Imagine starting your day feeling exhausted, no matter how much you’ve slept. At work, your mind feels foggy, and you can’t keep up. This isn’t just tiredness; it’s fatigue. But what exactly is fatigue?
Let’s uncover the truth behind this everyday challenge.
Fatigue isn’t just feeling tired; it’s a big problem that can make it hard to think clearly or do physical activities. When you’re fatigued, your body tells you to stop what you’re doing, whether it’s physical work or mental tasks. A person who receives this signal from his or her body is bound to stop the physical or mental activity he or she is doing.
So, what are the causes of fatigue?
One cause of fatigue is said to be the physical load, which means whether you are physically having to exert yourself, are in an awkward posture or dealing with a static load or have to do repetitive movements.
For instance, Employees who work in manufacturing and have to operate machines, stand or bend in awkward positions, bear weight and do repetitive hand or leg movements. Even jobs that seem easy, like working on a laptop for longer duration place higher loads on muscles, tendons, ligaments and joints.
Another reason is mental strain. This can happen if your job has irregular work hours, demanding job roles, workplace stress, strained colleague relations, or if you have to make lots of decisions quickly all add to the mental load.
Imagine working for a service center catering to U.S. clients all through the night in India, handle irritated customers, co-ordinate with global colleagues and make snap decisions under pressure. Such circumstances can be mentally taxing and fuel fatigue.
The third factor falls under environmental stressors, variables such as room temperature, noise levels, lighting intensity, vibrations, and humidity. These elements can significantly impact an employee’s fatigue levels. However, the most critical factor contributing to fatigue is the lack of sleep.
Research indicates that approximately 45% of employees in industrial settings seek medical advice for fatigue-related issues. While they may not explicitly attribute their symptoms to fatigue, they often report sleep disturbances, feelings of depression, or body pains.
In a survey, up to 81% of short-haul commercial pilots reported experiencing severe fatigue. Additionally, studies have shown that fatigue is a contributing factor in 20-30% of road accidents.
These numbers are quite alarming, so have you taken a self-assessment test? to find out if you have fatigue and how severe it is?
If not, then take a look at this clinically validated free online fatigue self-assessment tool. Go ahead and check it out. Self assessment link
You may learn much more about your own fatigue levels.
There is much that can be done to prevent and manage fatigue. Practicing good sleeping habits, minimizing sleep loss and making lifestyle changes go a long way towards reducing fatigue.
Fatigue is a significant modern-day problem. Each employee needs to take self-care and continue to work towards an effective management of workplace fatigue. Your productivity, career growth, and even your income is all tied to understanding your biological clock, pay attention to your sleep cycle and stay sharp.
