Page 17 - (DK) Home Doctor: Providing practical advice on home treatments

COMMON CONDITIONS: GENERAL SYMPTOMS 15

Fatigue

Everyone feels tired after physical exertion or long periods of hard work. A good night’s sleep usually solves
the problem, but sometimes fatigue seems to drag on for days, and can interfere with your daily activities.
The most obvious cause is difficulty sleeping, but you may also feel tired if you are stressed, a bit depressed,
or if you’ve recently suffered a bereavement. An unhealthy diet and lack of exercise are common contributory
factors. Viral illnesses such as mononucleosis and the flu can leave you tired for weeks afterward.
Sometimes, persistent fatigue is due to an underlying condition such as anemia or a thyroid problem.
See also Difficulty sleeping, p.17; Stress, pp.20–21; Feeling depressed, pp.22–23.

See your doctor first
PRACTICAL TECHNIQUE
Make an appointment to see your doctor if:
● Fatigue is persistent and sleep doesn’t help Power napping If you find yourself nodding
off during the day or you feel drowsy while driving,
● You often feel tired for no apparent reason
a brief nap may help you function better.
● An ideal nap lasts about 10–15 minutes, but even
a 5-minute nap will leave you brighter and sharper
What you can do yourself afterward. Sleeping for more than 15 minutes helps,
but you may feel groggy afterward. More than 30
If you feel tired all the time, try the following minutes may affect your ability to sleep at night.
adjustments to help you get your energy back. ● Take a daily nap at the same time each day so your

● Even when you’re very busy, get enough sleep body gets used to the routine. Use an alarm clock or
watch if you are worried about sleeping for too long.
each night. Overdoing things, then trying to catch
● Don’t nap late in the day or fall asleep in front of
up on your rest at the weekends, will disturb the TV in the evening, and don’t use
your sleep routine and leave you even more tired.
naps to catch up on sleep if you
● Never miss breakfast. Include fresh vegetables, are having difficulty sleeping.
fruit, cereals, whole-grain bread and pasta, and
brown rice in your diet. Cut down on fatty foods, Timed nap
such as cheese and red meat, and on sugar and salt. Set a watch or
clock to wake
● Check that you are not overweight or too thin.
you from your
If you need to lose or gain weight, do so gradually. nap after about
● Try to spend time each day in fresh air. Exercise 15 minutes.
regularly, particularly if you have a sedentary job.
● If you are sleepy during the day or while driving,
try a “power nap” (see PRACTICAL TECHNIQUE, right).
● If you have had a viral illness, such as the flu or
mononucleosis, it may be weeks before you’re
back to normal. Take time off to recover and take
things easy when you return to work or school.
Seek further medical advice
● If stress is contributing to “burnout,” make
more time for leisure activities. Try some deep Arrange to see your doctor if:
breathing and muscle relaxation exercises (see ● You still feel tired after trying these measures
PRACTICAL TECHNIQUES, pp.20–21).
for 2–3 weeks, or you develop other symptoms