=Feeling fatigued can encompass a variety of sensations. You can easily classify most types of fatigue as having a physical, mental or psychological origination. However, you can go even further in this classification, with specific types of these fatigues as well. Here’s a look at common types of fatigue.
Physical Fatigue
Physical fatigue is characterized by an exhaustion of the body. It occurs most frequently from two main things. It can be self induced through sports, a hard day of work performing strenuous manual labor, or other activities that wear heavily on the body. This uses up the energy your body receives through healthy eating. In some instances, although your arms and legs feel heavy and it may be difficult to keep your head up, you may still have the presence of mind to be “awake,” despite your body’s firm protests. It may, however, be present first thing in the morning after days of too little sleep combined with too much activity.
Physical fatigue can also be a result of chronic illness. Many illnesses, particularly autoimmune diseases and chronic pain, can be exhausting constantly; your body is sidetracked trying to fight the illness instead of being able to focus on performing everyday tasks. Chronic fatigue syndrome is a great example of physical fatigue brought on by illness. Some types of physical fatigue include:
- Muscle Fatigue: One of the more common types of physical fatigue is muscle fatigue. Muscle fatigue often occurs after exercise or similar activities that are too strenuous for the muscles. They become sore or weak as a result of forcing the muscle to create more force than it can comfortably generate.
- Adrenal Fatigue: Adrenal fatigue is a form of physical fatigue brought on by an imbalance of hormones -- particularly, the adrenal gland. The adrenal glands produce a variety of these hormones, from those that help manage stress (cortisol) to those that manage your blood pressure. If your body doesn’t produce enough of the hormones that come from the adrenal gland, you may develop adrenal fatigue syndrome.
Mental Fatigue
Mental fatigue is much like muscle fatigue -- except the muscle in question is your brain. If you have a career that requires extensive mind work, go to school full time, or engage in other activities that require frequent though, calculation, and investigation, after times of intensive cognition, you may find yourself worn out, or “brain dead.” It becomes difficult to concentrate, focus, think clearly, or arrive at correct solutions to problems.
Psychological Fatigue
Psychological, or emotional fatigue, can also come in different forms. It is often accompanied by strong, long-lasting, negative emotions, often brought on by situations that result in intense emotional responses. In some cases, psychological fatigue may feel physical and mental, as the body tends to respond physically to ongoing mental sensations. The tension this creates can make you feel fatigued even after a good night of rest. Three common types of psychological fatigue include:
- Stress Fatigue: Stress fatigue arises from long-term stress. If day to day stressors are not managed efficiently as they appear, they can become overwhelming. Stress itself can have a negative impact physically (such as increasing the chances of cardiovascular diseases), as well as creating a psychological fatigue.
- Compassion Fatigue: Compassion fatigue results most often in caretakers: doctors, nurses, psychologists, teachers, etc. It often occurs as a result of a patient or student experiencing severe distress or pain. This can affect the caretaker emotionally and mentally, resulting in another type of psychological fatigue.
- Depression Fatigue: Essentially, the sensations created by long term depression can be exhausting. Feeling distressed and unhappy on a constant basis can wear on you -- and your loved ones -- psychologically, mentally, and physically, creating a constant fatigue that may not lift until the underlying depression is managed.
