Hidden Causes of Fatigue

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, a condition that wasn't even around a few decades ago, currently affects nearly 4 million people in this country alone, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. But it's impossible to treat a disease when the one suffering isn't even aware of what causes it. There are several hidden causes of fatigue that the chronically tired among us would be wise to note and learn more about.

Sleep Apnea and Other Sleep Disorders

• No matter what time you go to bed and what time your alarm goes off, you really know very little about how much productive sleep you get in a given night. One study by the The National Sleep Foundation claims that 75 percent of adults surveyed report having difficulty sleeping. Sleep Apnea affects 18 million Americans, and as many as an additional 2 to 4 percent of Americans don't even know they have it. Apnea is a condition in which one's breathing is temporarily cut off during sleep, thus giving the body and brain only a tiny percentage of the oxygen a normal sleeper would take in during the same period of sleep. Such oxygen deprivation each night can't help but have a dramatic effect on one's condition the next day. Other sleep disorders may not affect oxygen intake but still dramatically altar one's energy level the next day.

Depression

• More than 19 million Americans--9.5 percent of the population--suffer from depression. Many go untreated, with neither therapy nor medication. One of the most common side effects of depression is constant fatigue and a lack of energy. You may have a depressed friend who claims she can't get herself out of bed in the morning or a co-worker who falls asleep at his desk more and more regularly. The problem with depression-induced fatigue is that it triggers a self-perpetuating cycle. Because the sufferer is depressed, he is tired; because he is tired, he doesn't exercise; because he doesn't exercise, he gets less fit and more tired; because he is isn't exercising or fit, he gets more depressed.

Poor Diet and Nutrition

• The body is an engine which needs to be filled with the proper fuel each and every day. Poor eating habits, whether in the form of improper amounts of food or improper types of food, will have a direct result on the eater's body chemistry and energy level. Not getting enough protein, for example, may result in fatigue and general lethargy. One will only know if she is getting adequate protein by monitoring what goes into her body on a daily basis and then comparing that to recommended daily amounts for a person of that age and weight.

Lack of Exercise

• Most everyone is familiar with the slogan "use it or lose it." The muscles in the body are, to a certain extent, governed by this principle. Someone who doesn't exercise regularly will experience loss of muscle tone and strength. As the body's muscles weaken, every bodily action requires more and more energy to perform. With the greater exertion of energy to perform simpler and simpler tasks, one can't help but experience fatigue more and more quickly. Regular exercise doesn't only increase muscle strength, it also produces and releases energizing chemicals and neurons in the brain like dopamine and sarotonin. Without these chemicals flowing regularly through our brains and bodies, we can't help but feel fatigued.