Chronic fatigue syndrome is a state of physical and psychological exhaustion that does not go away even after a long rest. This syndrome has no age restrictions, increasingly spreading among young people, but more often women and residents of megacities suffer from it. This article presents the most common causes of chronic fatigue, as well as recommendations on how to find energy without doctors and medications.
Symptoms of chronic fatigue
- lack of internal energy
- moral depression
- drowsiness during the day, apathy, laziness
- decreased tone of the muscular system, internal tremors, hand tremors
- deterioration of memory and concentration
- irritability, bad mood, depression
- general poor health
- decreased immunity, frequent infectious diseases, exacerbation of chronic diseases
- increased sensitivity to cold, chills
- insomnia or interrupted sleep
- frequent headaches, migraines
The study of chronic fatigue (CFS) symptoms is complicated by the lack of biological markers that indicate this disease. The syndrome does not have a pronounced biological nature and is diagnosed only by external manifestations that do not go away for more than 6 months. Until now, the World Health Organization (WHO) does not officially recognize chronic fatigue syndrome as a disease.
Chronic fatigue reduces overall activity in life, affecting relationships with family, friends, success at work and financial well-being. In order to regain strength, overcome the blues and regain your former energy, you need to correctly determine the cause.
Where does chronic fatigue come from?
There is healthy, normal fatigue in our lives. A person spends energy, then rests, the energy is restored, and again there is something to spend.
What is chronic fatigue? This is when energy is so depleted that the body gives it to a person in “economy” and even “super economy” mode - a little at a time, just to survive.
In fact, this condition is critical and very dangerous. So that you don’t get too scared, I’ll get ahead of myself and say the main thing: chronic fatigue syndrome can be overcome.
But let's first look at what reasons are to blame for the development of this syndrome?
Stress
“Run!”, “Have time!”, “Achieve!” - these are the slogans of modern society that squeeze the last juice out of a person. Let's add here the daily bombardment of information, responsibility (work, family, etc.) and haste - and we get the overwhelming burden that weighs on most of us.
We get used to living with this burden and convince ourselves that this is normal: everyone lives like this. Meanwhile, the body perceives this lifestyle in its own way.
Our energy system still lives in the era of hunter-gatherers, when the main stress was escaping from a saber-toothed tiger or other predator. Therefore, the body perceives any stress as a signal: a tiger is nearby! It urgently releases the necessary hormones and energy to fight or flee.
Our body can cope with a small number of “tigers”. But when the “tigers” attack constantly, from everywhere, when they attack and there is no respite - what happens? That's right, energy depletion. And apathy: to our body such a situation seems hopeless.
Ecology
Unfortunately, civilization brought with it not only benefits. The simplest and most necessary things are disappearing from our lives: clean air, clean water, healthy food.
All this has a direct bearing on our health. Noise on the streets, crowded conditions, car exhaust fumes, chemical runoff from factories are also to blame for the fact that we are constantly tired.
Diseases
Even a common cold depletes a person's energy. What can we say about chronic diseases that exhaust a person for years?
At the same time, a vicious circle often arises: diseases lead to energy depletion, and this, in turn, provokes other diseases.
When the body's defenses are weakened, it becomes vulnerable to the so-called six evils (cold, heat, dampness, etc.). When immunity is weakened, pathogenic factors enter the body and cause imbalance in the organs, Qi and blood.
Preventive actions
It is believed that fatigue is caused precisely by an unequal ratio of rest and work. It is important to understand that it is best not to bring the body to fatigue, to adhere to proper organization of the day.
A person may suffer from fatigue if forced to work in uncomfortable conditions. There is a possibility of poor organization of life, poor nutrition, lack of sleep, and too loud knocking. Prevention in this case will include creating the most comfortable environment to rest and recuperate.
How quickly does fatigue occur? It all depends on the specifics of the work activity. If you have to strain your muscles and stick to a monotonous posture, you may feel tired. It is best to practice rhythmic movements.
