How to Beat Tiredness and Fatigue

Fatigue – maybe you can lift it with some positive mindfulness

Fatigue is a different thing to tiredness. Tiredness can be resolved with a little rest or sleep. Fatigue is like being bone tired, it is deep down inside you and the more embedded that it becomes the more it takes to get beyond it and hopefully get rid of it.

The experience of fatigue has been given many titles, some of which are accepted by the medical profession and some are referred to psychology as though they do not really exist. From my work as a psychotherapist I see many forms of fatigue. In most cases the experience of fatigue is a learned habit, and as you know from the live in the present work, all habits can be changed or replaced.

Let’s have a look at a few reasons for fatigue.

Under-load is the opposite of over-load. When someone is under-loaded they have little or nothing to do. This is the classic couch potato. There is weight gain, poor diet, and a resultant lack of energy.

Clinical depression is when the body chemistry is out of balance and can only be adjusted with medication. This chemical imbalance can create feelings of fatigue. Clinical depression is mainly treated with medication and psychotherapeutic support

Reactive depression is when we have been subjected to an emotional trauma that has effected our body chemistry and created an imbalance. Again medication will help but the key here is psychotherapy.

SAD seasonal depression is when the vitamin D levels drop in the winter due to the reduced sunlight. This can be treated with vitamin D supplements.

Repressed anger is when people have internalised anger about people or events that is not dealt with or resolved. This is an issue

Post Viral Fatigue Syndrome (PVFS) this is when the body system has been compromised by the infection and needs to rebuild itself. Some medication will help but in most cases it is time, good food, and rest.

The following are not recognised by all medical authorities who can sometimes write off people’s fatigue as psycho-somatic. These include:
Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME)
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome CFS
Chronic Fatigue Immune Dysfunction Syndrome CFIDs

However, my colleagues in the pain clinic successfully treat many forms of fatigue using traditional medicine, psychotherapy and acupuncture.

Over-coming fatigue usually means that you have to take responsibility for your own system and become the expert in your own body. Rule out health problems first.

So here are some ideas that you might consider.

Lack of sleep is bad for you. If you cant sleep find out why and do something about it. Excess weight will make you tired, as will stress. If you find that you feel down in the winter get a vitamin D test, talk to your GP and maybe consider investigating St John’s Wart a herbal broad spectrum anti-depressant.

Exercise – get your heart beating fast for thirty minutes everyday
Yoga – is a good way to promote feelings of relaxation and reduce fatigue in you muscles
Hydrate – with water, drink around 2 litres a day
Bed early – get enough sleep but not too much
Meditate – research suggests that the ratio of meditation to sleep is about 5 to 1, that means that 10 minutes good meditation or relaxation is the equivalent of 50 minutes of sleep
Siestas! Afternoon nap – and power napping can boost your energy and you immune system

The last bit is have some fun. Laughter and smiles can raise your spirit and reduce your feelings of fatigue.

Take care

Sean x

1 reply

Trackbacks & Pingbacks

  1. […] Here’s a link to this week’s blog post by Sean […]

Leave a Reply

Want to join the discussion?
Feel free to contribute!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.