Managing Fatigue

I have no answers but understand the challenges that come with this 😴

Hi @Anonymouse1000

Do you take any supplements? I don't think we're allowed to name specific vitamins. But some common ones are frequently used for this. You can also get blood tests to check if any are low

I take 2 vitamins with my morning meds and 1 of them is for this

Hey @Anonymouse1000

That level of fatigue is so difficult to manage, especially when you're trying to push through a workday. When even four shots of coffee aren't hitting the mark, it's usually a sign that your body is asking for something much deeper than a caffeine boost.

Managing fatigue is often a bit of a trial-and-error process, but here are a few things that you might find helpful:

• Sometimes, having too much caffeine can disrupt your sleep later that night, creating a cycle where you're even more tired the next day. You might try tapering your coffee earlier in the morning to see if it helps your sleep quality at night.
• Dehydration often mimics extreme fatigue. Trying to match every coffee with a glass of water can sometimes help clear that brain fog during working hours.
• If your work allows it, even stepping outside for 10 minutes in natural light can help reset your circadian rhythm, which might make falling asleep a bit easier later on.
• If this has been going on for a while, it might be worth a quick visit to the GP for some professional medical advice and to check everything over. Things like Vitamin D, B12, or Iron levels can really plummet during stressful times, leaving you feeling like you're walking through mud.

Be gentle with yourself as you navigate this. It's hard to be your best self when you're exhausted. Do you find it hard to fall asleep, or do you wake up a lot during the night?

Hi @MatchaToad @DogMan79 @Determined

Thank you for the advice. I find that it feels like im not getting enough sleep. I am getting 8 hours, but I'm exhausted and keep waking up at 5am or 4am....

I've tried going to bed a bit later but that doesn’t seem to work...I take a magnesium, fish oil and vitamin d supplement, I dont think its that and medications get me to sleep...im wondering how I get more deep restful sleep.... I think I might need to up my sleep hygiene more.

Thanks for all your help.

Anonymouse.

Hello @Anonymouse1000 I was seeing an acupuncturist for sleep issues but it was a bit pricey in the end. I found some acupressure anyone can do and it knocks me out at night. Just as good as having regular acupuncture for insomnia and disrupted sleep. It worked much better than melatonin for me, could put my packet of melatonin away! I also use meridian sound frequencies before bed so the Chi is flowing properly. If Chi is blocked your body's circadian rhythms get affected.

If its still affecting you I would discuss it with your GP to rule out any other underlying problem

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0XISkYMFeRY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oPf3ZZKYAkk

Hey @Anonymouse1000

That sounds incredibly frustrating! Waking up consistently at 4 am or 5 am usually means your body transitioning out of deep sleep and into a lighter phase, but something, either stress or environment, is causing you to 'ping' fully awake instead of drifting back down.

I do have some sleep hygiene tips that may be of use to you:

• You mentioned going to bed later, but sometimes that can actually backfire on us. If your body has a 'fixed' wake-up time, going to bed later just cuts into your total rest time. It's usually better to stick to a consistent bedtime and focus on what happens during those early morning hours.
• Our core body temperature needs to drop for us to stay in deep sleep. If you find yourself waking up early, your room may be getting too warm as the sun rises. A cooler room or a fan can sometimes help the body stay in that deeper 'maintenance' mode.
• If you wake up at 4 am, try to avoid checking your phone or the clock. Seeing the time often triggers 'sleep math' ("If I fall asleep now, I only have 2 hours left"), which spikes cortisol and makes deep sleep impossible.
• Also, getting 10-15 minutes of direct sunlight as soon as possible after you wake up helps anchor the circadian rhythm. It tells your brain exactly when the day starts, which can help it stay off for longer the following night.

Since you're already taking Vitamin D and Magnesium, you're already on the right track. Sometimes, however, if the 5 am wake ups are accompanied by a racing mind, it could be a cortisol spike.

I will also say that if you can't get in to see a GP about this, I highly recommend speaking with your Pharmacist; they have a wealth of knowledge and may be able to help.

Have you noticed if you're waking up feeling anxious/alert, or do you feel physically heavy and tired?

Hi @Anonymouse1000

I went through a period recently where I had some pretty extreme fatigue. I felt like I was moving concrete every time I moved.
after about a month I checked in with my gp because I felt like it was making my mental health worse….. or maybe it was the other way around…. My mental made me more fatigued… either way I was pretty emotional about the chronic fatigue I was having.

my gp did a heap of bloods, my vitamin D was pretty low which I expected, she also referred me to have a sleep study done- which I had done in February and I’m waiting for my follow up appointment next month to get the results for that.
getting some exercise back into my routine has really helped too. I use to exercise alot, but when the fatigue hit, I stopped.
the heat effects me too.

So I’d really encourage you to start with a visit to your gp.

@Bow

Thank you Bow... love it, thank you for sharing!

Understanding everyone has individual circumstances and needs, advice my gp gave me based on my routines was to go to bed later, if I go to bed and can't sleep, don't fight it, get up and do something (not on a screen) and try again in an hour.

Important to get up at the same time every day. Body clock resets backwards. Regular get up time is apparently more important than a regular bed time.