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Your joint pain can make it difficult to stay asleep at night. When you are not well rested, daytime fatigue can take its toll.
Side effects of medication
Antidepressants, blood pressure medication, sleep aids or prescription pain medication can cause side effects, including fatigue.
Anemia
2 out of 3 people with arthritis have a certain type of anemia, where a lack of healthy red blood cells leads to less oxygen that travels to your tissues, which can leave you dizzy, weak and worn down.
Depression
It can be hard to take part in your daily activities when you are suffering from joint pain. Depression is common in people living with arthritis, and it can also trigger physical symptoms, including tiredness and loss of energy.
First things first, talk to your doctor. If fatigue is directly related to another condition such as anemia or depression, treating the problem may also help lessen your fatigue.
You may have to balance work with family responsibilities, but you can’t care for others if you’re not taking care of yourself. Plan your day so that you have time to rest between activities.
Don’t feel as if you have to do it all. Focus your time and energy on the most important tasks and the places where you can make the biggest impact. Then, reach out to family, friends or even an online task-matching service to help with the rest.
It may seem unexpected, but getting active may help. Exercise can reduce stress, loosen up your joints and help you sleep better at night—all factors that help fight fatigue.
4 Ways to Fight Arthritis-Related Fatigue
If you’re living with arthritis, your most common symptom is probably joint pain. However, fatigue may be a close second.
The cycles of pain and fatigue can often feed into one another, making your arthritis hard to manage. Here are some reasons that may be causing your fatigue and some helpful ways to fight it.
What could be causing your fatigue?
Lack of sleep
Your joint pain can make it difficult to stay asleep at night. When you are not well rested, daytime fatigue can take its toll.
Side effects of medication
Antidepressants, blood pressure medication, sleep aids or prescription pain medication can cause side effects, including fatigue.
Anemia
2 out of 3 people with arthritis have a certain type of anemia, where a lack of healthy red blood cells leads to less oxygen that travels to your tissues, which can leave you dizzy, weak and worn down.
Depression
It can be hard to take part in your daily activities when you are suffering from joint pain. Depression is common in people living with arthritis, and it can also trigger physical symptoms, including tiredness and loss of energy.
Here are some tips to help you fight fatigue.
Get to the root of the matter
First things first, talk to your doctor. If fatigue is directly related to another condition such as anemia or depression, treating the problem may also help lessen your fatigue.
Choose how to spend your time
You may have to balance work with family responsibilities, but you can’t care for others if you’re not taking care of yourself. Plan your day so that you have time to rest between activities.
Practice asking for help
Don’t feel as if you have to do it all. Focus your time and energy on the most important tasks and the places where you can make the biggest impact. Then, reach out to family, friends or even an online task-matching service to help with the rest.
Get active
It may seem unexpected, but getting active may help. Exercise can reduce stress, loosen up your joints and help you sleep better at night—all factors that help fight fatigue.
Published on: May 04, 2017
