Fatigue is a normal state that everyone experiences. While fatigue is often a result of lack of sleep, stress, or exertion, there are other causes of physical exhaustion. We'll explain how to distinguish between them and what you can do about fatigue here.
What are the causes of fatigue?
One of the most common causes of fatigue is lack of sleep, which is why regular and sufficient sleep is essential. Other causes include lack of exercise, stress, overwork, and a possible electrolyte or iron deficiency. The latter is particularly common in women due to blood loss during menstruation. Chronic illnesses or the use of certain medications can also be the cause of fatigue. Furthermore, it is important to understand your own sleep-wake cycle, also known as the circadian rhythm. This ensures that the body performs various physiological functions in a 24-hour cycle, independent of external factors. These functions include (deep) sleep, digestion, and temperature and blood pressure regulation.
Sleep-wake disorders are among the most common health problems and stem from disruptions to the 24-hour circadian rhythm. These include sleep disturbances that relate not only to sleep duration but also to deviations from a normal sleep cycle, as well as difficulty falling asleep and staying asleep. Persistent fatigue or sleep problems can lead to serious health problems. These consequences include an increased risk of chronic diseases, heart attacks, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, and a weakened immune system.
Regardless of the cause, fatigue is a sign that the body is lacking in sleep, fluids, oxygen, exercise, or other factors it needs to function. Therefore, if you don't feel like you're not getting enough sleep, drinking enough fluids, or can't find any other explainable reason for persistent fatigue, we recommend that you consult a doctor.
Is midday fatigue completely normal?
It's normal to experience a midday slump, often after lunch – this is also related to the 24-hour rhythm. There's a physiological reason why the body feels tired at midday. After lunch, more blood needs to be pumped to the gastrointestinal tract for digestion; this blood is then lacking in the brain and muscles. As a result, concentration decreases and one feels generally sluggish.
What are the reasons for concentration difficulties?
One of the most common causes of concentration problems is stress. Worries, anxiety, and emotional problems can make it even harder to focus on tasks at hand. Especially in the age of social media, our attention span has drastically decreased. We are increasingly distracted by external stimuli and the flood of information from all sides, and we struggle to concentrate for extended periods. The length of time we can concentrate varies from person to person and is also related to age—adults, for example, have an attention span of about one hour. Of course, fatigue also causes concentration problems.
What helps against fatigue and concentration problems
First and foremost, sleep must be mentioned. Sleep is known to be the best medicine and is essential for the body's continuous regeneration and therapy.
There are many things you can do yourself to improve or even prevent a non-illness-related concentration disorder.Primarily, you should focus on a balanced diet to ensure your brain receives all the necessary nutrients. Additionally, drinking 2-3 liters of water daily is recommended. And taking frequent short breaks at work and getting up from your desk helps you maintain peak performance over longer periods! Effective stress management is also a way to improve concentration problems – yoga, meditation, progressive muscle relaxation, exercise, journaling, and many other methods can help you relax.
To combat fatigue, exercise is always a good idea. A short walk in the fresh air refills the lungs with oxygen and gets the circulation going! Often, people reach for coffee as a remedy for fatigue, since caffeine gives the body an energy boost. Caffeine binds to receptors in the body that are normally bound to adenosine. This inhibits stimulating neurotransmitters in the body. Therefore, when the receptors for adenosine are bound to caffeine and not adenosine, these stimulating neurotransmitters have free rein – and all the effects of coffee unfold. You can find more information on this topic in our previous blog post.. Alternatively, you can also use our Bright Awake AddOn, which, with its unbound caffeine, is a real pick-me-up. Unbound caffeine is the active ingredient found in regular coffee. "Unbound" is a bit misleading, as it is still bound to a so-called "chlorogenic acid-potassium complex." Upon contact with stomach acid, however, the caffeine is released directly. The capsules without unbound caffeine also contain caffeine, but in a bound form. Here, the caffeine comes from plant extracts such as matcha and guarana. The caffeine is attached to polyphenols, so it is only released in the intestines. While the effect is therefore delayed and gentler, it also lasts longer, preventing the post-intake crash. Another advantage is that the negative effects of coffee, such as restlessness and nervousness, do not occur. Learn more about our Bright Awake AddOn.
