8 Lifestyle Changes to Help Reduce Fatigue
Oct 18, 2020
Fatigue is a term used to describe an overall feeling of tiredness or lack of energy. It isn't the same as simply feeling drowsy or sleepy. When you're fatigued, you have no motivation and no energy. Being sleepy may be a symptom of fatigue, but it's not the same thing.
There are many potential causes of fatigue. They can be divided into three general categories:
- lifestyle factors
- physical health conditions
- mental health issues
Lifestyle factors
If you’re experiencing fatigue, your activities and other lifestyle choices may be the root cause. For example, fatigue can result from:
- physical exertion
- lack of physical activity
- lack of sleep
- being overweight or obese
- periods of emotional stress
- boredom
- grief
- taking certain medications, such as antidepressants or sedatives
- using alcohol on a regular basis
- using illicit drugs, such as cocaine
- consuming too much caffeine
- not eating a nutritious diet
The Functional Medicine approach to fatigue looks at the whole person and sees the complex interrelationships among many diverse variables.
In short, everything that has ever happened to you collectively brings you to the place of feeling fatigued. Usually, fatigue results from a complex set of interacting factors rather than a single cause. For each of us, the source of fatigue may be different because our specific genetics are different, and our specific exposures are different!
A number of measures can help lessen fatigue caused by daily activities. To help boost your energy levels and overall health:
- drink enough fluids to stay hydrated
- practice healthy eating habits
- exercise on a regular basis
- get enough sleep
- avoid known stressors
- avoid a work or social schedule that’s overly demanding
- take part in relaxing activities, such as yoga
- abstain from alcohol, tobacco, and other illicit drugs
These lifestyle changes may help ease your fatigue.
If you’ve made efforts to address the most common lifestyle causes, such as lack of rest, poor eating habits, and stress, without success, and your fatigue has continued for two weeks or more, functional medicine may be a great option to help you get to the root cause.
Functional Medicine's recommended treatment plan will depend on what’s causing your fatigue. As a FM practitioner I may order blood or urine tests to get an inside view as to what is going on with you physiologically.
If your fatigue doesn’t resolve with proper rest and nutrition, or you suspect it’s caused by an underlying physical or mental health condition, see your doctor or give Functional Medicine a try. The approach is to work with your body and find natural solutions to restore health and well being.
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