Fatigue and tiredness can occur as a symptom of many different diseases and cause long-term physical and psychological damage. However, if the cause of constant fatigue is known, it can be addressed with appropriate treatment. Below, we present the diseases that are the most common cause of fatigue.
Anemia as a cause
If you are always tired, anemia may be the cause. Anemia can be caused, for example, by impaired blood formation in the bone market or increased degradation or loss of red blood cells. In addition, a deficiency of vitamin B12, folic acid or iron can also result in anemia. An iron deficiency is the most common cause of anemia: more than three quarters of all anemias are due to an iron deficiency. Iron is absolutely essential for blood formation, because iron is a component of hemoglobin, which binds oxygen in the blood. Since our blood transports oxygen throughout our body, less oxygen is made available to the cells when there is an iron deficiency. If the brain is not supplied with enough oxygen, we become tired. Iron is mainly found in foods such as meat, eggs and milk. But whole grain products and legumes also contain appreciable amounts of iron. Incidentally, if there is enough vitamin C in the body when iron is absorbed, the body can absorb iron particularly well.
Often tired? Sleep apnea as a cause
Behind the term sleep apnea hide shorter breathing pauses during sleep. These are caused by a strong slackening of the muscles of the throat. This can cause the upper part of the trachea to collapse, obstructing the flow of air. In extreme cases, such breathing pauses can last up to one minute, at which point the body sounds the alarm and the patient wakes up, usually gasping for air. However, it often happens that one does not wake up, but only certain bodily functions are ramped up. Due to the breathing interruptions, the body and especially the brain are no longer supplied with sufficient oxygen. In addition, sleep is no longer restful due to waking up during the night – which you often can’t remember the next morning. During the day, constant tiredness or even microsleep can occur because of this.
Sleep apnea: symptoms
Typical symptoms of sleep apnea are headaches and dizziness after getting up, dry mouth, and night sweats. At night, sleep apnea is also manifested by snoring, which is interrupted by pauses in breathing. Often, these pauses in breathing end with a heavy sigh or a particularly loud snore. The likelihood of sleep apnea is increased by obesity, alcohol consumption, and untrained throat muscles. The latter can be strengthened, for example, by playing a wind instrument.
Vitamin deficiency as a cause of fatigue
If you are always tired, you should think about whether you eat a balanced enough diet. This is because a vitamin deficiency can cause your body to feel listless and tired. If you suspect that your fatigue may be due to a vitamin deficiency, you should consult with your doctor. Have him check whether you might have a vitamin deficiency. If this is the case, your doctor can prescribe you appropriate vitamin supplements.
Infectious diseases as a cause
Infectious disease refers to an illness caused by pathogens. The group of infectious diseases includes, for example, influenza, pneumonia or Pfeiffer’s glandular fever, but also malaria or AIDS. Since the body is weakened by an infectious disease and it can regenerate best during sleep, one often feels tired during the illness. This feeling of tiredness and fatigue can be well observed during flu. But while flu usually subsides after about a week, other infectious diseases can be more protracted: Symptoms can develop slowly over months or even years. Some infectious diseases, such as glandular fever, often go undiagnosed for a long time because typical symptoms are absent.
Sleeping sickness and narcolepsy
An infectious disease that is repeatedly associated with constant fatigue is sleeping sickness (trypanosomiasis).In this disease transmitted by the tsetse fly, severe disturbances of the sleep-wake rhythm occur in the second stage of the disease. In common parlance, narcolepsy is often referred to as sleeping sickness. This is a neurological disease in which sleep attacks occur repeatedly during the day. Since the sleep attacks usually occur very suddenly and are accompanied by a severe loss of muscle tone, sufferers often fall.
Frequently tired? Metabolic diseases as the cause
Certain metabolic diseases such as diabetes or hypothyroidism may also be behind constant fatigue. For example, feeling tired all the time may be related to poor blood sugar control. Similarly, hypothyroidism can make you feel tired all the time. In hypothyroidism, too few hormones are produced in the thyroid gland. This can cause the following symptoms, among others:
- Brittle hair
- Brittle nails
- Loss of appetite
- Increased susceptibility to infection
- Concentration disorders
- Weight gain
- Fatigue
Constant fatigue – cancer as a cause?
If no other cause is found for the constant fatigue, it should also be considered whether a cancer could be behind the fatigue. This is because most cancers are associated with fatigue. In cancer, the feeling of fatigue usually occurs with other sensations such as weakness, faintness and lack of strength. This particular form of fatigue is also called fatigue, which means languor or tiredness in French. Often, the feeling of being permanently tired is due not only to the disease itself, but also to treatment methods such as chemotherapy. To combat fatigue, a steady sleep schedule is recommended, as well as moderate exercise.
Chronic fatigue syndrome as a reason for tiredness
To be distinguished from fatigue in and after cancer is chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS; also: myalgic encephalomyelitis, ME). This is a state of exhaustion that lasts longer than half a year. In addition to fatigue, chronic fatigue syndrome may include symptoms such as headache, neck pain, muscle pain, stomach upset, and concentration problems. It is not yet clear what triggers chronic fatigue syndrome. In addition to other acute stresses such as an infection, psychological stresses could also play a role. Chronic fatigue syndrome is classified as a neurological disorder.