Ways of Being Tired

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Ways of Being Tired by Ken Keifer (cyclist) (CMT tiredness at end)

When sedentary people are tired, there is only one cure: take a nap; therefore

most people think that there is just one kind of tiredness. In fact, there are

really many ways to become tired, all of them alike in producing fatigue or lost

of energy, but each type of tiredness has its own cause, consequence, and cure.

It is extremely important for the cyclist to be able to diagnose which kind of

fatigue is occurring and to respond with the appropriate countermeasures before

severe side effects result.

Drowsiness

1) Drowsiness, the most common form of tiredness, is caused by lack of sleep.

The symptoms are yawning, a nodding head, dreaminess, and a slight reduction in

energy. To a cyclist, this is the least important cause of fatigue, but it can

still reduce speed by a mile or two per hour. The only cure is a nap, although

people sometimes use drugs to keep alert longer. Several cyclists reported

nearly falling asleep or hallucinating. Definitely, stop for a nap under these

circumstances; recent reports suggest that other methods for staying awake are

not safe. Also, if there is no real cause for being drowsy or the problem is

persistent, see a sleep disorder specialist.

Skin Burn (Sun Burn or Wind Burn)

2) Skin burn is caused by too much sun and occasionally by too much wind. The

symptoms are red or redden skin that's hot to the touch, a washed out feeling,

and mild dizziness. Wind burn only produces mild effects, but sunburn can be

life-threatening and is a leading cause of cancer. Even the mild forms are much

worst than missing a few hours sleep. Skin burn can easily be prevented through

the use of sunscreen, clothing (and hats), and by limiting solar exposure,

especially by stopping during the middle of the day. The only cure for skin burn

is slow healing, although skin creams can help.

Heart Fatigue

3) Heart fatigue is caused by pushing too hard for your fitness level. The

symptoms are a pounding heart, gasping for breath, lack of energy on hills, a

feeling of internal stress, and becoming flush with heat. This problem is more

likely to occur after traveling beyond the normal distance and is most likely to

show up when climbing a hill. The cure is to stop, cool down, take a break, and

give the heart a chance to recover. Prevention can come from cycling at a slower

pace or by training up to a higher fitness level.

Muscle Exhaustion

4) Muscle exhaustion is caused by burning up the energy stored in the muscles,

sometimes called the bonk. If heart fatigue comes mostly from pushing too hard,

this problem occurs mainly from pushing too far. Symptoms are difficulty in

pedaling, a desire to coast, and sometimes cramping. The effects of muscle

exhaustion can last more than one day. Take a break, ingest sugars, travel at a

slower pace, and train up.

Soreness

5) Soreness, if not caused by (2) or (4), is caused by poor fit or position on

the bike, too rigid a stance, the pounding of the road, or by a few muscles not

being in as good of shape as the others. Sometimes the sleeping position, an

injury, or mild arthritis can be involved. Clothing, shoes, and parts of the

bike can also be responsible. Very dry weather can cause skin cracking. Some of

the areas that are most likely to become sore are the neck, the back, the hands,

the arms, the shoulders, the feet, the crotch, and the bottom. Muscles can also

cramp. Soreness should not be neglected, as it just gets worse; real problems

can follow. The solution varies from one condition to another, but in general,

the cure consists of 1) getting off of the bike periodically and doing some mild

exercise during those times, 2) mildly stretching and varying the body position

when riding, 3) adjusting the handlebar and seat positions and heights, 4) using

a different seat, handlebar wrap, gloves, and/or shorts, 5) relaxing more while

riding, 6) using strengthening exercises when off of the bike, 7) reducing the

amount of daily cycling, and 8) changing the type of bicycle. Some creams and

ointments might provide a little relief. Note: it's best to try the least

expensive solutions first. Also note: everyone experiences some soreness from

time to time.

