Gaby
When coordination falters, productivity drops, and reactions slow down, it’s time to take a break. But what if getting out of bed feels like an uphill battle, even after a full night’s sleep? Tackling chronic fatigue begins with identifying its causes. Some health issues may even be linked to springtime.
Possible Causes
Constant fatigue doesn’t just appear out of nowhere. Feeling drained is a signal that your body is exhausted.
Coronary Insufficiency
If you wake up feeling like a squeezed lemon and find even light exertion uncomfortable, it could be coronary insufficiency. Symptoms include shortness of breath and body aches. In this state, simple tasks like mopping the floor, climbing a flight of stairs, or carrying groceries can feel overwhelming. This happens when coronary blood flow falls and the myocardium doesn’t get enough oxygen and nutrients. Coronary insufficiency is common in atherosclerosis and ischemic heart disease, where narrowed blood vessels lead to persistent fatigue and weakness. To help your heart get more oxygen, do moderate physical activity. Exercise helps dilate blood vessels and allows more oxygen-rich blood to reach the heart. Any movement helps prevent coronary insufficiency: running, walking, swimming, or biking. Start with two 15-minute sessions per week, then gradually increase to 30 minutes, and eventually aim for 30 minutes three times a week.
Urinary Tract Diseases
Chronic fatigue and drowsiness can result from urinary tract infections. Get tested for infections and treat them if found. After a course of antibiotics, fatigue typically doesn’t disappear immediately but may ease within a week.
Anemia
Chronic weakness and drowsiness are often caused by a deficiency of red blood cells and low hemoglobin, the iron-containing protein that carries oxygen. Red blood cells transport oxygen from the lungs to the body’s organs and tissues. The minimum hemoglobin level is about 120 g/L for women and 140 g/L for men. Levels lower than that cause anemia (from the Greek meaning “lack of blood”). Symptoms include pallor, dry or flaky skin, and persistent fatigue. Anemia can develop from iron deficiency and may stem from poor nutrition, genetic predisposition, illnesses, or menstrual bleeding. Doctors often prescribe iron supplements for women and children more frequently than for men and recommend dietary changes to include iron-rich foods: apples, beans, fortified cereals, shellfish, and liver.
Lack of Sleep
Adults need at least 7–8 hours of sleep a night—period. The idea of “catching up on sleep over the weekend” doesn’t actually restore your body the way consistent sleep does. If sleep deprivation is ongoing, a few extra hours on one day won’t fix the deficit. To compensate for one lost hour of sleep, you generally need an extra hour of sleep; if the sleep deficit is larger, recovery will take longer than the number of hours missed. Research shows that brain function after ten days of sleep deprivation doesn’t normalize in just a week. New studies indicate that to make up for one hour of lost sleep, a person needs 7–9 hours of sleep for four consecutive nights. Doctors warn that for people with chronic sleep deprivation, full recovery can become difficult or impossible without long-term changes to sleep habits.
Sleep Apnea
Brief interruptions in breathing cause a snorer to wake up repeatedly, often without remembering it. As a result, they don’t feel rested. If chronic fatigue is linked to sleep apnea, quitting smoking and losing excess weight can help. If snoring persists, consider using a nasal device that keeps the airways open during sleep.
Depression
Depression is often accompanied by loss of appetite, headaches, and constant fatigue. Treating depression requires a psychotherapist or other medical support, because it is a medical condition, not just an emotional problem.
Caffeine Overdose
When stimulants are overused, the body becomes accustomed to them and requires higher doses. Drinking coffee or strong tea every time you feel low on energy can lead to a growing dependence while your overall well-being declines. A safe amount that is less likely to contribute to chronic fatigue is one to two cups of coffee or black tea per day.
Poor Diet
Inadequate nutrition is another possible cause of constant fatigue and drowsiness. If you’re not eating enough or not getting the right nutrients, a night’s sleep won’t be sufficient for recovery. Improve your diet and balance it with essential nutrients, and your energy will return.
“Spring Syndrome”
This common condition affects nearly half of adults. Symptoms of spring fatigue include a decline in energy, increased tiredness, reduced productivity, irritability, sleep disturbances, and flares of chronic illnesses. Many people feel down or irritable in spring and notice diminished attention and memory. Persistent fatigue and weakness in spring often stem from depleted energy reserves built up over winter and from slow replenishment because seasonal foods can be low in the vitamins and trace elements the body needs for energy. As a result, energy reserves refill slowly, leaving people feeling weak and more prone to illness.
