Ways to Combat Fatigue
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Fatigue is a sensation we all experience, at least to some degree. It may be the feeling of being wiped out at the end of a busy day at work or a long day at some recreational activity. Fatigue of this kind usually responds to a good night's rest and is gone in the morning. More significantly, fatigue may be chronic, the feeling of being mentally and physically tired all the time. Long lasting fatigue is so overwhelming that sometimes you are all but bedridden. This sort of fatigue may be associated with illness, often with severe illness.

Chronic fatigue is a common medical complaint whose cause is often very difficult to diagnose according to many doctors. And it may be a symptom of countless medical conditions, such as an underactive thyroid gland, diabetes, mononucleosis, lyme disease, or anemia. However, chronic fatigue - a daily lack of energy - is very often a result of circumstances and lifestyle choices. If your doctor has found no underlying reason for your fatigue, taking a long, hard look at those circumstances and choices is in order.

A good night's sleep leaves you energized and alert in the morning and plays a big role in your overall health and well being. No one is certain why this is so. Some researchers suggest that sleep gives your body tissues time to recover from daily wear and tear, others that it restores brain function. A bad night, on the other hand, leave you with slower reaction times, poorer concentration, and a smaller pool of energy from which to draw the next day. People vary widely in their sleeping patterns: Some feel rested after five hours' sleep, others need nine or 10. And sleep-wake patterns change as you age, with elderly people experiencing more wakefulness during the night than they did when younger. If you wake up feeling tired and are not comfortably alert during the day, you are not getting the sleep your body needs.

Exercise also has a bearing on your health and now many experts believe that exercise may be the best way to stave off fatigue. Vigorous activity is energizing because it wakes up the nervous system and speeds up the metabolic rate. A fast metabolic rate ensures a good supply of energy leaving a person feeling less fatigued, not only during the exercise session but for up to eight hours afterward. Over the long term, exercise leads to physical fitness, the stamina to do more and endure more without fatigue.

Another factor that may contribute to fatigue is poor eating habits. What you eat and when you eat it can have profound effects on your energy level throughout the day. Food is our source of fuel and of essential vitamins and minerals. Carbohydrates provide the body's preferred fuel: glucose. A diet rich in complex carbohydrates such as grains, cereals, and starchy vegetables provides the best staying power because these foods are digested slowly. Simple sugars in candy or cookies on the other hand, can cause a sudden surge of glucose in the blood, quickly followed by a drop in blood sugar and a feeling of tiredness.

In addition to providing fuel for the body's cells, food triggers the release of certain chemical messengers, or neurotransmitters, in the brain either to energize or to calm us. You should plan your individual meals to work in your favor. For instance, a good balanced breakfast will boost your energy during the morning. A high-protein lunch lays the groundwork for a productive afternoon, and a high-carbohydrate dinner will prepare you for a sound night's sleep and the replenishment of your energy pool.