Fatigue: a drain on the mind and body

Understanding exhaustion

The reasons for fatigue have interested me since beginning my career as a massage therapist over 20 years ago. The most common types of fatigue that I see are chronic, adrenal, mental and post-traumatic stress-related fatigue.

Chronic fatigue leaves sufferers feeling tired every moment of the day. This disorder is often accompanied by muscular pain and gut health issues, leaving the body malnourished and feeling even more tired. Chronic fatigue can progress to extreme fatigue and weakness. It can be triggered by trauma such as a car accident, viral illness, pregnancy, medications, or a traumatic event such as a death in the family.

Adrenal fatigue is typically caused by ongoing and relentless stress and pressure. It manifests in the body as afternoon tiredness, anxiety, sleepiness or insomnia, and often a general non-specific feeling of things not being okay.

Mental fatigue can result from long hours of detailed work or a lack of enthusiasm due to other health concerns.

Post-traumatic stress-related fatigue can develop within weeks after a traumatic event and I treat it as a similar condition to chronic fatigue.

Restoring the balance to increase energy

I start treating fatigue by looking to relax the entire body, especially gut tension and work on releasing it through a combination of full body massage and acupressure techniques. This helps restore the circulation of energy and balance required for healthy digestion.

I also look at lifestyle factors, sleep patterns and digestion. I build a picture of my clients’ lifestyle rhythm and help them rebalance it by relaxing the nervous system, rebalancing hormones and relaxing the digestive system for good gut health.

No single cause, no single cure

This process is about creating a stable platform over time for the body to rebuild its energy stores. There is not one factor that causes a lack of energy – it’s a web of factors all linked together. By breaking down each cause, unravelling the web and approaching things holistically, we can reset the body.

Take your first step towards a life free from fatigue

Contact me today to arrange our appointment.