Nervous and physical fatigue: symptoms and what to do

Physical fatigue: symptoms

Signs of fatigue in adults caused by physical factors appear gradually. Initially, a person becomes more tired than usual, feels weak and has muscle pain.

Work and daily activities take a lot of energy, but he continues to lead his usual lifestyle. Gradually the body weakens, new symptoms appear:

1. Muscle pain increases.
2. Sleep, warm baths and other relaxation procedures do not relieve the feeling of fatigue.
3. The temperature rises. From a harmless 37 degrees it can rise to 39.
4. The emotional background changes. The person becomes irritable and hot-tempered. In some cases, deliberately humorous.
5. It becomes difficult to fall asleep, and sleep does not bring relief. I have disturbing dreams.
6. Coiling sensations appear in the area of ​​the heart. Sometimes pain occurs.
7. The person stops eating normally. In the absence of appetite, the tongue becomes covered with a white coating.
8. Hypertension and tachycardia develop.
9. Body weight can either rapidly decrease or suddenly increase.

Most people don't know the difference between being simply tired and being overtired. Therefore, they begin to “sound the alarm” belatedly.

Types and signs

Depending on which system of the human body was the first to respond to a stressor, several types of overwork are distinguished.

Their symptoms are in many ways similar, since the depletion of certain resources of the body cannot but affect the psycho-emotional state of a person and vice versa.

Physical fatigue

Prolonged physical activity, in which a person does not receive the necessary and sufficient time to rest and recuperate, leads to physical fatigue.

At first, it is often mistaken for normal fatigue, as this is indicated by characteristic signs:

• decreased labor productivity;
• feeling of heaviness and/or pain in the muscles;
• decreased attention;
• apathy, lethargy;
• irritability.

In this condition of a person, data obtained using a Mosso ergograph demonstrate that the speed, frequency and amplitude of muscle contractions are significantly reduced, and the period of response to the stimulus increases. Over time, signs of overwork become persistent and can affect the functioning of individual organs and entire systems, manifesting themselves in the form of:

• frequent headaches, which are characterized by squeezing, squeezing sensations;
• increasing the frequency of cardiovascular contractions;
• changes in the condition of the skin;
• decreased immunity, which leads to an increase in the frequency of colds;
• loss of appetite;
• insomnia.

Lactic acid and toxins accumulate in the blood and do not have time to be eliminated. This leads to disturbances in the condition and functioning of the body. Feelings of fatigue may not leave a person even after sleep. This pathological condition is called asthenia.

Mental fatigue

It occurs equally in both adults and children. Most often, this is a companion to prolonged increased mental workload: preparing for exams, annual/quarterly reporting and other activities that require increased brain activity.

Along with the signs inherent in physical fatigue, mental fatigue is also characterized by:

• memory impairment;
• decreased concentration;
• slowness in thinking;
• a feeling of emptiness or “fog” in the head;
• feeling of dryness of the mucous membranes of the eyes;
• headaches of various locations.

Overfatigue (signs in adults of chronic fatigue can be expressed in changes in blood pressure and respiratory rhythm) causes secondary health problems. Do not underestimate mental fatigue, since the complications caused by it can also affect the psycho-emotional sphere.

Emotional fatigue

As a rule, emotional exhaustion goes hand in hand with physical or mental fatigue. It is associated with constant tension, heavy workloads and stress related to work or home problems.

Manifested by the following symptoms:

• apathy, lack of interest in anything;
• constant irritability, nervousness;
• mood swings;
• feeling of hopelessness, depression.

In the absence of the necessary measures to solve the problem, emotional fatigue can develop into a neurasthenic state.

Nervous fatigue

Nervous fatigue should be understood as a disorder of the nervous system, or a breakdown that occurs as a result of prolonged psycho-emotional stress: shock, stress, drug addiction. Often accompanies other types of fatigue, especially in the absence of proper treatment.

Signs of nervous fatigue:

• frequent headaches, migraines;
• irritability, sudden mood swings;
• decreased cognitive function;
• disorders in the intimate sphere;
• psychosomatic disorders;
• disorientation in space and time;
• the occurrence of disorders in the cardiovascular, digestive and other systems: changes in heart rate, tachycardia, VSD, nausea, diarrhea.