How to Overcome Fatigue
Lack of energy is a reason not only to rest but also to reassess your diet. Exhaustion can be worsened by stimulants and improved with energy-boosting foods. Vegetables, fruits, greens, nuts, and eggs can help combat fatigue. The revitalizing effect of these “energy foods” comes from nutrients found in beans, bananas, peanuts, spinach, and others.
Bananas
Bananas are rich in potassium, which helps counter chronic fatigue. One banana a day can help normalize blood pressure, reduce muscle weakness, relieve tension, improve appetite, and brighten your complexion. Avoid eating large quantities every day, because excess potassium can stress the heart and disrupt nervous system, digestive tract, and muscle function. People with kidney disease should be particularly cautious.
Peanuts
Quick fatigue, apathy, lethargy, and tingling in the toes can be signs of pantothenic acid (vitamin B5) deficiency. Peanuts can help replenish this vitamin. They are also rich in magnesium and vitamins B3, B5, and B6, which help combat fatigue.
Beans
Legumes are packed with B vitamins (B1, B2, B5, B6, B9), vitamin C, biotin (vitamin H), niacin (vitamin PP), and energy-supporting minerals like magnesium, potassium, zinc, and iron. Beans are also high in fiber, protein, and carbohydrates, making them excellent for alleviating constant fatigue and weakness.
Lettuce
Leafy greens, including lettuce, can help reduce fatigue. Vitamin C and folic acid in greens are antioxidants that support healthy blood circulation and strengthen the immune system. Carotene and other carotenoids also benefit vision, which often suffers from chronic fatigue. Fresh vegetable salads can boost energy—red and yellow fruits and vegetables are especially helpful against depression and fatigue. Nutritionists recommend a variety of vegetable salads to prevent fatigue during intense physical and mental exertion.
Eggs
Eggs are a concentrated source of energy. Egg yolks contain choline, which helps prevent fat buildup in the liver, and lecithin, a building block for cell membranes; egg whites are rich in B vitamins. Eggs are also a good source of zinc. Nutrition experts recommend eating eggs for breakfast to help prevent fatigue.
Choosing foods rich in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants will help your body overcome fatigue and spring weakness.
Recipes for Energy
Eat regularly throughout the day in small portions, balancing carbohydrates and proteins in your meals. Nutritionists consider balanced nutrition a key to health and energy.
- Include zinc-rich foods: eggs, fish, sunflower seeds, and sesame. Increase fruit and vegetable intake to boost vitamin C.
- Crush garlic into a paste and mix it with lemon juice. Dilute one teaspoon of this mixture in a glass of boiled water and take it three times a day before meals. After two weeks, persistent fatigue and drowsiness may diminish and your well-being and productivity should improve.
- Eat a light breakfast of oatmeal cookies, cheese, and tea for an energy boost.
- Mix natural yogurt with nuts and green apple as an alternative energy snack.
- Add the juice of half an orange to 150 g of grated apples and a handful of nuts for a quick energy blend.
- Chop walnuts and lemon (one cup each), add a cup of honey, mix, and take one tablespoon three times a day.
- Blend spinach, parsley, or lettuce leaves with any juice if you dislike the taste of raw greens.
- For anemia, mix carrot juice with spinach juice in a 3:2 ratio. Take half a glass of this fresh mixture three times a day before meals.
However, even energy-rich foods are not a cure-all. True vitality comes from combining them with a sensible lifestyle.
- Move regularly: activity improves oxygen delivery to the brain and helps eliminate toxins that contribute to depression, apathy, and chronic fatigue.
- Nap when possible: a 30-minute daytime nap can recharge your energy, improve focus, and lift your mood. Regular daytime naps (at least every other day) may reduce the risk of death from heart attack and stroke by about a third.
- Quit smoking: smoking reduces oxygen saturation in the body and increases fatigue.
- Normalize your weight: both excess and insufficient body mass can contribute to fatigue.
- Minimize chronic stress: mild stress can energize the body, but ongoing chronic stress suppresses it.
To overcome fatigue, normalize your lifestyle, reassess your diet, manage your weight, and break sedentary habits. To prevent fatigue, spend more time outdoors and aim for adequate sleep.
