You aren’t as young as you used to be but do you worry that you are slowing down too much? Chronic fatigue isn’t just associated with aging, but if you visit a senior community you will notice a fair share of the residents are snoozing their days away.
As you grow older, slowing down is a common concern. Experts, according to Kathleen Phalen (The Washington Post: Washington D.C.: June 6, 2000) assure us that aging and fatigue are not synonymous, and there is usually a reason for your lack of vigor. It is important that you don’t shrug off your lack of pep as just another sign of old age. Tiredness is natural and it is indeed nature’s way of telling you to slow down and get some rest. If your fatigue doesn’t respond to simple lifestyle changes like rest, good food, hydration, a daily vitamin and moderate exercise, it is time to see your doctor.
There are so many possible reasons for excessive fatigue that it boggles the mind. Chronic fatigue is characterized (Sarah Stacey: Daily Mall: London: October 23, 2010) by profound physical and mental tiredness and can be quite disabling. The exact cause is not known and extensive research has not been able to come up with an answer. Researchers have isolated enough suspects to assure us that their work is far from over.
Your doctor will look at side effects from prescription drugs (blood pressure medications, migraine treatment, antidepressants, and medications for epilepsy are prime suspects, and over-the-counter medications are not far behind). Infections, stress, anxiety, depression, alcohol consumption and/or recreational drugs can also cause fatigue. Food allergies or intolerances, yeast infections, diabetes, hormone imbalances, hypertension or other heart abnormalities, cancer and a myriad of are other possibilities. If lab work is unrevealing he/she will want to know about your sleep patterns, diet, alcohol intake, your exercise schedule, stress, lost of family or friends and other medical symptoms. If a physical cause can’t be highlighted you may be evaluated for depression.
It could be something as simple as your habit of skipping meals or if you consume too many sweets and too much caffeine. Even a relatively good diet can be laced with culprits that steal energy. Excessive caffeine and sugar can play havoc with blood glucose and energy levels. As you can see, if you are really concerned that you are slowing down too much and too fast, a 15 minutes appointment with your doctor is not going to be enough. Be forthright with your doctor and be willing to do a little work yourself in order to help him/her get to the root of your concerns. Taking it easy is not the best treatment for fatigue syndromes of any degree. Fatigue is not a symptom of normal aging and adjusting to it by doing less is not the answer. Life is too precious, especially as you grow older, to accept slowing down as a natural phenomena.
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