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Fatigue is a condition that is inextricably linked with activity, and not necessarily with physical activity. You can get tired after hard work, mental work or sports. As a rule, to get rid of the feeling of fatigue, you need to rest. Sometimes a few minutes are enough, and sometimes it takes more time to restore strength, but there are times when the usual rest does not help, and fatigue accumulates. In such cases they talk about “ chronic fatigue
”.
Chronic fatigue is the result not so much of physical overload as of emotional exhaustion
.
The causes of chronic fatigue can be frequent stress
and
too much information
that a person is forced to pass through himself.
One of the main dangers of chronic fatigue is that it tends to accumulate
. A person gets tired faster and faster, the time allotted for rest is not enough to restore strength, and as a result, the feeling of fatigue begins to haunt the person constantly. This is how the body shows that it is already working at the limit of its capabilities, and something needs to change radically.
Causes of chronic fatigue
Oddly enough, chronic fatigue syndrome affects mainly people in developed countries, especially residents of large cities. It would seem that the development of computer technology and the creation of “smart gadgets” should have made people’s lives easier and relieved them of a number of routine tasks, but everything is not so simple. The development of chronic fatigue syndrome can be triggered by various factors.
:
- work with increased responsibility;
- exacerbation of concomitant chronic diseases;
- bad ecology;
- viral infections;
- uneven emotional and intellectual load with “peak” periods.
It is believed that chronic fatigue syndrome most often affects people whose work is associated with stress.
: firefighters, doctors, teachers. However, no one is immune from this disease, because a person’s life is not limited to work. Problems in the family, lack of money, poor living conditions can also cause the development of chronic fatigue syndrome. Age will not be a determining factor either. Often young people suffer from chronic fatigue syndrome, for example, students who sometimes have to combine study with part-time work.
Chronic fatigue syndrome is not as harmless as it seems. You should not put off his treatment until later. If left untreated, chronic fatigue can turn into depression
, and in some cases provoke the development of infectious diseases or cause allergic reactions.
Diagnostics
Identification of signs of CFS and its causes is carried out in the process of collecting anamnesis based on the results of the initial examination of the patient, conversations with him and his relatives. The diagnosis is made based on the presence of a certain combination of major and minor criteria for CFS symptoms. If necessary, to differentiate from other pathologies and disorders of a somatic and mental nature, laboratory and instrumental tests are prescribed: general and biochemical blood tests, ECG, ultrasound, MRI, etc.
Symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome
Severe fatigue is not a reason for concern; anyone can get tired, the main thing is that the feeling of fatigue goes away after proper rest and food. If you ate and rested quietly for several hours, but there was no relief, and you still feel tired, then this may indicate a pathological condition.
Chronic fatigue primarily affects performance
.
With chronic fatigue, a person’s normal performance drops several times, and he can no longer cope with the usual amount of work. Along with this a deterioration in psycho-emotional well-being
; it becomes difficult for a person to communicate with others, this affects not only colleagues and distant surroundings, but also family members. These are not all manifestations of chronic fatigue; this symptom can manifest itself in different ways in different people, from headaches to insomnia and nausea. This complicates the possibility of early diagnosis of the disease.
In addition, many people do not consider chronic fatigue a disease at all and do not seek help from doctors. Fatigue accumulates gradually; people may not notice for a long time that the situation is out of control, attributing the manifestations of chronic fatigue to age, stress or the influence of circumstances. Over time, the situation only gets worse.
How to find the strength to live. How to find the strength to work
Well, how to live on if you have no strength and don’t want anything? How to live if there is no energy?
- Let's first stop scolding ourselves for being so tired. After all, the fact that we blame and scold ourselves in this situation only aggravates it. And takes away the remaining energy. Therefore, the first thing is to calm down, ACCEPT that things are exactly like this for me now. Tell yourself: this is temporary.
- The second step is important: lower the bar in your affairs . Therefore, for now let’s put aside all our desires to “be the best.” In addition, aside - the desire to jump higher than everyone else, to do better. Therefore, it is now important for us to leave some kind of minimum according to the principle “NECESSARY AND SUFFICIENT”.
How to find the strength to live and work
Signs of chronic fatigue
A person himself can diagnose chronic fatigue better than any doctor, because it is best to assess his condition over time, comparing current indicators with indicators from a month or even six months ago. You need to pay attention to the following signs
:
- Decreased performance
. Of course, no one can work with the same productivity every day, there are more productive days and days when you can lower the bar a little, but productivity should not constantly decrease, this is more noticeable over longer periods. If in six months your performance has decreased by half, this is an alarming sign. - Constant loss of strength
. If actions that you previously performed without difficulty have turned into a problem and began to take a lot of energy, you should pay attention to this. As a rule, chronic fatigue manifests itself not only at work, but also in activities that used to be enjoyable, for example, even shopping or meeting with friends has become burdensome to you. - Mood swings
. Everyone's mood can deteriorate, but usually this does not happen without an objective reason. People with chronic fatigue syndrome may experience frequent mood swings: joyful excitement can easily be replaced by outbursts of anger or complete apathy. - Sleep disturbance
. Periods of rest and restful sleep should give vigor and a surge of strength, but in the case of chronic fatigue, the desired vigor does not occur. Instead of deep, restful sleep, a person is haunted by insomnia, and headaches begin from disturbing intermittent sleep. - Memory problems
. People suffering from chronic fatigue syndrome have problems concentrating. It becomes more difficult for them to remember facts and perceive large amounts of information. - Decreased immunity
. Chronic fatigue over time undermines the body's defenses, immunity declines, and chronic diseases worsen. In addition, indirect symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome can include a sore throat, increased body temperature and swollen lymph nodes.
