August 30, 2016
Getting a good night’s rest is the best way to feel energized in the morning — a full eight hours is usually just what the doctor ordered. But when a full night’s rest doesn’t do the trick, some other factors could be at play. If you wake up after eight hours of sleep feeling exhausted, it could be your body’s way of telling you that something is not right. The issue could be more than just a lack of sleep — it could be a health condition.
Before diagnosing yourself with a serious ailment, try drinking more water throughout the day. One of the most under-diagnosed causes of fatigue is dehydration. Not drinking enough water can lead to headaches, fatigue, tiredness and lack of focus. People often use a high dose of caffeine to combat tiredness, not knowing that it could worsen the symptoms in the long run. Caffeine is a diuretic, meaning it flushes out bodily fluids at a faster rate, dehydrating you even further. Supplementing your coffee with a tall glass of H2O can greatly improve your overall well-being throughout the day.
If you’re constantly feeling exhausted, it could be because you are anemic. What is anemia, exactly? Anemia is when there is a “shortage of healthy red blood cells to carry oxygen to body tissues and cleanse them of carbon dioxide.” Anemic people feel fatigue as one of the symptoms and often experience headaches and weakness as well. How is anemia acquired? A poor diet is usually the case, especially when lacking the mineral iron. Incorporating more red meats and dark greens into your diet can help boost your iron levels, as can iron supplements.
Another underlying cause of always feeling tired could be diabetes. Fatigue caused by diabetes can become debilitating. How can diabetes cause fatigue, exactly? High blood glucose caused by diabetes makes you feel tired and slows down “circulation, so cells can’t get the oxygen and nutrients they need.” If full-body fatigue and mental haziness are reoccurring issues, telling your physician is the smartest action you can take on the road to feeling normal.
If your energy level is consistently low, talking to your doctor should always be the first step toward finding a solution. Oftentimes, the problem can be found in everyday behavior or tendencies that are not visible at first. Taking precautions and letting your doctor assess your chronic fatigue is imperative to a full and sustainable recovery.