Heat Fatigue

6) Heat tiredness is caused by high temperatures, humidity, and/or hot sun. The

symptoms are an almost complete loss of energy, hot skin, dizziness, nausea,

and/or inability to eat. A lack of fluids under these circumstances is very

dangerous. This is a life-threatening condition: get off the bike immediately,

get in the shade, cool off with wet towels, and drink liquids. To avoid the

problem in the future, ride only in the morning and in the evening during very

hot weather.

Cold Fatigue

7) Cold tiredness is caused by riding in low temperatures and getting chilled. A

headache can be a side effect. A more extreme variety, hypothermia, is a

life-threatening lowering of the body's temperature, and can sometimes happen

fairly quickly when not wearing sufficient clothing at high elevations or in the

rain. The only symptoms are tiredness, lack of energy, lassitude, and cold skin;

hypothermia is frequently accompanied by drowsiness and muddled thinking. The

solutions are warmer clothing and getting into a warm environment.

Dehydration

8) Dehydration is caused by not drinking enough fluids. Hot and dry or hot and

humid weather and a hot sun can cause rapid fluid loss. The symptoms are

thirstiness, dizziness, and a washed-out feeling, although sometimes thirst is

suppressed. Drink lots of fluids, especially water, wet your clothing, and get

some rest out of the sun. A myth is that yellow urine indicates dehydration:

yellow urine is caused by vitamins and other dissolved solids, not dehydration.

Waiting until you need to urinate or even until you get thirsty is unwise; make

a habit in hot weather of sipping water constantly and of stopping for drinks

frequently.

Oxygen Fatigue

9) Oxygen fatigue is a shortage of oxygen reaching the brain. It can be caused

by overexertion complicated by high elevation, fatigue, and/or blood being

diverted to the stomach. The symptoms are dizziness and spots in front of the

eyes, similar to a migraine headache. Stopping to rest is important, as throwing

up or a black-out may result. No other treatment is necessary. Oxygen fatigue is

completely different from oxygen debt, which is insufficient oxygen reaching the

muscles, leading to huffing and puffing.

Boredom

10) Boredom seems like a minor problem, but it can cause fatigue-like symptoms

and lead to failure in a bike trip. The causes are monotony in the scenery, no

one to talk to, nothing to think about, and nothing to do except pedal. The

speed decreases, and each hill gets higher. The cure is to find some way to

re-invent the ride or the trip in order to make it interesting again.

Stress

11) Stress fatigue is a common problem on the job; it can produce extreme

fatigue in a short period of time without any exercise or work involved. Cycling

normally reduces stress by allowing the tensions to be released, but some days

when the traffic is bad, real strain can set in. This stress can lead to fatigue

or muscle fatigue. The best solution is to get off the bike and unwind.

Bone Tiredness

12) Bone tiredness is probably a combination of the above, from the need for

sleep down to stress. This is the bonk to end all bonks; the crash that shuts

business down. Find a place to stop as quickly as possible and get some real

rest.

The Real Solution

When cycling down the road and the feeling of fatigue is first just barely

noticeable, pay attention, figure out the cause, and apply a solution right

away, following Velocio's rules: eat before you're hungry, drink before you're

thirsty, cover up before you're cold, and rest before you are sleepy. More

miles, a higher average speed, and a happier trip will be the result.

Reasons for being tired

These can be physical or psychological, or both.

Physical

Being overweight.

Your body has to work harder just to do everyday things.

Being too thin

Your muscles may not be strong enough to do everyday things without becoming

tired.

Physical illness

Any serious illness can make you tired, especially painful ones. Even less

serious illnesses, like glandular fever, can leave you feeling worn out.

General:

Anaemia

Autoimmune disorders

Chronic infections

Cancer

Liver, heart or long-term chest problems

Glandular:

Diabetes

Hypothyroidism

Sleep:

Narcolepsy

Sleep apnoea

Muscular:

Myositis

Multiple sclerosis

Even if you have got over cancer or heart problems, you can still have a problem

with tiredness. There is also evidence that some women with tiredness may have

too little iron, in spite of apparently normal red blood cells.

