Doc talk: 7 reasons for fatigue and what they mean

New Delhi: Feeling tired often could be a sign of major health problems. Dr Amit Verma tells you about the early warning signs that your fatigue could be pointing towards.

Anaemia

Iron deficiency is one of the major reasons for fatigue. The reason being your tissues and organs need oxygen to function normally, and if they don't get enough of it you are left feeling tired.

Under Active Thyroid

This condition causes the body to destroy the cells responsible for producing thyroxin and other hormones secreted by the thyroid gland, and the result is a slow metabolism.

Undiagnosed Urinary Tract Infection

Although most associate a urinary tract infection with symptoms such as burning or urgency, in some instances fatigue may be your only clue.

Sleep Apnea

It is a sleep disorder that causes you to momentarily stop breathing, often many times during the night. Your only clue is that you experience constant fatigue, no matter how many hours you sleep each night.

Undiagnosed Heart Disease

If you find yourself becoming exhausted after activity that used to be easy, it may be time to talk to your doctor about the possibility of heart disease.

Of course you need to remember that if it’s just tiredness, then a regular sleep should take care of it. It’s only when you are constantly fatigued that you should think of it is a cause of worry.

Here are a few tips to keep fatigue at bay. Avoid drinking a lot of tea or coffee as most of us do at workplaces. Stay away from foods that make you feel sleepy or exhausted, as this is an early warning sign of food intolerance.