Let’s face it – everyone feels tired sometimes.
Whether it’s getting out of bed in the morning (especially when you have to go to work), or feeling the drag around 1pm at your desk, or even during the commute home, fatigue and exhaustion take their toll on everyone.
Everyone’s got their own reasons why they feel exhausted during the day. Some people have dogs that like to bark all night and keep them up. Others have kids whose internal alarm clock is permanently set to “way too early”. Others suffer from stress at work and at home that keeps them lying awake chasing sleep.
more: The 9 Biggest Reasons You’re Tired All The Time
Some unlucky people suffer from all of the above – and more.
But what if your fatigue isn’t “normal” fatigue – but something worse?
Doctors are warning about a new medical condition called “Chronic Fatigue Syndrome” that affects people by causing overwhelming fatigue.
How do you tell whether your fatigue is due to normal life factors, or whether it’s due to something like chronic fatigue syndrome?
more: Why You Feel So Tired Even After 8 Hours Of Sleep
How To Tell If Your Fatigue Is From Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Unfortunately, doctors don’t know the cause of chronic fatigue syndrome yet – and aside from the obvious symptom of feeling exhausted, there are no tests that can conclusively tell you whether you have it or not. The best way to figure out whether you have chronic fatigue syndrome is to rule out other conditions that might be causing you fatigue, like depression, anemia, heart disease, thyroid disease, sleep apnea, and others. If you and your doctor can rule out other conditions, but you still feel exhausted, your doctor might be able to diagnose you with chronic fatigue syndrome.
Another way to tell if your fatigue is due to normal everyday factors or to a more serious underlying condition is to look closely at when and where you feel it.
If you’re feeling fatigue for short periods of time during the day, that usually line up with when you’re feeling stressed or at your wits end – it’s most likely normal fatigue.
more: Diabetes Fatigue Might Be Why You’re Tired All The Time
But if you’re feeling fatigue that lasts for days or even weeks at a time, and doesn’t seem to let up even if you get more sleep and remove stressors – that’s a big sign that there’s more of an underlying condition going on that your doctor can help you with.
What Should You Do If You Think You Have Chronic Fatigue Syndrome?
Before going to the doctor, there are a few things you can do yourself to get some more insight into how you’re feeling and what you should do next.
It’s not possible for everybody, but if you’re feeling really exhausted, try taking a few days off of work to rest, recover, and recuperate. If you can’t take any time off, designate a weekend as “me time” and use it to rest and catch up on sleep.
more: 9 Strange Reasons You’re Tired All The Time
If you don’t feel better after that – there’s a good chance something else is going on behind the scenes.
Other symptoms of cfs include memory and concentration lapses, feeling fatigued during or after exercise, and feeling exhausted about an hour after you get up and start your day.
Again – one day of those symptoms does not mean you have chronic fatigue syndrome.
But if those symptoms last for 6 months or more – you should talk to your doctor about what to do to get yourself feeling better.
more: How To Prove To Your Doctor You Have Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
What Should You Do To Combat Normal Fatigue?
If fatigue is impacting your day to day in a way you really don’t like, there are a few things you can do about it.
more: 30 Scientifically Proven Ways To Boost Your Energy And Combat Fatigue
The first and most obvious is to catch up on your sleep. You should be getting at least seven and a half hours of quality sleep per night – and if that’s missing then you know where your fatigue is coming from.
Try to go to bed at the same time and wake up at the same time each day – it helps train your body to get better sleep and to feel better throughout the day.
more: 7 Signs You Might Have Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Your diet is super important to how you feel – as the saying goes, “garbage in, garbage out.”
If you’re eating a lot of processed foods and added sugar, it’s going to spike and crash your blood sugar levels all day, which will make you feel fatigue.
