Just Fatigue Or Asthenia? How To Learn To Distinguish Between Symptoms And Help Yourself In Time - The Quality Of Life

2023 Author: Oswald Adamson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-11-27 12:13

Asthenia, chronic fatigue syndrome, neuropsychic weakness, asthenic syndrome … All these scientific names describe a condition characterized by impotence, increased fatigue, sleep disturbance, and decreased concentration. How to distinguish asthenia from accumulated fatigue in the mad rhythm of cities, among work and household chores? And is there a way to prevent this psychopathological disorder? Let's figure it out

Fatigue or asthenia

Asthenia is a process that the body starts in response to various conditions that threaten it with complete exhaustion, for example, serious illness, prolonged overwork, neurasthenia. As a result, changes in the activity of the reticular formation, the part of the brain responsible for sleep, the level of attention and perception, motivation, and muscle work, begin to occur.

At first glance, asthenia may resemble accumulated fatigue. Therefore, it is important to be able to distinguish this pathology from ordinary fatigue.

Three main differences

• 1. Fatigue is a physiological, normal state following unusually intense physical work or significant mental stress. Asthenia is a chronic condition that gets worse even after daily activities.
• 2. Fatigue leads to a temporary loss of strength, while asthenia is a steady decrease in the body's activity due to constant overexertion or exhaustion. Additional characteristics of this disease include sleep disorders, migraines, mood swings, autonomic manifestations (palpitations, sweating, chills, nausea, etc.), lack of sexual desire.
• 3. Sleep, meditation, relaxation help fight fatigue. Asthenia does not go away after rest.

Diagnosis of asthenia

If you are worried that you have asthenia, but do not have the opportunity or desire to consult a specialist, the Asthenic State Scale (SHAS) developed by L. D. Malkova is suitable for self-diagnosis.

Read each sentence of the test carefully and evaluate it in relation to your condition at the moment. Write down the number of points.

Variants of answers: no, incorrect - 1 point; perhaps this is so - 2 points; true - 3 points; true, no exceptions - 4 points

Test:

1. I work with a lot of stress.

2. I find it difficult to concentrate on anything.

3. My sex life does not satisfy me.

4. Waiting makes me nervous.

5. I am experiencing muscle weakness.

6. I don't want to go to the cinema or the theater.

7. I am forgetful.

8. I feel tired.

9. My eyes get tired after long reading.

10. My hands are shaking.

11. I have a bad appetite.

12. It is difficult for me to be at a party or in a noisy company.

13. I don't understand what I read so well.

14. My hands and feet are cold.

15. I am easily hurt.

16. I have a headache.

17. I wake up in the morning tired and not rested.

18. I get dizzy.

19. I have muscle twitching.

20. My ears are buzzing.

21. I am concerned about sexual issues.

22. I have a heavy head.

23. I am experiencing general weakness.

24. I have pain in the crown of the head.

25. Life for me is connected with stress.

26. My head is like a hoop.

27. I easily wake up from noise.

28. People tire me.

29. When I'm worried, I get covered in sweat.

30. Restless thoughts keep me awake.

Calculate the points:

30 to 50 points - no asthenia

51 to 75 points - mild asthenia

76 to 100 points - moderate asthenia

From 101 to 120 points - severe asthenia

If you have identified an asthenic state in yourself, this is not a reason for panic. With mild to moderate asthenia, it may be enough to adjust the daily load and establish the correct rest regimen. Severe asthenia most often requires the help of a psychotherapist or neurologist, sometimes the appointment of medication. It is important in this situation not to sit back and help your body!

Prevention of asthenia. Learning to rest properly

The main weapon in the fight against asthenia and fatigue is good rest. Unfortunately, in our society, the image of a successful person is not compatible with the concept of recreation: an active, positive workaholic who has the strength and time for a career, family, sports, friends. To this it is worth adding different stereotypes: "you need to earn rest", "you do nothing to get tired", "when you do what you love, you do not need rest" …

However, now is the right time to change your thinking! After all, your well-being, efficiency at work, “the weather at home,” and relationships with loved ones directly depend on rest.

Rest has several basic principles:

• Regularity.
• Consistency.
• Cumulative effect.

To build the right rest regime and make it productive, I suggest you use the universal system "4 times".

Rest should be:

• 1. Once a day. On average, 15 to 60 minutes. Daytime sleep, meditation, walk in the fresh air, breathing exercises. Silence and lack of gadgets.
• 2. Once a week. 24 hours. From morning to evening or from evening to evening the next day. Natural awakening without alarms and other irritants. Relaxation without "sticking" on social networks.
• 3. Once a month. 2-3 days. A change of scenery. Ideally - a trip to nature, countryside, to the country. If possible, it is better to spend these days without children.
• .4 Once a year. From 20 days. It is during this period that a state of deep rest and relaxation begins. Give up coffee, energy drinks, alcohol. Eat less food. More often you are in a state of rest and silence. Limit your internet and social media time as much as possible.

I know that at first glance it seems impossible to follow such a system. Everyone has a hundred arguments why he cannot put off all business and relax right now. I suggest looking at the "4 times" system as an experiment and trying to inscribe maximum rest in your life.

Start with small steps: draw up a vacation schedule for today and the next few days on paper, analyze what takes the most of your energy (communication with "parasitic" people, a constant sense of duty to someone, unfinished business, your forced pretense in society and etc.), and what, on the contrary, brings a charge of cheerfulness. Choose the most comfortable and suitable relaxation option for yourself and feel free to start recuperating. The first few times "doing nothing" can cause you to protest, but as you get used to it, you will feel a surge of calm and energy.

I never tire of repeating to my clients: resting is more difficult than working. You cannot relieve the fatigue of a working week or get rid of asthenia in one hour. Rest will not bring results without regular "training". But I'm sure you will succeed. One has only to start resting properly and believe in yourself.