Fatigue as an indication of a disease

Always tired? Lack of sleep or illness can be a possible cause of acute fatigue.

28/12/2010

Every second working person in Germany torments despite sufficient sleep with symptoms of acute fatigue. The affected people feel like they're in a car, they're dragging their way through the day or they suddenly fall asleep at work, according to a study by Deutsche Angestellten Krankenkasse (DAK)..

20 million professionals suffer from acute fatigue
According to the DAK, around 20 million working people throughout Germany suffer from symptoms of chronic fatigue, with nearly four million of them having difficulty sleeping or sleeping more than three times a week, often waking up or staying awake for a long time. According to their own statements, they drag themselves on their daily work almost exhausted almost daily, according to the statement of the DAK study. This constant exhaustion could also indicate a disease and should therefore not be dismissed lightly, said the experts of the DAK. As a trainer and coach for health prevention with a focus on sleep and coping with stress, Jürgen Schuster emphasized: „Severe daytime sleepiness is a not to be underestimated phenomenon.“ The expert added that it is „often (...) is a sleep disorder (act) that the affected person does not even notice and that can usually only be detected in the sleep laboratory.“

Sleep apnea syndrome possible cause of pronounced fatigue
As an example, the experts call the so-called sleep apnea syndrome, the symptoms of which is caused by respiratory arrest (apnea) during sleep and manifests itself in the first place by a pronounced daytime fatigue to falling asleep (microsleep) and a number of other symptoms and sequelae. Breathing interruptions are caused by a relaxation of the muscles in the pharynx and occur particularly often in a supine position, the tongue slips back and closes the throat. „In sleep apnea, the person lingers for just under a minute, until the body sounds the alarm and wakes up briefly, accompanied by a perceptible gasp for air“, explained Jürgen Schuster. However, the repeated wake-up reactions (alarm reaction of the body) do not automatically lead to awakening, but in part only to increased body functions, such as accelerated pulse. As a result, they are usually not noticed by those affected, but sleep is not sufficiently restorative, which causes the typical, pronounced tiredness during the day with the above-mentioned symptoms. According to sleep expert Schuster, the likelihood of sleep apnea syndrome increases with evening alcohol consumption or overweight. However, an underdeveloped neck muscles can also cause problems. On the other hand are „People who play a wind instrument, sing or do sports, (...) are less at risk because their neck muscles are firmer and firmer“, so the comments of the expert.

Constant pronounced tiredness a reason to go to the doctor
In any case, people should „in case of persistent intense tiredness (...) go to the doctor and have it tested, if there could be a disease or a defect behind it“, recommends the physician Katharina Larisch from Leipzig, because tiredness can not only be an expression of lack of sleep but also a hallmark of illness. For example, thyroid dysfunction is also accompanied by acute fatigue. At a doctor's visit, however, the disease can be diagnosed relatively easily by means of a blood count and an ultrasound examination and treated accordingly medication, explained Katharina Larisch. Women should be particularly aware of this, as they are far more likely to be affected by thyroid dysfunction than men. An analysis of the blood picture also revealed other deficiency symptoms such as iron deficiency, said the doctor and added: „Often enough, the additional supply of food supplements and the tiredness disappears“. In addition, the fatigue or acute fatigue in many cases simply caused by low blood pressure. „Movement in this case gets the circulation going“ and help combat fatigue, recommends Katharina Larisch. Since the cause of the constant fatigue may well be serious illnesses such as depression, heart problems or cancer, medical advice is always meaningful if the tiredness persists.

Lack of sleep mostly due to psychological reasons
The talk therapist and author Anette Charpentier emphasized: „Daytime tiredness can be an indicator of a disease, but most of the time it's psychological reasons that make us sleepless and tired.“ The fatigue is a signal of the body, for the need to rest. But „In our busy time, where we can do things around the clock, it is often annoying to be tired“, Annette Charpentier explained. The fatigue is ignored or pushed aside, „because we are reluctant to lose control“, so the statement of the talk therapist. However, the body is about to let go and indulge in the comforting state between being awake and sleeping, Charpentier emphasized.

If you recognize symptoms, you should take a break. The expert can also have a further positive side effect, because „When daydreaming, for example, new ideas and thoughts can come up.“ Sigmund Freud had his patients lying down for a good reason, explained Charpentier. „On the famous couch you can easily put yourself in the limbo between wakefulness and sleep and freely associate“, explained the talk therapist. In addition, the somewhat out of fashion afternoon nap can help to recharge your batteries and wake up the rest of the day. However, the nap should not take more than half an hour, Charpentier advises, otherwise it would be difficult to sleep and sleep through the night. As a trick, to be fit again immediately after the nap, the expert recommends: „Drink a cup of coffee shortly before, because it only works after 20 minutes.“

Daylight is especially important in the fight against fatigue
Especially in the dark season, the daytime tiredness can also be related to the lack of light, which is associated with many victims with a so-called autumn depression, said health coach Jürgen Schuster. „Many travel to work in the dusk and in the dark in the evening and sit in the open-plan office all day under fluorescent lighting, where they do not get the proper light“, so the explanation of the expert. As a result, in the winter the body's own messengers melatonin (for the night's sleep) and serotonin (for the drive on the day) out of balance, so the expert on. Serotonin is produced during the day by the influence of light and the more serotonin is formed, the better function the hormonal countermeasure by the melatonin at night, said Schuster. „It is important daylight, artificial light does not help, except special light showers“, to make serotonin, the expert explained. Therefore Schuster recommends to go out during the lunch break and to spend a lot of time outdoors during the weekend. Even on a bleak winter's day, daylight is enough to release enough serotonin as a wake-up agent. In addition, sports in the dark season are especially recommended, as exercise makes you tired in a natural way and leads to a deep, efficient sleep, „so that we actually do not get tired until the evening“, emphasized Jürgen Schuster.

Sleep is crucial to human well-being
Sleeping is essential to any human being because there are many important processes going on inside the body during sleep. The healing processes or the repair of the cells and the replacement of old cells by new cells as well as the immune system and the final digestion work at full speed. In addition, our brain arranges the impressions of the day. „Sleep is therefore essential for the physical, mental and emotional well-being“, as Katharina Larisch explained. Less than six hours of sleep lead to persistence on the one hand the irritated on the other hand, and more susceptible to depression, so the expert. In addition, the lack of sleep leads to a significantly shorter life expectancy. However, the need for sleep can vary greatly from person to person and at different stages of life, so that „you can rely on his inner voice“ should, explained Katharina Larisch. The doctor warns, however, that an overdose of sleep is possible. Permanently more than eight hours of sleep are, according to Larisch, not good for your health and just wasted time. (Fp)

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Image: Paul-Georg Meister