Nervous disorders can often occur due to trauma or brain damage. They often affect people who are suspicious, prone to self-flagellation and have an “excellent student” complex.

Signs of mental fatigue

People often mistake overwork for simple fatigue. At the same time, they try to stabilize the situation on their own. It turns out that this is not the case for everyone.

Early signs of mental fatigue include the following:

1. Sleeping at night does not help get rid of fatigue.
2. Headaches develop without any reason.
3. More often there are pressure surges and dizziness.
4. A “panda mask” appears - circles under the eyes.
5. Problems with falling asleep begin, and there is a constant feeling of anxiety.
6. The eyes often turn red and the eyelids swell.

Late symptoms of fatigue include:

1. Vomiting and nausea.
2. Nervousness.
3. Apathy.
4. Impaired reaction and memory.
5. Problems communicating with other people.

This situation requires immediate treatment.

Brain, work!

As a rule, office dwellers complain not so much about physical stress as about mental stress. These methods will help you remove it.

Don't forget to take a break from work from time to time. After all, as you know, the best rest is a change of activity. Completed an important task - clean the table or read the news on the Internet. However, this does not mean that you should do several things at once, otherwise it will be difficult to concentrate. It has been proven that it takes the brain about 20 minutes to switch from one task to another. Therefore, rest should be just that: rest and not require intellectual stress from you.

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More details

Stages of development of mental fatigue

Mental fatigue is fatigue that develops over several months. It can be divided into several degrees:

1. The person has a mild form of fatigue. He cannot fall asleep normally, sleep does not bring relief. Apathy often develops, the mood becomes sad.
2. This stage is characterized by the presence of more serious symptoms. Apathy is accompanied by gastrointestinal upset, loss of appetite, and changes in skin color. In women, the cycle may be disrupted, in men, potency suffers.
3. The severe stage is manifested by neurasthenia. The patient is constantly irritated and easily excited. Night rest turns into agony, since falling asleep is problematic. During the daytime, there is a desire to hide and take a nap.

At the last stage, the functioning of the entire body is disrupted.

If you do not receive medical help in a timely manner, you can end up in a deplorable state. In this case, the treatment of the pathology will be long and difficult.

Causes

From all of the above, it becomes clear that overwork is a reaction of the nervous system to mental, mental or physical stimuli.

Important! Of course, it cannot develop if such exposure is short-term, but with prolonged exposure, overwork occurs in 90% of cases.

That is, the discrepancy between the periods of work and rest, regardless of what kind of activity a person is engaged in, leads to overwork.

An unfavorable atmosphere in the family is one of the causes of such a disorder as overwork in an adult or child, since in such a situation the balance between positive and negative emotions is disturbed, which adversely affects health.

In addition, the reasons for this violation may be:

• dissatisfaction with relationships, work, salary;
• unfavorable living conditions;
• poor nutrition, in which the body does not receive enough vitamins and microelements;
• negative vision of events and situations in life.

A child may become overtired due to:

• excessive workload in a preschool or school;
• visiting a large number of clubs and sections;
• unbalanced diet;
• the inability of parents to organize the correct routine for their baby with a rational alternation of periods of activity and rest.

Emotional (nervous) fatigue and its symptoms

Nervous fatigue destroys the body no less than physical fatigue. The causes of emotional fatigue are constant stress and problems that arise throughout every person’s life.

Signs of mental fatigue include:

1. Apathy.
2. Reluctance to do everyday activities.
3. Lethargy and weakness.
4. Reactions become inhibited.
5. Tactile sensitivity is lost.
6. Patients often complain of weakened taste buds.
7. Emotions are shown weakly. It is difficult to make a person laugh or cause a crying attack. In some cases, the opposite picture is observed.

Severe emotional fatigue can be caused by many reasons.

Moreover, all of them, one way or another, are characterized by one problem - being in constant stress, which a person may not tell anyone about. This condition can be caused by troubles at work, difficulties in the family, etc.

