What causes tiredness?

by Arthur's Place

We all feel tired from time to time, but for some it seems to never go away. It can help to understand why...

Tiredness will be felt differently by each person. For some it will feel like being generally sluggish and under par all of the time. For others it will feel like a crushing and debilitating exhaustion that comes on with a flare-up, after a bout of activity, a busy period or even for no apparent reason at all.

What causes tiredness?

There are a number of causes of tiredness in people with arthritis:

  • When the disease is active it involves a huge amount of cell activity within the body that may affect multiple systems and cause physical fatigue.
  • Some medications can also cause fatigue as a side-effect.
  • Tiredness might also be due to doing too much, which can drain energy levels and lead to burn outs.
  • It can even be caused by doing too little, which can weaken the muscles gradually and make activity feel harder to do and more tiring.
  • The worry and pressure that many people feel when living with a chronic disease can also cause emotional fatigue.

If you feel tired all of the time…

Tell your GP or your rheumatologist or nurse. You do not have to cope with your tiredness alone. There may be simple changes to your lifestyle or treatment plan that could help.

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