If you work hard, it is not unusual to feel a little tired in the evenings. After all, you’re putting massive effort into your work and relationships – it’s no surprise that it would take its toll.
But there’s a fine line between feeling tired and feeling run down. Being tired is normal – it’s just your body clock doing what it does. Being run down isn’t – it suggests that your life is out of whack.
In this post, we’re going to take a look at the signs that you’re horribly run-down and probably need a break!
You’re Having Difficulty Concentrating
Most healthy people can focus on a task for ten, eleven, or even twelve hours a day. Nature wired our brains in such a way that allows us to focus on important projects for a long time before needing a break. Sure, you can’t work twelve hours a day, seven days a week if you’re an average person; but as a one-off, it should be fine.
However, if you find that you’re having trouble concentrating or making decisions, it could mean that you’re run-down. Your brain no longer has the cognitive capacity to process all of the variables, leaving you feeling frustrated and distressed.
If you are run down and struggling to cope, your best bet is to take a break. Come back to the problem tomorrow or after a vacation.
You Are Having Problems With Your Immune System
As people become more tired, their immune systems cease to function as well as they once did. Before you know it, you’ve got an infection of some sort.
Common conditions include colds, flu, ulcers in your mouth and stomach, and rashes on your skin. You may also get a stye (something explained by this chalazion vs stye article) – which is a painful redness of the eye.
If you notice that you’re getting ill more often than before, it could be time to take a break. Working hard is great, so long as it doesn’t damage your health.
You Feel Depressed
Humans evolved to work hard and play hard. But sometimes you can overdo it, especially if you don’t have a type-A personality. Many people who get run-down wind up feeling depressed. Their appetite can fail, and they may not want to do anything at all with their time. Headaches are common.
Mostly, the condition develops in response to inflammation in the brain. Lack of sleep, poor diet and high levels of stress force the brain to spend too long in “survival mode.” Eventually, it crashes, leaving you feeling weak and depleted.
You Keep Getting UTIs
UTIs or urinary tract infections are particularly pernicious, usually caused by E.Coli. Sometimes UTIs can fester for weeks, slowly making their way up to your kidneys, at which point, you can wind up feeling very ill.
If you feel run down, then be sure to visit the doctor to check you for possible disease/illness. And take care of yourself!
Thank you for reading!