Everyone gets tired. But everyone doesn’t experience extended periods of all-encompassing fatigue. Understanding the difference between temporary exhaustion and chronic fatigue can help you determine if it’s time to seek professional help.
What is Fatigue?
In a medical or clinical context, fatigue refers to pervasive and persistent exhaustion, to the point that it impairs your ability to function. Fatigue can affect how you think, feel, and act.
In addition to preventing you from taking part in important and/or enjoyable activities, untreated fatigue can also have a negative impact on your performance in school or at work, your ability to be fully present and engaged with friends and family members, and your overall quality of life.
What Are the Symptoms of Fatigue?
Feeling tired is, of course, a common symptom of fatigue. But it’s not the only one. Other effects include:
- Lack of energy
- Muscle weakness
- Delayed responsiveness
- Diminished motivation
- Abnormal sleep patterns
- Cognitive deficiencies
- Low mood
What Causes Fatigue?
Often, fatigue is a symptom of a mental or mental health concern. Other possible causes include lifestyle factors and work-related challenges.
Medical Causes of Fatigue
It would be virtually impossible to list every medical condition that is linked with fatigue, but the following are examples of some of the more common causes:
- Anemia, or an insufficient supply of red blood cells and hemoglobin, which hampers the effective delivery of oxygen throughout your body
- Hypothyroidism which occurs when your thyroid gland fails to produce and release an appropriate amount of hormones into your bloodstream
- Insomnia, or difficulty falling asleep and staying asleep
- Sleep apnea, which is characterized by repeated periods during which you stop breathing while asleep
- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, a chronic lung disorder that causes breathing difficulties
- Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFC), which is sometimes also referred to as myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS)
- Various heart problems, including heart failure, cardiomyopathy, and coronary artery disease
- Autoimmune conditions such as lupus, myasthenia gravis, and multiple sclerosis
- Overweight and obesity
Lifestyle-Related Causes of Fatigue
The many behaviors, habits, and experiences that can lead to fatigue include:
- Eating unhealthy foods, which can deprive your body of vital energy sources
- Overeating, binge-eating, or undereating
- Failing to get an adequate amount of exercise
- Abusing alcohol and other drugs
- Overscheduling yourself
- Being in a manipulative, abusive, or otherwise unhealthy relationship
- Unwillingness to ask for help when you need it
- Major life changes, such as becoming a new parent
- Poor sleep habits
Workplace-Related Causes of Fatigue
Work-related stressors that can increase your risk of fatigue include:
- Overwork, which can include working too many hours or taking on too many tasks
- Working in a highly stressful, non-supportive, or otherwise toxic environment
- Manual labor that exceeds your physical capabilities
- Being micromanaged or otherwise harassed by a supervisor
- Continued conflicts with colleagues
- Fear of being laid off or fired
- Job loss and long-term unemployment
- Burnout
Psychological Causes of Fatigue
Fatigue can also be symptomatic of many mental health concerns, including:
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Bipolar disorder with depressive episodes
- Substance use disorders (addictions)
- Eating disorders
- Grief
Diagnosing Fatigue
Fatigue is a symptom, not a condition. To effectively treat this symptom, it is essential to identify its cause or causes.
Given the many factors that can contribute to fatigue, the diagnostic process may involve several steps, including:
- Discussion between you and your doctor about when your fatigue began, how severe it has become, and how they you have been affected by it
- Discussion about your personal history, lifestyle, and habits
- Review of your medical history
- Review of your mental health treatment history, if applicable
- Complete physical examination
- Blood work, neurological tests, and other medical evaluations
- Various cognitive and psychological assessments
Treatment Options for Treating Fatigue
Once your healthcare provider is aware of what caused your fatigue and how you have been affected, they can begin to develop a truly customized course of treatment.
Depending on your specific needs, goals, and preferences, this plan may include:
- Prescription medications, which may address physical and/or mental health conditions
- Individual, group, and/or family therapy
- Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)
- Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT)
- Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) therapy
- Neurofeedback
- NAD+ infusions
- Substance abuse counseling
- Nutritional counseling
- Stress management education
- Yoga, tai chi, and other holistic therapies
- Expressive arts therapy
How NAD+ Helps Reduce Fatigue
Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) is a coenzyme that is present in almost every living cell. NAD molecules typically exist in one of two forms, NAD+ and NADH:
- NAD+ is the oxidized form of NAD. In this context, oxidized means that the NAD+ molecules are in a state that allows them to electrons from other molecules.
- NADH is the reduced form of NAD. This means that NADH molecules have an “extra” electron that they can donate to other molecules.
The ability of NAD molecules to transfer electrons enables them to play vital roles in several processes that are essential for life, including DNA repair and the conversion of food into energy.
In addition to the supply that their bodies naturally produce, people can also get NAD from various foods and supplements. Unfortunately, factors such as aging, poor diet, and certain genetic variations can lead to NAD+ deficiencies.
One way to remedy this problem is to receive additional NAD+ via intravenous infusion. The benefits of NAD+ infusion therapy include improved brain health, more effective DNA repair, and better sleep.
Researchers have found that NAD+ may also be a beneficial element of treatment for people who have been suffering from extreme fatigue. For example:
- A June 2022 study in the journal Aging and Disease found that raising NAD+ levels can help people with ME/CFS by “improving neurological function, promoting energy production, and lowering fatigue.” Though the cause of ME/CFS has not yet been determined, testing has demonstrated that people who have this condition experience significant decreases in NAD+, which contributes to their fatigue.
- An observational study in the March 2024 edition of the journal Brain, Behavior, & Immunity – Health reported that treatment with low-dose naltrexone and NAD+ infusions led to increased energy and improved overall quality of life among more than 50% of patients who had been experiencing persistent fatigue as a result of COVID-19.
Contact Conscious Health to Treat Fatigue
Conscious Health Center is a premier provider of personalized outpatient care for adolescents and adults in the Los Angeles, CA, area. If you or someone that you care about have been struggling with chronic fatigue or related concerns, our treatment center in Los Angeles, CA, is here to help.
In addition to NAD+ infusion therapy, our dynamic array of customizable services also includes TMS therapy, electromagnetic brain pulse (EMBP) therapy vibroacoustic therapy, ketamine therapy, and PEAK’t (precision enhanced activation kinetics).
To learn more or to schedule a free assessment, please visit our Contact page or call us today.
Published: 6/17/2025
