What is fatigue?
Do you get easily tired? Do you feel mental or physical exhaustion? You may be experiencing fatigue. You may take longer to get out of bed or off the couch. Your legs may feel uncomfortable, heavy, and submerged. Your muscles may appear to be unable to operate properly, and your chest may feel heavy. It may even affect your social life.
Fatigue is an “overwhelming, debilitating, and sustained” exhaustion that hinders one’s capacity to function and carry out daily activities. It is a condition characterized by extreme weakness, and it is frequently described as a mental and physical lack of desire and enthusiasm. However, it is not the same as drowsiness or sleepiness, both of which signal a need for rest.
It has been recorded that up to 35 percent of teenagers and at least 20 percent of patients experience fatigue at least four days each week. Men and women may experience fatigue in different ways. Men may experience fatigue as tiredness, but women may experience fatigue with some form of anxiety. Tiredness, weary, listlessness, and rundown are other words used to express fatigue.
What are the most common causes of fatigue?
A variety of factors can contribute to fatigue. Research suggests that poor sleep habits or inactivity are among the lifestyle variables that may be associated with exhaustion most of the time. Furthermore, drugs may cause exhaustion or be linked to depression. Fatigue could also be a symptom of a condition that necessitates medical care.
Common causes of fatigue and exhaustion include insomnia (the inability to fall or stay asleep), stress, depression, an unhealthy lifestyle (such as eating poorly and exercising infrequently), and handling life demands (such as caring for a new baby or grieving). Other causes may include being overweight or obese, misusing alcohol often, abusing illegal substances such as cocaine, or consuming excessive amounts of caffeine.
Fatigue and Black Women
Fatigue can be a manifestation of low vitamin D levels, along with other serious conditions. Research suggests that Black women and brown women are more often vitamin D deficient than their White counterparts. An estimated 40 percent of American adults may be vitamin D deficient. For African Americans, that number may be nearly double at 76 percent according to a new study by The Cooper Institute. Another research paper in the Journal of Black Psychology titled “Fatigue Severity among African Americans: Gender and Age Interactions”, concluded that “African American women had significantly higher rates of fatigue when compared to African American men”.
Black women, most of the time, suppress their emotions including feelings of anxiety and fatigue until it becomes chronic. Amber Cabral in an interview with Washington Post’s Amanda Miller Little John, also suggests that “Black women have been groomed to overachieve, we know how to boss up and get it done. So it’s about reprogramming the idea that it’s weak to say you can’t do more.” However, fatigue is not a normal feeling and tiredness should not be suppressed, even for black women. fatigue can have a huge impact on your daily life.
If you are experiencing persistent or severe fatigue, it is important that you consult your doctor because the best treatment for fatigue is