Treatments

The following treatments can exhaust you:

serious operations on your abdomen or chest

medications like beta-blockers and strong painkillers

treatments for cancer, such as radiotherapy and chemotherapy.

Doing too little - and getting unfit

If you don't get any exercise, you may find it hard to sleep through the night.

Doing too much and tiring yourself out

If you carry on doing things - whether physical or mental - even when you feel

tired, you may find it harder to recover, and get even more tired.

Pregnancy and breast feeding

Both of these can sap your energy.

Poor sleep

Disturbed sleep can leave tired and you will find it hard to concentrate.

Psychological

Worries and stress

Worry makes you feel tired - especially when you cannot see a way out of your

problems.

Insomnia

If you don't sleep well for a long time, you can start to feel tired, irritable

and fed up.

Depression

Depression tends to make you feel tired all the time. It can make you wake early

which can make you feel even more tired.

Everyday difficulties

Everybody gets stressed and exhausted when bad things happen to them. It's worth

remembering that even positive events, like moving home or getting married, can

also be exhausting. Being faced with a difficult decision, especially 'no win'

situations, can exhaust you.

Emotional shock

Bad news, bereavement or the break up of a relationship can all make you feel

drained.

Expecting too much of yourself

Everyone has standards - in work and in their personal life. They are usually

helpful - they give you a sense of direction. But, if you expect too much of

yourself, you can find yourself repeatedly failing, making you feel frustrated

and tired.

Habits

Sleep

If you are feeling tired, you may get into the habit of sleeping in the day.

This can make it more difficult to 'switch off' at night and get a good night's

sleep.

Sleeping too much

It sounds odd, but this too can make you tired - perhaps because it reduces your

fitness.

Activity

A 'roller-coaster' of too much activity followed by too much rest; if you do too

much on a good day, you may overdo things and feel even more tired the next day.

Work and family

Continuing difficulties

There are some things in life that you find hard, or impossible to change. If

you don't feel in control of your life, it is easy to get frustrated and tired.

Looking after small children

No surprises here. If your child doesn't sleep through the night, neither do

you. It can be really hard work just to keep going with your daily routine.

Night work

Night workers often find that they get tired easily. This is more likely if the

timing of their shift is constantly being changed.

Work stress

Too much work

Not enough control over your work

Not being recognised for the work you do

will all tend to make you feel tired.

Unemployment

Not working when you want to can tire you out through frustration.

What we drink

Coffee and tea

Coffee, tea and some soft drinks contain caffeine. This is a chemical which

makes us feel more awake. Six cups of coffee a day or ten cups of tea (or six

mugs) are enough to upset sleep and make you wound-up and tired.

Alcohol

If you drink alcohol in the evening, it tends to wake you up in the middle of

the night. If you drink quite a lot regularly, it can make you depressed and

affect your sleep.

'The last straw'

It will often takes several things together to make you feel tired. For example,

if you feel stressed for a long time, you will probably sleep badly and feel

'below par'. You might then catch a cold. This can be the 'last straw' which

finally exhausts you. You feel that you have to rest to get over this, but then

quickly become unfit. You will now find that just doing everyday things can make

you even more tired. If you can't get back to your normal routine, you will

probably feel worried and frustrated. This gives you more sleepless nights and

makes you more tired ....... and so a vicious circle is set up.

Beating tiredness

1. Improve your sleep

Go to bed and get up in the morning at the same time every day, no matter how

you feel.

Make sure your bedroom is comfortable: not too hot, not too cold, and not too

noisy.

Don't eat or drink a lot late at night. Try to have your evening meal early

rather than late.

Try to gradually reduce the time you spend 'napping' during the day.

If you can't sleep, don't lie there worrying about it: get up, leave the bedroom

and do something you find relaxing. When you feel tired enough, go back to bed.

Pick a way to relax before going to bed - such as reading, listening to music or

using a relaxation technique.

Have a hot bath before bed. This should be as hot as you can bear, without

scalding you, and last a good twenty minutes.

