What Are the Main Causes of Fatigue?

Fatigue can heavily influence your day-to-day activities and overall quality of life (QOL) in many ways, and it is best to address the concern early. It is generally recommended that excessive fatigue that is persistent past two weeks should be brought to the attention of a healthcare provider.
 
This is especially true if at-home treatments, such as lifestyle changes and medication use, do not improve your fatigue. However, if your fatigue becomes severe enough to negatively impact your ability to perform activities for daily living (ADLs), such as bathing and cooking, medical attention should be sought. In these instances, it is likely that your fatigue has a deeper root and could be caused by an underlying condition yet to be diagnosed.

The leading causes of fatigue can be separated into lifestyle habits, medications, and underlying conditions. Fatigue not caused by a medical condition is often a result of poor lifestyle habits. This may look like a lack of sleep due to prolonged hours of wakening or decreased effectiveness of sleep. A lack of exercise can also lead to fatigue as the body is not practicing energy repletion as much. Emotional stress in waking life can cause fatigue, as it drains emotional and mental energy while also disrupting the sleep cycle in multiple ways. Regular use of alcohol or other intoxicating substances like recreational drugs can cause excessive drowsiness as well and will likely reduce your body’s ability to achieve beneficial sleep.
 
While caffeine is known for increasing alertness, large amounts of caffeine can have the opposite effect and make you feel more tired. Finally, poor nutrition can also lead to fatigue as your body is not obtaining the nutrients it needs for energy production and conservation. Various medications may also cause drowsiness, as it is one of the most common side effects.
 
More apparently, sedatives such as benzodiazepines (Valium, Xanax, and Ativan) and sleeping agents will cause more fatigue. Most antidepressants, whether an SSRI (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) or an SNRI (Serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor), are likely to cause excessive drowsiness. Similarly, antipsychotics and antiepileptic medications can also cause this problem.
 
Fatigue is further driven by countless disorders, as abnormalities can easily disrupt the sleep cycle in the body. Psychiatric disorders commonly cause patients to feel sleepier; this includes major depressive disorder (MDD), general anxiety disorder (GAD), schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and more.
 
Diseases affecting the body’s major organs, such as the heart and lungs, can also be to blame; for example, postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), congestive heart failure, and emphysema, or chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD). Chronic illnesses such as cancer, fibromyalgia (a condition of widespread pain), and kidney disease are likely to cause fatigue and deplete the patient’s energy sources. Neurodegenerative disorders, like Parkinson’s or multiple sclerosis (MS), decrease proper brain functioning and negatively impact sleep regulation. Autoimmune diseases, diabetes, lupus, and rheumatoid arthritis, as well as hormonal imbalances like that seen in hypothyroidism, can cause this bothersome symptom.

Lastly, and most obviously, various sleep disorders and parasomnias can cause daytime fatigue, including nightmares, sleepwalking, narcolepsy, and sleep apnea.

At Sterling Heart Care center, our team of highly experienced and certified cardiologists will work with you to pinpoint the cause of your fatigue and curate a personalized treatment plan specific to your diagnosis and symptomatic experience. Should your fatigue be related to a cardiac condition, our well-trained staff can provide Heart Flow Therapy programs that use ECP therapy to improve various conditions.
 
In addition, we are fully prepared to collaborate with other health care professionals and specialists to deliver an optimized care plan that includes rehabilitation, exercise regimes, and individualized nutritional care plans. We would be more than happy to hear from you, so please do not hesitate to book an appointment online or by phone to speak with one of our exceptional doctors. We serve patients from Buffalo NY, Sloan NY, Kenmore NY, Pine Hill NY, Cleveland Hill NY, and Kaisertown NY.