The listed signs of chronic fatigue are not universal; each person may have their own “set” of symptoms. The key one can be considered a decrease in performance. You shouldn’t wait until the “bad period” is over; in the case of chronic fatigue, time is against you. A decrease in performance can cost you your job, and a sharp decrease in concentration, coupled with drowsiness, often provokes life-threatening situations. How many accidents have occurred due to drivers who simply fell asleep at the wheel? You need to understand that chronic fatigue syndrome is a disease that needs to be treated.
Popular questions and answers
Therapist, cardiologist Natalya Gavrilyuk answered popular questions about loss of strength
How to distinguish loss of strength due to fatigue from symptoms of the disease?
Loss of strength due to fatigue and illness do not have clear boundaries; everything is very individual. An important point is the correlation with the load level. If the load is excessive and the loss of strength corresponds to it, there is no point in looking for illness, you need to slow down. But if you work as usual, sleep 8 hours and wake up tired, or if fatigue overtakes you earlier than usual, it’s worth thinking about.
When to see a doctor if you feel weak?
Certain types of “red flags” include increased temperature, unmotivated weight changes, the appearance of any pain, sweating and other symptoms that are combined with fatigue. In these cases, it is better to consult a doctor. It is also important to evaluate the nature of sleep and mood patterns - the presence of desires, thoughts, the ability to have fun, and self-care. Sometimes these signs may suggest depression.
Treatment of chronic fatigue syndrome
It would seem that the best cure for fatigue is rest
. But you also need to rest properly, and in the case of chronic fatigue syndrome, simple rest may not solve the problem. Do not try to treat yourself, and especially do not resort to antidepressants without a doctor’s prescription. Some patients will need to undergo outpatient treatment or go to a wellness center to overcome chronic fatigue syndrome.
To prevent chronic fatigue syndrome and when the first symptoms appear, you must first pay attention to your lifestyle and make sure that you devote time not only to work, but also to rest. Remember a few rules
:
- It is necessary to rest
. And we are talking not only about daily rest, but also about a full vacation. It is not for nothing that the Labor Code grants a person the right to rest for 4 weeks. It would be optimal to rest twice a year for two weeks, which does not exclude rest on weekends and holidays. Learn to manage time correctly. - Physical activity is important
. The body needs to get a portion of physical activity, and the road from home to work does not apply to it, unless you combine it with a run. Swimming, dancing, yoga, cycling or other activities can provide physical activity. A morning workout will help you feel energetic in the morning. - Healthy sleep should be at least 6-8 hours
. At the same time, try to develop a routine: go to bed and get up at approximately the same time, preferably at night. In the dark, during sleep, the body produces melatonin, the lack of which can cause stress. - You need to be able to relax
. It is important to rest, not only physically, but also mentally. If you feel fatigue creeping in, allow yourself to relax. You can sign up for a massage or other wellness treatments “for body and soul.”
How to increase energy, get rid of loss of strength, fatigue using psychological methods
Find something you like
Now it has become fashionable to suggest getting rid of your unloved job. Instead, it is advisable to find an activity that you really enjoy. And then, “you will never have to go to work again.” The great Confucius said this.
This recommendation is very interesting and correct, I think. However, as usual, for every piece of advice you need a few more. Precisely in order to understand “how to complete the main one.” And then the question is: what will help us here?
Remember what you liked to do as a child.
Our childhood favorite activities don't just appear in our children's lives. Even, I would say, many doors are open, a lot is available. However, your favorite is chosen.
This is explained by the fact that initially the child has certain inclinations by nature. Such as: type of temperament, leading modality, predominant type of thinking - right-hemisphere or left-hemisphere (creativity or rationalism). That is why children choose their favorite game, unconsciously based on their natural abilities.
As an adult, even if we have gone down the path of unloved studies and work, we can always remember and revive our childhood hobbies.
Remember what you praised for in childhood
Just as in the previous paragraph, what matters is what was especially successful in childhood. The remarkable thing is that adults usually notice and talk about it. At the same time, the child himself may not attach any importance to this. And thus, already as an adult, he also continues to consider it “nothing special.”
What do you like now, what are your hobbies?
What do you like now? Why do you think you enjoy doing this? Also think about what psychological bonuses you get from this activity? Remember what you do well or even better than others?
All of the above questions come with an important caveat. Namely: answers like “lying on the couch watching a movie” are not accepted. Therefore, remember, we only need active activities. Precisely those that use your physical potential, your strong personality traits.
