Chronic fatigue

Various terms have been used for these symptoms, including Myalgic Encephalomyelitis, Myalgic Encephalopathy (ME), Postviral Fatigue Syndrome, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Idiopathic Fatigue Syndrome, Neurasthenia. The most common term internationally is Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS). The Institute Of Medicine suggests the term Systemic.

When there is no direct cause for the fatigue, the theory is that it is due to multifactorial reasons.

It is therefore important that we address the obvious causes first. When fatigue occurs without a direct cause, it is a good idea to go to the doctor first to have a blood test done.

If you have experienced unexplained fatigue for more than 2 weeks, your general practitioner is the place to start.

When you have been examined by your doctor but still have not found answers, there are other areas you should investigate yourself.

Sleep & chronic fatigue

It almost goes without saying, but we humans tend to overlook the things that are right in front of us. The quality and quantity of sleep is extremely important. The research is fairly clear on this. We should be getting somewhere between 7-9 hours each night.

Here are some quick considerations regarding sleep:

• Set a clock for when you go to bed and when you get up. Rhythm is essential.
• Be exposed to light within the first two hours of waking up. This will “time” your internal biological clock.
• Keep the temperature in your bedroom between 16-19 degrees Celsius.
• Make sure your bedroom is COMPLETELY dark or use a night mask.
• Make sure to turn off electronic devices at least 40 minutes before bedtime and generally dim the lighting in your home.

There may be other and more complex reasons for lack of or reduced sleep quality.

Diet & chronic fatigue

Diet can also play a crucial role in chronic fatigue. It is essential that the macronutrients are in place, which means that there is sufficient fat, carbohydrates and protein.

The quality also has a lot to say, where more attention is paid to micronutrients, vitamins and minerals. Diet is chemistry that speaks to your body and diet can therefore have a decisive impact on the body’s functions.

It is difficult to conduct good research on diet, however, as it is impossible for most people to maintain the same diet for many years, and self-reporting is rarely very successful. However, we can deduce from the research that it is important to get plenty of vegetables, sufficient amounts of protein and sensible sources of fat. However, diet can be very individual and it may therefore make sense to get help to make a more targeted effort..

If you are calorie deficient, which is rarely the case in the Western world, you will be in a decomposing phase, also known as catabolism. Your body will draw on its own stores to maintain blood sugar levels. This is at the expense of other systems in the body.

This can be one of many reasons for fatigue. In addition, various vitamin and mineral deficiencies can trigger symptoms such as fatigue.

Iron deficiency and fatigue

• Among other things, it could be iron, which many young women have low levels of, which could be one of the factors that can trigger fatigue.
• Iron is important for the formation of red blood cells, along with B12. Red blood cells help transport oxygen around the body.
• Therefore, if you lack iron, fatigue can be the consequence. This focus point is especially important if you are a young woman of childbearing age. There can be countless other causes of fatigue caused by diet, which is why it may make sense for some to go deeper and more systematically. Something we at Osteonordic practice through Functional Medicine.

Diet can also have an impact on metabolism, and for example, a lack of the amino acid tyrosine or phenylalanine, which can occur in some vegans, can cause metabolic problems.

Fluid and chronic fatigue

Fluid is another important factor along with the intake of sodium, which we get through salt. Fluid is involved in almost all processes in the body and is extremely important for maintaining blood pressure. Cognitive and physical performance decreases drastically with insufficient fluid intake. It is of course important that fluid intake is not excessive, as this can also have major negative consequences. A good rule of thumb is therefore somewhere between 1.5L-2L daily depending on activity level.

The psyche and chronic fatigue

Psychological factors are always important to consider. However, it is worth remembering that you can suffer from fatigue if you are under mental pressure for a long time, but conversely, you can also experience mental challenges as a result of insufficient energy. It’s the story of the chicken or the egg.

What came first and why?

Often it will be a combination. However, psychological challenges are important to address and it is known that psychological mechanisms such as stress, depression and anxiety can cause fatigue.. It is therefore important to assess which factors may be behind the fatigue, but conversely, do not rule out that physiological challenges can cause psychological problems.

A good exercise might be to make a timeline of when the symptoms occurred and what were possibly the contributing factors behind the fatigue that occurred.

However, it is possible to solve an emerging problem through causal relationships other than the possible trigger for the symptoms.

For example, chronic stress may trigger challenges physiological, but the way out may not stress management if the stressful situation is handled and accepted. The psyche is complex and professional help may sometimes be needed in this area.

That is why we at Osteonordic work together with other professional groups and the closely established system.

Exercise & chronic fatigue

Exercise and training are important for almost everything. It is among the absolute winners when it comes to preventing neurological diseases such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s, but also in relation to osteoporosis.. We never get around the fact that training is a necessity. However, we can also train too much or be so affected by fatigue that training can be difficult.

We must remember that exercise is many things. It can be going for a walk, doing light yoga exercises, or simply getting up and sitting up from a chair.

It is important that the training is adapted to the individual’s level and ability, so that the body has the opportunity to build itself into something stronger and the limit is pushed safely.

It can be difficult to manage training if you are suffering from fatigue, so it is important to create more energy in the body before starting training in the traditional sense. That said, for most people, some form of training or movement is possible.

Where should you start?

If you suffer from fatigue, start by looking at the basic factors first. Diet, smoking, alcohol, exercise, fluids, sleep and stress. If you think you have this under control, but are still experiencing challenges with fatigue, it may make sense to delve deeper into your physiology and chemistry to find the underlying causes.

It may also be that you know where you should start, but are unsure of where to start or what is appropriate to start with?

In both cases, it may make sense to have a tailored plan drawn up and have help to put the measures into a system. Our therapists may be an option for you.

The vast majority of problems arise as a result of multifactorial causes, just as we know is the case with pain, and it can therefore be a confusing process to embark on. We find that for many people, a facilitator is necessary as a link between the established system and the more complementary forms of treatment. Our system is fantastic at saving lives and does this daily, but if you don’t fit right in, it can be a frustrating experience to be thrown around in the system.

If you want to take a closer look at the biochemical and physiological causes that may be factors in your fatigue, Functional Medicine might be the way to go.

You can read more about this here: Functional Medicine