If you can’t eliminate your constant tiredness even after changing your lifestyle, it’s time to make an appointment with your doctor to rule out any of the following health problems.
1. Anemia
The fatigue caused by anemia derives from a lack of red blood cells, which are the ones that transport oxygen from the lungs to the tissues and cells. You may feel weak and short of breath. Anemia can have different origins: due to iron or vitamin deficiency, blood loss, internal bleeding, or a chronic disease such as rheumatoid arthritis, cancer, or kidney failure. Women of childbearing age are especially susceptible to iron deficiency anemia, due to blood loss during menstruation and the body’s need for additional iron during pregnancy and lactation.
The symptoms
always feeling tired
Weakness
Difficulty to sleep
loss of concentration
rapid heart rate
Chest pain
Headache
When doing some simple exercise, such as climbing stairs or walking short distances, feeling short of breath
Tests
Physical exam
Blood tests, including a complete blood count (CBC), check the levels of red blood cells in your blood.
Stool exam to check for blood loss.
Treatments
Anemia is not a disease.
It is a symptom that there are other problems in the body that we should pay attention to. So treatment may vary depending on the underlying cause of the anemia. It may be something as simple as eating more foods rich in iron, although it will be the doctor who will finally indicate which treatment is indicated for each one.
2. Thyroid disease
If thyroid hormones are out of whack, we can feel very tired just doing day-to-day activities. The thyroid gland, which is about the size of a tie knot, is located in the front of the neck and produces hormones that control our metabolism.
Excessive production of thyroid hormone (hyperthyroidism) causes our metabolism to speed up.
An underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism)causes our metabolism to slow down.
Hyperthyroidism is diagnosed especially in women in their 20s or 30s, although it can occur in older women and also in men.
Hypothyroidism :
General fatigue
inability to concentrate
Muscle pain, even with little exercise
Weight gain due to fluid retention
Constantly feeling cold (even when it’s hot)
Heavier and more frequent menstrual flows
Constipation.
Hypothyroidism is more common in women over 50 years of age.
Tests
Thyroid disorder can be detected with a blood test.
treatments
There are several treatments for thyroid disease, which may include medications, surgery, or radioactive iodine therapy.
3. Type 2 diabetes
Sugar, also known as glucose, is the fuel that keeps your body running. And that spells trouble for people with type 2 diabetes, who can’t use glucose properly, causing it to build up in the blood. Not having enough energy to keep the body running smoothly, people with diabetes often experience fatigue, which is one of the first warning signs.
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Type 2 diabetes
The symptoms
continuous tiredness
very thirsty all the time
Frequent urinary evacuations
Hunger
Weightloss
Irritability
yeast infections
Blurry vision.
Tests
There are two main tests to detect diabetes.
The fasting plasma glucose test is the most common and measures the amount of glucose in a fasting blood sample (with no food or drink for 8 hours).
If the oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) is performed, blood is drawn twice: just before drinking a glucose syrup and again after two hours.
Treatments
Changes in diet, intake of oral medications, and/or insulin.
4. Depression
Something more severe than “being low”, depression is a very serious illness that affects us when we sleep, eat, and our feelings towards ourselves and others. If left untreated, symptoms of depression can last for weeks, months, or even years.
The symptoms
Depression does not affect us all equally.
power reduction
Changes in sleeping and eating patterns
memory and concentration problems
Feelings of hopelessness, futility, and negativity.
Tests
You can’t do a blood test for depression, but your doctor will be able to identify it through a series of questions. If you experience five or more of the following symptoms for more than 2 weeks, or if they interfere with your life, make an appointment with a doctor or mental health professional:
fatigue or loss of energy
sleep too little or too much
a constant mood of sadness, anxiety, and “emptiness”
poor appetite or weight loss
great appetite and weight gain
loss of interest or liking in activities you used to enjoy
agitation and irritability
persistent physical symptoms that are not cured by any treatment such as headaches, chronic pain, constipation, and other digestive disorders
difficult to focus
remember or make decisions
feelings of guilt, hopelessness, or worthlessness
thoughts about death or suicide.
Treatment
Most people who fight depression manage to overcome it thanks to a combination of talk therapy and medication, even psychologists recommend practicing physical exercise to combat this mental illness.
5. Sleep apnea
You may have this sleep-disrupting illness if you wake up feeling tired, no matter how long you’ve been resting. Among the symptoms of sleep apnea, we find brief interruptions of breathing during sleep. In the most common type, obstructive sleep apnea, the upper airways close or collapse for a few seconds, which, in turn, alerts your brain to wake you up so you can breathe again.
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Sleep apnea
The symptoms
Snoring
It can lead to heart disease, hypertension, and stroke, so it is very important to get tested.
Tests
You have to stay overnight in a sleep clinic where a polysomnogram is done, a painless test that monitors sleep patterns, changes in breathing, and brain activity.
treatments
A continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP ) device, a mask that fits over your nose and mouth and draws air into your airways while you sleep. Depending on the severity of the disease, the doctor may recommend surgical intervention.
7. Deficiency or insufficiency of vitamin b12
Getting enough vitamin B12 is crucial for maintaining a healthy brain, our immune system, and our metabolism. As we get older, our ability to absorb B12 drops dramatically.
Some types of diabetes and heartburn medications, as well as certain digestive disorders such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and Crohn’s disease, affect your body’s ability to absorb vitamin B12. And, if you follow a vegetarian diet, you are more likely to have this problem because vitamin B12 is found naturally only in meat, eggs, shellfish, and dairy products.
The symptoms
Tingling sensation in the hands and feet
memory failures
dizziness
Anxiety
Vision problems.
Tests
Blood test.
Treatment
Depending on the results of the blood test, your doctor may advise you to include more sources of vitamin B12 in your diet or take a vitamin B12 supplement.
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