Description

Fatigue, drowsiness, apathy and weakness - many attribute these sensations to overwork and think that regular sleep can solve the problem and restore strength. But in fact, in medicine, overwork is considered a rather complex problem - after all, it can even lead to the development of depression! It is important not only to have some general understanding of the condition in question, but also to know its first signs - this will help you respond to the body’s “signals” in a timely manner and quickly restore strength.

The nervous system is literally “overwhelmed” with signals from the brain, muscles, and sensory organs and does not have time to process them. As a result, nerve impulses reach muscles and organs late or in a distorted form.

Interesting to know! Outwardly, it looks like impaired concentration, memory impairment, drowsiness, muscle pain and other signs.

The nervous system permeates all other systems and organs of a person, so it is quite natural that nervous exhaustion causes a decrease in muscle tone (accordingly, physical fatigue) or malfunctions in the functioning of the endocrine system, which is responsible, among other things, for mood (from which it is not far from emotional fatigue). It is also obvious that nervous exhaustion has a negative effect on brain function.

Therefore, if you discover signs of one type of overwork, you should not hope that you are protected from another. Quite the contrary - this indicates that you are in a high-risk group.

Consequences and complications

Everyone usually knows what overwork is and what causes it. But few people realize the possible somatic complications of this condition. The most common consequences include:

1. Diseases of the nervous system.
2. Sudden jumps in blood pressure.
3. Heart problems.
4. Decreased immune system defenses.
5. Intestinal problems.

Complications can be avoided, first of all, by working with chronic pathologies, as well as external factors that provoke the process of overwork:

• lifestyle;
• bad habits;
• lack of sleep;
• stressful situations in the family and at work.

At the same time, loss of strength cannot always be overcome by providing rest. In some cases, specialist help and medication are required.

Consequences of prolonged fatigue

With prolonged overwork, problems first affect the nervous system, manifesting themselves in the form of irritability, apathy, and depression. Then other organs and systems of the body begin to suffer: cardiovascular, digestive and others. Immunity decreases and the frequency of colds increases. If left untreated, fatigue can be fatal.

At the first signs of overwork in both adults and children, it is necessary to increase the time for rest and reduce the load, or even stop it for a certain period of time. If you ignore the symptoms, a decrease in cognitive function occurs, autonomic disorders and accompanying disorders occur in various organs and systems.

Vitamins for overwork

Chronic fatigue can be caused by a lack of important vitamins in the body.

Some microelements are also prescribed by doctors as a complex treatment for symptoms of fatigue. Among them:

1. Ascorbic acid. With a lack of vitamin C, problems with appetite develop, immune defense decreases, and absent-mindedness appears.
2. B vitamins. Their deficiency leads to the development of nervousness and depression. Against the background of general weakness, appetite disappears and body weight decreases.
3. Rutin helps the absorption of ascorbic acid. Therefore, without vitamin P, it will not be possible to restore the balance of ascorbic acid.
4. Vitamin D. Its deficiency leads to decreased immunity, joint problems, and the development of depression.

Most often, patients are prescribed vitamin complexes. Their composition helps the body get out of a state of constant fatigue.

How to get rid of overwork?

Symptoms of fatigue and methods of treating pathology in adults vary. Therapy depends entirely on the type of chronic fatigue.

1. Physical fatigue. There is a need to normalize blood flow, saturate the body with oxygen, and relax tense muscles.
2. Nervous fatigue. It is necessary to minimize stressful situations and eliminate irritating factors.
3. Mental fatigue. Requires reducing intellectual workload and diversifying activities.

Overcoming chronic fatigue on your own is problematic.

There are a number of recommendations to follow to stay healthy:

1. Review your diet. Nutrition should be balanced.
2. Distribute the intensity of home and professional work. You need to find time to relax, taking frequent breaks from work.
3. Workout. Ordinary walks in the evenings in the fresh air can work a miracle by reducing overstrain in the body.

Drug treatment is prescribed in advanced cases.

In this case, medications, as a rule, belong to the group of antidepressants and sedatives. There is no point in self-prescribing: only a specialist can choose the right remedy that will eliminate the problem. If you self-medicate, there is a risk of aggravating the situation.

Treatment

Available means and methods that speed up recovery from fatigue.

