What is fatigue and how do I know if I am suffering from it?
Ever find yourself dragging through the day, feeling like you’re running on empty? That’s fatigue talking – telling you it’s time to recharge. It’s all about your sleep habits and how refreshed and energised you feel after a good night's sleep or after powering through your day. Good rest is crucial for both our minds and bodies, helping us recover from yesterday and gear up for tomorrow.
When we talk about fatigue at thymia, we’re focusing on a state of tiredness that is influenced by both sleep quality and lifestyle habits. A low fatigue score? That’s the sweet spot where you feel rejuvenated and renewed. When fatigue levels are high, it might be hard to focus, signalling that you may be in need of some rest.
As our energy levels ebb and flow throughout the day, you too can expect your fatigue score to change. Feeling constantly exhausted during the day, however, is likely due to poor sleep patterns or habits. If you’re constantly lacking good quality and/or sufficient amounts of sleep, it may be a ‘red flag’ that something’s up. Having a few sleepless nights is nothing to worry about, but if it becomes a pattern or is disruptive, you may start suffering from sleep deprivation. Regularly having disturbed sleeping patterns or not getting enough good quality sleep becomes the core of increased fatigue (NHS, 2021; MIND, 2020).
Some common signs of fatigue include:
Feeling tired all the time.
Difficulty concentrating and struggling to make plans or decisions.
Feeling irritable.
Low mood and lack of energy.
Anxiety and worry over stressors.
It’s normal to hit a rough patch with sleep, but when it becomes an ongoing issue, it’s time to take action.
If you are at all concerned about your mental health and wellbeing or anything you see in the wellness score we recommend you contact a healthcare provider or a mental health professional.
Within the UK and EU, you can also call the Samaritans by dialling 116 123.
How can I reduce fatigue?
We understand that some factors impacting sleep quality may be out of our control like a construction site next door or a snoring partner. But practises like having good sleep hygiene (good sleeping habits) may help in increasing the quality of sleep. Each person is unique and responds differently to different techniques for combatting fatigue. To make the most of these techniques, use thymia wellness checks to best understand which habits work best for you.
Here are 10 expert-backed strategies to get better sleep and thereby combat fatigue:
Bedtime: Aim for 7 to 9 hours of sleep a night by setting regular bedtimes and wake-up times (including weekends) (NHS, 2021).
Hot shower or bath: After taking a hot shower or bath, your core body temperature cools down, acting as a sleep signal. This can help decrease the time it takes to fall asleep and result in a deeper sleep (Haghayegh et al 2020).
Winding down to an audiobook or podcast: This may distract your mind from overthinking, easing you into sleep.
Dim the lights: Reduce exposure to bright light in the evening or close to your bedtime. This can influence the release of melatonin, the sleep hormone.
Bedtime meditation: Try a tension-releasing bedtime meditation or muscle relaxation exercise.
Sleep diary: Try logging your sleep habits and patterns of what is stopping you from getting enough sleep.
Room temperature: The ideal temperature for sleep is 15-19°C (60-67°F). During the night, your internal temperature drops, meaning that a cooler room helps with better quality sleep (Imbergamo et al., 2021).
Put on socks: Warming your feet before bed can help send signals to your brain that it’s time to sleep. This trick shortens the time to fall asleep and overall improves sleep quality (Ko, Y., & Lee, J. Y., 2018).
Caffeine: Reduce caffeine consumption before bedtime or during the day.
Lifestyle suggestions: Regular meals, staying hydrated, reducing alcohol intake, and stress management can all contribute to better sleep (NHS, 2019).
To learn more about stress, click here.
Additional considerations:
If environmental factors are a part of the problem, consider investing in blackout curtains, earplugs, eye masks, new pillows, mattresses, or even a trip to a sleep doctor. Sleep is important and should be a priority!
If you have a specific difficulty with sleeping such as age, pain, being a shift worker or having menopause, check out The Sleep Charity for practical tips.
If you think you might be suffering from insomnia: Try using an established online insomnia self-assessment tool and find relevant sources here: NHS Choices: Insomnia and reach out to your family doctor.
For additional support, the NHS sleep problems self-help guide is a valuable resource.
Final note:
Sleep is sensitive and is easily affected by our environment, behaviours, personal circumstances and how we are treated by others. Fatigue doesn’t just affect how we feel, it impacts everything we do. Luckily, there are many ways to take back control of our sleep and, by extension, our levels of fatigue. By completing thymia’s wellness checks daily, you’re better equipped to discover which sleep strategies work best for you, leading to brighter days and more restful nights.