Fatigue - Peak Performance Hormone Institute

What is fatigue?

Fatigue is defined as an overwhelming sense of tiredness, lack of energy, and feeling of exhaustion. It can have both physical and mental components.

Physical Causes

Fatigue can be caused by various medical conditions, including:

• Anemia - low red blood cell counts reduce oxygen transport
• Thyroid disorders - both low and high thyroid hormone levels
• Diabetes - fluctuating blood sugar levels
• Heart disease - reduced cardiac output
• Lung disease - problems with oxygen exchange
• Infections - immune system response to bacteria or viruses
• Sleep disorders - poor quality sleep fails to refresh
• Malnutrition - inadequate calories, protein, vitamins

Physical fatigue often manifests as muscle weakness, slowed reflexes, reduced performance, and lack of endurance.

Mental Causes

Mental or "brain" fatigue can occur independently or in tandem with physical causes. Contributing factors include:

• Stress - sustained high stress hormone levels are draining
• Depression - mental health disorders sap motivation
• Boredom - mental understimulation is tiring
• Jet lag - circadian rhythm disruptions
• Information overload - too much mental data to process
• Poor sleep - inadequate rest for the brain

Mental fatigue may show up as difficulty concentrating, slowed thinking, lack of motivation, increased errors, compromised problem solving, and reduced work output.

Managing Fatigue

If you're feeling persistently fatigued, be sure to see your doctor for an evaluation. Reversible medical conditions need treatment.

In the meantime, lifestyle measures can help alleviate fatigue:

• Prioritize sleep - aim for 7-9 hours nightly
• Reduce stress - try yoga, meditation, organizing
• Eat nutritious foods - choose fruits, vegetables, lean proteins
• Stay hydrated - drink plenty of water
• Exercise regularly - 30 minutes daily helps energy, mood
• Take breaks - short rests recharge mental focus

Consider supplements like Peak Performance Hormone Institute Adrenal Support which contains key micronutrients to revitalize energy levels in those with fatigue related to stress, poor diet, and sleep deprivation. I've personally found it very restorative. Use my promo code BLOG10 for 10% off your first order!

By identifying contributing factors and making healthy lifestyle changes, many people can greatly reduce troublesome fatigue and restore their productivity, performance, and zest for life! Let me know if you have any other questions on this topic.