Endurance, the ability to go on with your daily chores relentlessly, sets machines ahead of humans in task performance. This phenomenon best describes fatigue; a state of mental, physical and emotional tiredness, exhaustion beyond normal tiredness. It will typically comprise of lack of energy accompanied by increased effort needed to perform tasks.
Similar to a computer, the human body and brain have striking resemblance in functionality. Sadly, unlike the computer, the human body and brain cannot go on and on without a burn out. Even for the most advanced operating system, a computer will get overwhelmed with frequent slow speeds often due to too many programs running simultaneously. Such is the analogy with fatigue.
When the computer gets too slow, you might as well refresh or restart and allow it to reboot. The human body is also wired similarly. Intrinsic reboot mechanisms for the human body will need to be activated give an exhausted body the vigor it craves. Physical fatigue and mental fatigue are the general classes of fatigue depending on whether the brain (software) or the body (hardware) is involved.
Affecting more than 45% of the working class, occupational fatigue is the most common type of fatigue. Even though fatigue is a common symptom of many medical conditions, it’s more frequently a natural result of many lifestyle choices, physical health conditions or even mental health issues.
Lifestyle risk factors including physical activity compounded with lack of sleep or even emotional stress, obesity and overweight, using alcohol, boredom or even lack of physical activity.
Physical health conditions such as anemia, infections such as flu and cold, pregnancy, sleep disorder. Mental health issues including anxiety, depression, stress and seasonal affective disorders
There are three forms of fatigue, described in relation to the duration someone is fatigued
1. Acute fatigue: a state of short-lived energy depletion
2. Chronic fatigue: a state of long term energy depletion, often due to poor tolerance to work expectations and high stress levels
3. Persistent fatigue: Recurrent chronic fatigue episodes due to lack of recovery from acute fatigue episodes.
But perhaps the most relevant question is how do you know that you have fatigue? Well the signs and symptoms of fatigue are by no means had to recognize. Chronic sleepiness, poor concentration and reduced short-term memory problems become evident. The muscles also get involved often as muscle aches and even as weakness in performing routine tasks. Loss of appetite compounded by reduced immune function often gives one signs of an infection. At the end of the day, there’s loss of motivation at work and moodiness. All quite undesirable.
While it is often ignored, the consequences of unmanaged fatigue are far greater and need urgent attention. These consequences may present as;
1. Reduced productivity at work
2. Absenteeism from work
3. Increased safety concerns such as accidents and errors
4. Psychological difficulties such as taking long to perform tasks requiring logic and reasoning
5. Poor health state such as frequent infections due to immune suppression.
You don’t have to wait to start seeing the repercussions of unmanaged fatigue to take action, Make the decision to work on those lifestyle choices.