Experts advise adhering to the following preventive measures:
- timely rest, which includes proper sleep, walks, you can even just watch TV, read a book;
- allow yourself breaks during work;
- adhere to ergonomics when performing tasks;
- competently combine intellectual activity and physical activity;
- create comfortable working conditions, which include aesthetic design, lighting, ventilation;
- practice gymnastics and massage;
- introduce a competent daily routine, a balanced diet (more vitamins, microelements, fruits).
Of no small importance is the rational regime of rest and activity that will be introduced at the enterprise. It is worth taking into account the age characteristics of each person in order to prevent fatigue and emotional burnout.
Conclusion and conclusions about fatigue
Remember that work should not take up all of a person's time. Life consists not only of responsibilities, the need to cope with intellectual and physical activities. Look around, appreciate how many opportunities there are to fully relax, acquire vivid emotions (see What emotions really are) and unforgettable impressions. Take a break from work at least on weekends, in the evenings. Your body will thank you.
You can always create certain rituals for yourself that you will follow to restore your strength. You can indulge in a relaxing bath in the evenings. Music therapy and bibliotherapy are of considerable importance. Stop being a serious person who has to think about work all the time. You can’t earn all the money (see How the rich became rich), but you can encounter psychosomatic disorders in the form of headaches, bad mood, and chronic fatigue. You can simply pamper yourself with shopping, spend time with friends and loved ones. Your energy potential must be restored. Under no circumstances should you just draw from your “emotional vessel” and forget about replenishing it. Don't be afraid to ask those around you for help. If necessary, you can always make an appointment with a specialist who will listen and give competent advice.
Fatigue is easy to avoid if you follow the recommendations of psychologists and allow yourself proper rest. Remember that every day can bring with it both pleasant and unpleasant surprises. No one is immune from falling into negative situations, illnesses and losses. Allow yourself to live brightly, richly, enjoy every moment of life. You will see how much time, energy and inspiration you have to not only do your work, but also pay attention to your family. It is the presence of balance in all areas of life that will help you become a truly happy person, capable of achieving success and goals.
Be sure that everything will work out for you. Everything is in your hands, as is the opportunity to get pleasant emotions from absolutely any activity.
Types of chronic fatigue
Chinese medicine distinguishes several types of chronic fatigue syndrome. I will now talk about two main ones. Please note: a person can have two or more types of fatigue at the same time.
Spleen Qi Deficiency/Spleen Yang Deficiency
The spleen is one of the main digestive organs; it is no less important than, for example, the stomach. Their joint work can be compared to a pan in which soup is cooked.
First, the stomach stirs the food, turning it into a kind of soup.
And the spleen seems to heat up this “soup” to the state of steam (of course, the image is very approximate). It extracts nutrients from it, turns them into molecules and transports them to where they are needed.
If the spleen does not have enough Qi or Yang energy to heat the “soup”, the food remains in liquid form, accumulates and stagnates in the body. And excess moisture in the body blocks the free flow of Qi and blood.
In this condition, the main symptoms will be:
- constant mental fatigue
- difficulty concentrating,
- heavy, aching limbs,
- digestive problems (decreased appetite, bloating or loose stools),
- swelling,
- weight gain.
I wrote more about spleen qi deficiency in this article.
Kidney Qi Deficiency/Kidney Yang Deficiency
In Chinese medicine, the body's main energy is located in the kidneys. This energy can be compared to a savings account: funds should be taken from it only in emergency situations.
But due to stress and overwork, we use our savings account (kidney energy) to keep working. This depletes us on a deep level, leading to chronic fatigue syndrome. Then it may take a long time to restore these reserves again.
The main symptoms for this condition:
- feeling tired, apathy,
- feeling of coldness in the body and limbs,
- lumbago (acute pain in the lower back),
- weak knees,
- impotence in men and irregular periods in women.
Tired of poor nutrition
No wonder they say that we are what we eat. An unbalanced, unhealthy diet leads to excessive stress on internal organs and a lack of vital microelements. You've probably noticed that at the end of winter people are more lethargic and tired than in summer or autumn. The reason is vitamin deficiency. Lack of vitamins.