Bath

An ancient Russian way to eliminate fatigue, recover from hard physical labor, increase performance, and strengthen the immune system. Frequency – 1-2 times a week, after the session – massage. You should not visit the bathhouse immediately after exercise, if you are feeling unwell, have acute illnesses, or have a number of other contraindications.

Baths

Water helps to “wash away” fatigue and the heavy burden of the day.

• oxygen bath . Indicated for physical fatigue, after injuries, and for diseases of the musculoskeletal system. Procedure time - 7 minutes, per course - 15 procedures, daily;
• vibrating bath . Activates protective and restorative mechanisms, blood circulation, stabilizes metabolism, eliminates muscle fatigue. Procedure time – 3-5 minutes, per course – 15 procedures, daily;
• pearl bath (with air bubbles passing under high pressure, water temperature 37 C). Promotes relaxation and eliminates nervous tension. Procedure time – 10 minutes, per course – 10-15 procedures;
• pine bath . Has a calming effect and eliminates physical fatigue. Procedure time – 10 minutes, 2 times a week, can be done regularly;

Shower

If you don’t have time to take medicinal baths, a regular shower will help:

• a hot shower with water temperature + 45 C has a tonic effect;
• a warm rain shower soothes, refreshes, and eliminates muscle pain;
• cascade shower increases muscle tone;
• A contrast shower supports the body's performance and speeds up recovery.

Massage

A universal procedure that has a positive effect on the central and peripheral nervous system, heart, blood vessels, digestion, and metabolism. Duration of massage: 10 minutes for each leg, 10 minutes for the back and neck, 10 minutes for the upper limbs, 10 minutes for the abdominal area and chest.

What to do if there is no time for all these procedures?

• Eliminate excessive stress, do not give up your usual physical activities completely. Change activities, take a short vacation.
• Walk outdoors every day.
• Eliminate nervous tension as much as possible (don’t live with other people’s problems, don’t get nervous over trifles, etc.) see how to stop getting nervous over trifles and strengthen the nervous system;
• Review your diet: saturate your menu with fruits, vegetables, herbs, and lean meats.

Treating fatigue with folk remedies

Traditional methods will help fight chronic illness. Among them there are vitamin teas and tinctures.

1. Lingonberry tea. Leaves need to be brewed 1.5 tsp. per glass of boiling water. You can drink it instead of regular tea.
2. Aloe with Cahors. For the tincture you need to mix 2 tbsp. Cahors, 200 g honey, 1 tbsp. aloe juice Remove the mixture to a dark place. After a week, you can start taking the medicine 1 tbsp. l. morning, afternoon and evening. Helps not only with fatigue, but also with insomnia.
3. Beetroot tincture. Chop one beet in a convenient way and pour vodka so that the root crop is completely hidden. Leave for 15 days in a dark place. Drink 50 g daily before dinner.
4. Currants with honey. Add 200 ml of boiling water and 100 g of honey to 500 ml of pureed black currant. Drink the mixture daily.
5. Garlic and lemon. Mix the juice of 10 lemons with 200 g of grated garlic. Strain the resulting pulp. For 1 tbsp. add water 1 tsp. juice Drink before bed.

Among folk remedies, various water procedures have also proven themselves. For example:

1. Bath with fir and rosemary oil.
2. Foot baths with sea salt and pine needles.
3. Rubbing with warm water with the addition of chamomile decoction.

Traditional methods are recommended to be used as a complement to the main therapy prescribed by specialists.

Prevention of overwork

Treating chronic fatigue is difficult. It is easier not to bring the body to exhaustion and adopt some preventive recommendations:

1. Learn to plan your day. It will be easier to do what you planned if you make a schedule with allotted time for rest.
2. Stop drinking alcohol.
3. Go in for sports or join a fitness club or swimming pool.
4. Spend less time at the computer and TV. It is better to devote your leisure time to reading books in a relaxing environment or doing your favorite hobby.
5. Reduce stress levels. In this case, it is enough to discuss an exciting topic with your loved ones to resolve controversial situations.

Don't think that symptoms of fatigue will go away on their own. In most cases, it is impossible to do without active measures to eliminate them.