Try eating whole foods and eating a bunch of smaller meals throughout the day to avoid diet related fatigue and keep yourself at your best.
more: Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Exercise is also another way to boost your energy levels and get you feeling better. I know it sounds crazy to add exercise if you’re already feeling exhausted – but even a little bit of exercise 3 times a week can strengthen your body and make you feel a lot better – removing a lot of the fatigue you’re feeling right now.
as a mom with a regular 9-5 job, i say normal fatigue is part of my system. i’m glad i was able to read this article, i sometimes feel very tired and i might consider help.
yeah, i am one of those unlucky people who suffer from all of the above issues reason why i am always tired, so i guess my fatigue is due to normal factors and not something serious.
as a mom, it’s very typical to be overly tired and we tend to neglect all these other possible conditions. i’m very guilty of this and i know i need to be mindful of my health too because i take care of my family. thanks for this, it’s a great reminder for me.
i am not sure if exercising even if i am already feeling exhausted is a good idea but i am willing to give it a try and see if it will work for me.
thanks for sharing wonderful tips on how to combat chronic fatigue. i can tell that i am really tired coz my fatigue never ends. i always go to bed tired and them wake up tired.
well, i hope doctors would soon find out the real cause of chronic fatigue syndrome. i have friends suffering from chronic fatigue and i know that it is very hard to deal with.
after reading this post, i realized i should control all the tasks i am juggling each day, exercise at least 3 times a week and have a good sleep. i knew my body is tired and i wanted to heal.
i will begin catching up on my sleep to fight chronic fatigue. i hate it and i will do everything to combat it.
i agree that exercise is one way to get you feeling better. i do exercise at least three times a week no matter how busy my schedule is.
i struggle with chronic fatigue and it is so frustrating. sometimes, it is impossible for me to accomplish my daily tasks like cooking and going to work. i just hate it so much.
you can never go wrong with whole foods. If you want to keep yourself at your best, maintain a healthy lifestyle and diet.
add exercise even if you are feeling tired already? gosh, that sounds crazy! not sure if i can do it. honestly.
diet really plays an important role in how we feel so it is better to avoid processed foods and go for whole foods which i do most of the time.
fatigue is a daily struggle. i am so happy i came across this article. now i know that there are a few things i can do to combat it.
i find it hard to tell whether my fatigue is due to normal life factors or a more serious underlying condition. thank goodness i came across this post. it gave me an idea about chronic fatigue that i am not aware of.
taking a few days off can really help if you feel too tired. it is good to relax your mind and stay away from the things that stresses you out once in a while.
i understand that chronic fatigue is a serious condition but is it life threatening? i am just curious.
i am a mom and it makes sense why i sometimes feel very tired. like the other readers, i may also need some help.
i just found your site and will have to check it out more often. i enjoy reading this article and because it is very informational. good job!
i always feel dizzy and have had memory problems. are these signs of chronic fatigue too?
you know what is the worst part of having Chronic fatigue syndrome besides the horrible symptoms? it is missing out on life. those who have CFS will understand what i am talking about.
thank you for the advice on how i could catch up on my sleep. i will make sure to follow it to combat fatigue.
the signs i experienced with my chronic fatigue syndrome are body aches, tiredness, lassitude and profound fatigue. i have a friend who really understands how i feel and i am so happy and lucky to have her.
i was diagnosed with CFS a few months ago and is currently taking medications. i just hope that this gets better in time.
now i know the difference of chronic fatigue syndrome and tiredness. i enjoyed reading this post and i learned a lot of important information. thank you so much for sharing and hope you can post more articles like this.
thanks for giving pieces of advice on how to combat normal fatigue. i will start with my diet, eliminate processed foods and eat fruits and vegetables instead.
i better talk to my doctor regarding the signs of this disorder. i am not sure if i have it but just in case i am diagnosed with this condition, i can get the treatment i need the soonest to feel better.
pain is really a common symptom of chronic fatigue. i was diagnosed with this and the symptoms i feel are headaches, muscle and join pain. i really hate having this.
i enjoyed reading this post. i learned a lot about CFS symptom by reading it and the comments too. i need to share this to my friends and loved ones.
i honestly don’t know if i have CFS or what but i can spend day after day just sleeping. i can’t even get up to make breakfast! i will get myself checked.