Life is too short to “smolder”

 

 

   I see a common theme of patients, one that is very hard to diagnose, yet is very common.  It is one of chronic fatigue.  Patients complain about losing their energy…they just don’t feel well..their get up and go, got up and left.  There are a host of tests that are ordered to rule out things like anemia and a low functioning thyroid, but a majority of the tests are returned as normal.  Though I explain that these tests are ok, it is usually met with disappointment in that they are hoping for something easily fixable.  

   When our diagnostic tests are returned as normal, looking into the habits and activity of a person is very revealing.  Though the patient is complaining about being tired, they also usualy don’t sleep well.  This leads to daytime sleepiness and napping which in turn steals from their nighttime sleeping ability.  

    I speculate that some of these patients aren’t really awake in the day.  When you just “smolder” though the day, you haven’t exerted enough energy to make you truly tired at bedtime and therefore don’t sleep well.  The downward cycle begins and unfortunately it is self perpetuating.

    I think this way because I have also dealt with patients who initially suffer with this type of fatigue, then create action to treat the problem.  The treatment isn’t in the form of a pill, rather it’s a change in their lifestyle.  Getting on an exercise plan that is intense (IE really wakes you up) will create a level of tiredness at night.  Have you ever been so active in the day that the bed just feels wonderful and you sleep like a log through the night?  I see this in my children that are full speed ahead all day long with boundless energy…until it’s time to crash…they sleep well, wake up well rested and are ready for the next day.

    Really living (while you are awake) allows you to really rest at night.  Our bodies were designed to move!  When we aren’t active our bodies literally slow down, leaving us fatigued, however when push ourselves with activity and exercise it becomes evident that our previously understood limits are also pushed and a new space of possibilities arises with an increased energy.