It’s not uncommon to feel fatigued. However, arthritis fatigue is a whole other story. If you are one of the 1 in 4 Americans suffering from some type of arthritis, you likely already know the fatigue that sometimes comes with the condition.
In this article, we are going to go over the causes of arthritis fatigue, as well as what you can do to combat it. You will see that it is not a life sentence to feel consistently lacking in energy. With a few lifestyle and diet changes, you can significantly reduce how fatigued you feel when living with arthritis.
Causes of Arthritis Fatigue
There are several different causes of arthritis fatigue. Here are the most common ones:
Prescription Drugs
Around half of Americans regularly take medication of some kind. There are a lot of drugs and medications people with arthritis take. While you may be one of the few who does not take any medication for any underlying condition, including arthritis, most do. The issue is that these can lead to feeling lethargic and tired. The medications that most commonly lead to experiencing a profound sense of tiredness include antidepressants, blood pressure medication, and pain relievers. If you take an NSAID or DMARD, you may also experience fatigue, especially if you take azathioprine and methotrexate.
Lack of Physical Activity
If you are not moving your body regularly, your muscles are going to get weaker. Even your heart will, because it does not have to work as hard to pump blood through the rest of your body. The more idle time you have, the more tired you are going to feel.
Having Anemia
Anemia is when you do not have enough red blood cells. When this occurs, your muscles become tired more quickly, leading to you feeling more tired. If you have arthritis, it is quite likely that you are anemic given that two-thirds of arthritis sufferers deal with this disease.
Not Getting Enough Sleep
Sleep is critical to feeling rejuvenated and full of energy. When you get poor quality sleep or have insomnia, you will definitely feel more fatigued. Not only that, but your joints are going to become more inflamed and feel very sore. You may even have to deal with sleep apnea, which can reduce the quality of sleep you are getting.
Being Obese
When you are overweight and obese, you are placing more stress and pressure on your joints. Additionally, you are more prone to sleep apnea and additional sleep disorders. Not getting enough exercise and using more energy to move all of your body weight around, along with metabolic changes, will all make your arthritis fatigue worse.
Eating Poorly
Poor nutrition means you are not receiving the vitamins, minerals, and nutrients your body needs to keep joint pain, soreness, and stiffness away. Junk food will significantly increase the levels of inflammation in your body, leading to aching joints. Additionally, dehydration can also lead to joint problems.
Depression and Anxiety
For adults suffering from arthritis, 22.5% of them have anxiety while 12.1% are suffering from depression. There is a direct correlation between arthritis and poor mental health. The deeper into depression you get, the more your hormones and brain change, exacerbating the problems you end up facing.
Losing Muscle
Losing muscle mass leads to the rest of your muscles picking up the slack. This causes fatigue due to the additional weight they need to hold up. There is also a very severe inflammatory version of arthritis called cachexia that results in muscle mass decreasing, which raises fatigue.
Additional Health Issues
If you have any other health issues, then you may find you become tired more quickly. Also, arthritis itself can lead to further medical conditions, including heart and lung disease, diabetes, and irritable bowel syndrome. Every one of these conditions is known to result in greater fatigue. There are also other health conditions that could lead to being more tired, such as infections, liver, kidney, and thyroid disease, and chronic fatigue syndrome.
How to Combat Arthritis Fatigue
Now that you know about the numerous ways in which arthritis fatigue can increase, here are a few tried-and-true ways to combat it.
Take a Joint Supplement
Taking a joint supplement every day will ensure you receive the nutrients your joints need to stay healthy and be without pain. JointFuel360 is a popular joint supplement that contains all-natural ingredients like the anti-inflammatory black pepper and turmeric, along with antioxidants like resveratrol. These reduce inflammation and swelling, as will the included Boswellia Serrata, and reduce how much fatigue you experience.
Exercise More
While it may prove challenging to get yourself to exercise when you’re tired, it will make a big difference. Lack of exercise and movement will make your arthritis fatigue worse and worse. Get started by doing some light exercise that involves low-impact activities. These can include walking, stationary cycling, yoga, and tai chi.
Get Quality Sleep
Getting a good night of sleep every night will ensure you regain your energy. Going to bed earlier will also provide you with better quality sleep than heading to bed late and waking up late. To make it easier to fall asleep, stop drinking caffeinated beverages after 4 PM. Additionally, turn off your TV, smartphone, and other electronic screens 1-2 hours before going to bed. You can also invest in some blackout curtains, a white noise generator, and quality bedding. Meditating or drinking a sedative tea like chamomile can also help you fall asleep faster and get into a deeper sleep state more readily.
Conclusion
There are many causes of arthritis fatigue. Most of them are the kind that can be easily eliminated with a few lifestyle and diet changes. Now that you know what you can do to reduce or eliminate your arthritis fatigue, pick one to start incorporating into your life and become inspired by how different you feel. You don’t need to live with arthritis fatigue!