You may also feel tired and lethargic after eating fatty foods and fast carbohydrates (especially sweets). This is a natural consequence of stress on the digestive system, as well as elevated blood sugar levels.
How to treat chronic fatigue
Now comes the most important thing. The conditions around you may be unfavorable: let’s say you live in a big city, your job is responsible and stressful, your life circumstances are not going well.
With all this, you can (and should) protect yourself from chronic fatigue syndrome. Or cure it if this illness has already come to you.
Of course, each case is individual. But I will write here some basic recommendations that apply to everyone. They are simple and effective, and if you do not neglect them, your life will be much more fun. So.
Products
Here's what's good for chronic fatigue:
♦ Warm foods and spices (ginger, cinnamon, turmeric). They allow the body to absorb the maximum amount of nutrients from food without depleting your digestive system.
♦ Hawthorn and dill are also very useful in this case.
What foods are best to avoid? * Dairy, * Raw, cold or frozen, * Heavy, fried or fatty.
Many people, when tired, try to replenish their energy reserves with a cup of coffee or something sweet. But coffee and sugar by themselves do not provide energy. They simply "pull" Qi reserves from the kidneys to stimulate the body's activity. As a result, our energy deposits in the kidneys, our emergency reserves, are depleted prematurely.
And one more tip related to food. Chew your food well. This helps to better break down foods that are necessary for digestion and absorption of nutrients.
Lifestyle
The advice is not new, I think you know all this very well yourself. But it’s my duty to remind you of the obvious things that we forget about in the daily bustle.
♦ Relax! It is important to learn to give your body breaks so that your nervous system can relax. Most people don't realize how debilitating stress and fatigue can be until they become seriously ill.
♦ Follow the 70% Rule. This is the Taoist rule of moderation, which teaches you to perform 70% of your maximum capabilities. The desire to achieve 100% or more is always stressful and overloads the nervous system.
You may initially achieve outstanding results - but over time, the physical, mental or energetic output required to maintain this level will weaken.
Do not be led by social stereotypes - they say, “give your best every day 100%, otherwise you will not see success!” This is your health and your life. Of course, be goal-oriented, but also have moderation and common sense.
♦ Keep your mind quiet. Busy and restless thoughts are one of the main causes of energy imbalance in our body. Therefore, to prevent chronic fatigue syndrome, I recommend meditation. If you are a Christian, then pray. The main thing is not to let vanity take over your mind.
♦ Limit your information consumption. The information avalanche blows us off our feet every day. Don't voluntarily add to this stressor. If you have a choice: hang out on social networks or take a walk, take a walk.
What are the types of fatigue?
Intense intellectual work leads to neuropsychic fatigue. If a person has to engage in physical activity, we can talk about muscle fatigue.
Disturbances in the functioning of central nervous regulation give rise to neuropsychic fatigue. One may note the presence of slow speech, weakened thinking functions, and mental processes. A person suffers from depression (see Depression and its treatment), irritability, anxiety, and inability to be in a stable emotional state.
The following circumstances can be noted that lead to the appearance of neuropsychic fatigue:
- intellectual work, during which you have to concentrate attention and take on increased responsibility;
- physical work involving heavy loads;
- lack of comfortable conditions for full-fledged activity;
- uniformity and monotony in the work process;
- the need to take part in conflicts;
- problems in interpersonal relationships, dietary disorders.
We can say that fatigue goes away quickly if factors such as:
- the opportunity to change activities;
- the body has to mobilize strength in the event of a feeling of anxiety, fear (see Obsessive thoughts and fears);
- there is a change of scenery;
- the emergence of new data, as a result of which interest in completing the assigned tasks is awakened;
- change in emotional state.
Physical fatigue can be felt when the energy resource is exhausted and lactic acid accumulates. These processes can lead to a decrease in performance.
In this case, a person feels how the rhythm and accuracy of movements decreases, there is a lack of coordination in acts of movement, and strength is weakened.
Sensory fatigue occurs due to a lack of necessary data, information overload (see Nomophobia).
