sclerosis (MS) — Eighty percent of people affected with MS develop fatigue as a complication, and it can reach a point where it affects a person’s quality of life and ability to work.
20. Obesity — Having excess weight in your body can make normal activities harder to do, which can tire you out quicker. It can also cause joint and muscle pain.
21. Stress — Emotional stress can take a toll on your physical well-being, which can lead to fatigue.

So What Can You Do?

Below a few practical solutions to help prevent being tired all the time - some easy tips for sleeping better at night:

• Avoid using electrical devices an hour or two before bed
  Gadgets such as TVs and cellphones emit blue light, which tricks your brain into thinking it's still daytime. Make it a habit to stop using these devices by 9 p.m., as this is the time when your brain starts secreting melatonin.
  
• Get regular sun exposure
  Your pineal gland also plays a role in your sleep cycle. By getting regular sunlight exposure, your pineal gland produces melatonin roughly in approximation to the contrast of bright sun exposure in the day and complete darkness at night. Another benefit of sunlight exposure is producing vitamin D that benefits your health. Do not get burned, but expose your skin to sun light at a regular basis.
  
• Sleep in complete darkness
  Even the slightest glimmer of light from any source can disrupt your body clock while you’re sleeping. It's important that you move all light sources at least 3 feet away from your bed. These include cellphones and radio clocks.
  
• Install a low-wattage light at night if needed
  Using a low-powered yellow, orange or red light bulb for navigating in the darkness will not hamper melatonin production.
  
• Maintain optimal room temperature
  Research indicates that the ideal room temperature for best sleep is between 60 to 68 degrees Fahrenheit.
  
• Don't rely on loud alarm clocks
  Being jolted awake by loud sounds can stress you out first thing in the morning. If you get regular sleep, you might not even need an alarm clock because your body is following a natural routine.
  
• Take a hot bath 90 to 120 minutes before sleeping
  The bath increases your body temperature. When you step out of the bathroom, the drop in temperature signals your body that it is ready to sleep.
  
• Get sun exposure in the morning
  Exposing yourself to sunlight once you wake up sends a strong message to your internal clock that the day has started. This makes your body less likely to be confused by weaker light signals once the night arrives.
  
• Remove sources of electromagnetic fields (EMFs) in your bedroom
  EMFs can hamper melatonin production and cause a host of other health problems in the long run. Ideally, you should turn off devices in your room that emit EMFs before sleeping, such as your wireless router.
  

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