Fatigue And Dizziness: What’s the Underlying Cause?

If you’ve been partying like a rock star all night, barely getting any sleep, and you feel dizziness or fatigue, it’s probably normal. However, if you’ve been resting at home, not doing much, and the room starts to spin, and you realize you suddenly have the energy of a sloth, then it’s probably not.

Dizziness can manifest in various ways. Sometimes you can feel unsteady, lightheaded, or a false spinning sensation associated with vertigo. Sort of like the feeling you get when met your favourite celebrity in 8th grade, but maybe not as good.

These feelings of dizziness and fatigue come from many potential causes, some serious and some not. What’s important is to get to the bottom of it all, as some of the reasons could severely impact your day-to-day life, possibly resulting in a life-threatening accident. Keep reading to find out more.

1. Dehydration

One of the reasons for dizziness that has a pretty easy solution in it’s beginning stages would be dehydration. Believe it or not, it’s quite a common cause of dizziness and fatigue. It occurs when your body has a loss of fluids and isn’t getting a sufficient amount of water, which often happens in high temperatures or high-intensity activities such as exercising or even partying too hard.

Mild dehydration can be treated by drinking water or other fluids containing electrolytes such as sports drinks. On the other hand, severe dehydration could require hospital care and a drip connected to your body to hydrate it until it reaches normal levels again. This is why it’s crucial to regularly drink water, at least eight glasses or half a gallon a day, and replace the fluids your body loses.

Other symptoms of dehydration include:

  • Less frequent urination
  • Extreme thirst
  • Confusion
  • Headache

2. Low blood sugar

Yes, sugar isn’t entirely suitable for you, but your body still needs a small dose of it every day. Glucose is a naturally occurring form of sugar that our bodies need for energy. When the sugar levels in your blood drop, you can become dizzy, shaky, and notably tired.

Occasionally, low blood sugar can be a side effect of insulin or other drugs used to treat diabetes. These drugs purposely lower blood sugar, but if the dosage isn’t right for your body, your blood sugar can drop too much, which could result in a trip to the emergency room.

You can bring up your sugar levels by consuming a fast-acting source of carbohydrates. You can also drink a glass of fruit juice or suck on some hard candy. With a more nourishing meal followed by it, your blood sugar levels will rise in no time.

Other symptoms of low blood sugar are:

  • Faster heartbeat
  • Sweating
  • Shaking
  • Hunger
  • Irritability
  • Confusion

3. Anaemia or periods

The primary function of red blood cells is to carry oxygen to all your organs and tissues. When you have anaemia, your body doesn’t have an adequate amount of red blood cells, or those cells don’t work well enough. We all know that a lack of oxygen can make you feel dizzy or tired.

Also, for all the ladies, your monthly menstrual cycle may be resulting in more than just little cramps and food cravings. During your period, the loss of blood can make you feel more tired than average, just like someone with anaemia.

Other signs of anaemia include:

  • Shortness of breath
  • Rapid heartbeat
  • Hair loss
  • Weakness
  • Headache
  • Cold hands or feet
  • Chest pain

4. Low blood pressure

A lot of people know about the consequences of high blood pressure, but abnormally low blood pressure can create problems as well.

When your heart is pumping blood slower than usual, and your circulation slows down, which can cause dizziness and fatigue, and in severe cases, shock.

There are a numerous amount of things that can cause low blood pressure, including pregnancy, heart disease, dehydration, and certain medications. However, there are a few conventional treatments to low blood pressure, such as hydration, compression garments, adding salt to your diet and certain medications.

More symptoms of low blood pressure include:

  • Confusion
  • Fainting
  • Blurred vision
  • Difficulty concentrating

5. Concussion

When you fall or hit your head, you may feel okay. But you should still watch for signs of shock, with fatigue and dizziness being common symptoms.

If you think you have a concussion, you want to see a doctor right away. Concussions can be caused by any bump or blow to the head, and the signs can appear as fast as minutes after the event or hours later.

Other symptoms of a concussion include:

  • A persistent headache
  • Nausea or vomiting
  • Short term memory loss
  • Irritability
  • Trouble sleeping