[Once someone yawns, it's like an open-mouth game of dominoes. We all fall down...]

Just thinking about all the activities we commit our time to – job, kids going back to school, fundraisers, driving kids around to extra-curriculars like hockey or piano lessons – makes us all feel so fatigued.

Je suis fatiguee, but why?

Pardon my french, but it’s one of my first french phrases I learned back in elementary school and I couldn’t resist – translation: I’m tired. The U.S. National Institutes of Health defines fatigue as “a feeling of weariness, tiredness or lack of energy.” Some causes of fatigue include stress, overwork and not enough sleep. Fatigue is differentiated from drowsiness or sleepiness but fatigue is often accompanied by a desire to sleep.

What causes my tiredness?

Fatigue is a common symptom (there’s even an entire Research Journal dedicated to the topic) that fortunately is not usually serious. The consensus among health professionals on the causes of fatigue fall under three general areas:

1. Lifestyle – How much sleep do you get on a nightly basis? Are you eating processed unhealthy foods? Do you exercise regularly? Any relationship difficulties? Are there problems at your job or workplace?

2. Psychological – Do you suffer from various psychological problems including emotional stress, depression or grief?

3. Medical – If you’ve felt this way for an extended period of time (2 weeks) have you seen your doctor? An underlying medical problem may be affecting your energy levels.

Unfortunately you may think the above sounds like your typical pharmaceutical commercial but they’re all important questions to consider and answer honestly.

Another potential source of your fatigue could be a result of your prescription medications. Now I am in no way suggesting you change your course of action with prescriptions but being aware of the side effects is important especially regarding the activities or exercise you participate in afterwards.

Do you suffer from chronic fatigue?

It’s difficult to say. Chronic fatigue, or medically known as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS), often starts with flu-like symptoms and produces extreme exhaustion that tends to last more than six months. Unfortunately, there is no medical test for the syndrome. It is diagnosed only by ruling out all of the other possible causes of the fatigue such as mononucleosis, Lyme disease, lupus, multiple sclerosis, fibromyalgia, primary sleep disorders, severe obesity and major depressive disorders. So between the side effects of medication and sharing very similar symptoms to other illnesses, you can see why diagnosis of chronic fatigue remains a mystery.

As always, consult a physician or seek medical attention when suspected fatigue occurs and you experience four or more of the following symptoms:

- Impaired memory or concentration
- Post-exertional malaise, where physical or mental exertions bring on “extreme, prolonged exhaustion and sickness”
- Unrefreshing sleep
- Muscle pain (myalgia)
- Pain in multiple joints (arthralgia)
- Headaches of a new kind or greater severity
- Sore throat, frequent or recurring
- Tender lymph nodes (cervical or axillary)

Source: Centres for Disease Control and Prevention

Don’t be surprised if your doctor also asks questions about the three areas above, especially regarding your lifestyle and your state of mind. I can’t stress to you enough about the importance of honesty when answering these and other personal health questions.

Strategies for feeling more rested

Now that we’ve covered the reactive measures you can take in response to fatigue, it’s time to take a look at some pro-active strategies to help you feel rested and energetic about everything life has to offer:

1. Learn and practice relaxation techniques – Yoga, meditation, reading, writing, listening to music, the list is virtually endless.

2. Get on a consistent sleep schedule and aim for eight or more hours per night.

3. Clean up your diet – Are you eating enough fruits and vegetables?

4. Avoid overuse of alcohol and the use of nicotine and drugs. This past summer I completed a personal challenge of no alcohol for 30 days and I’ve never felt better.

5. Move your body daily – Notice I didn’t say exercise? It can range from walking to strength training to pickup basketball, just do something!

What are some strategies you use to feel rested and energetic?

For more information regarding the importance of rest and how the body works, check out our Fit Over 40 review. Author Jon Benson may have titled it for an older generation, but everyone can take a page from his set backs and successful transformation.