If something is troubling you, and there is nothing you can do about it there

and then, try writing it down. Tell yourself you will deal with it in the

morning, and then go to bed.

If none of this works, go and see your doctor.

2. Take some exercise

Many people feel too exhausted to start any exercise. However, in the long run,

regular exercise will make you feel less tired and more energetic. So what can

you do about this?

Try starting with a small amount of exercise: it doesn't matter how little as

long as it's easy and you can do it regularly - every day, if possible. You then

slowly increase the amount you do over a period of weeks and months, adjusting

it so you don't get more tired. It can be as little as walking from one room to

another. Over time, you can increase the amount of time you exercise (or

distance you walk), aiming to eventually do half an hour a day (you may need to

divide this half hour into several short periods of time).

Walking is the easiest exercise to try, but anything that you enjoy will do.

Many people like to swim or cycle regularly. What you are trying to do is to

gradually improve your fitness and strength. You may be able to get advice from

someone who knows how to help unfit or ill people to get fit.

If you find that you are doing too much, and feeling worse, don't give up! Carry

on with some less demanding regular exercise, perhaps for a shorter time each

day. Don't do anything more energetic until you have got used to the amount of

exercise you are doing at the moment.

Once you are managing half an hour a day, you should gradually increase the

intensity of your exercise so that you start to get a bit out of breath.

3. Cut out caffeine

Gradually stop having all caffeine drinks over about a three week period.

Everyone knows that coffee and tea contain caffeine, but watch out! There are

many other drinks and products that have caffeine in them, such as energy and

cola drinks, some painkillers, and energy-boosting pills. Some herbal remedies

also contain a lot of caffeine. If you are in any doubt, read the ingredients

list on the packaging.

Try to stay off caffeine completely for a month to see if you feel better

without it. You may find that stopping caffeine gives you headaches. If this

happens, just cut down more slowly the amount of caffeine you are drinking.

Chocolate can also be a problem if you eat it every day because it contains

chemicals that make you feel more awake.

4. Weight

If you are overweight, you will feel a lot better if you lose some weight

gradually. A crash diet is not helpful and can make you more tired. Apart from

eating healthily, the best way to lose weight is to gradually do more active and

do more exercise.

If you are too thin, you will not recover your full energy unless you start to

get back to your normal weight. By doing this you can start to re-build your

muscles and your strength.

5. Plan your day/week

Try to plan your day and your week. Try to make sure that you don't have any

really hectic, tiring days. Organise it so that you do a little every day. If

you cram everything into one day, you may be too exhausted to do anything for

the rest of the week. Try to do your chores when you think you will have the

most energy.

6. Have realistic expectations

Be kind to yourself. If you have been tired for a long time, don't expect to be

back to your normal self overnight. Set realistic goals for yourself and your

recovery. Don't expect too much too soon. All progress is good, however small or

unimportant it may seem at the time.

Learn from your tiredness:

were you demanding too much of yourself before you got tired?

did you have a good balance between work, rest and enjoying yourself?

should you reconsider what you want from life?

What doesn't help

We'd all like a magic cure to take away our tiredness. There isn't one. There

are many products on the market that claim to do this. There is no good evidence

that any of them help for very long. This goes for vitamins, minerals,

stimulants, total rest and sleeping, and exclusion diets that cut out particular

foods.

Not getting better

There is always a reason and sometimes more than one. You may be suffering from

an undiagnosed illness. Ask your doctor to check out whether you have any of

these problems. Common treatable problems include thyroid disease, anaemia,

sleep apnoea (temporarily stopping breathing when asleep), restless legs (an

uncomfortable restless feeling in the legs that happens when you are trying to

rest), anxiety and depression.

CMT Tiredness:

All of the above can apply to CMT. In addition Medications and combinations of

medications and supplements can cause adverse effects of tiredness.

Overmedication can cause fatigue. Too much exercise can also create fatigue, as

our bodies have to work twice as hard to do half the work. Pacing daily

activities is a good solution. Check out our Files for the Fatigue folder, open

to read 5 documents on the subject.