Although fatigue may sound like a minor problem, it may have serious health difficulties. Simple self-care tasks can become impossible when a person’s body and mind are always exhausted. For example, doing your daily routine, getting outside your house, or participating in your hobbies can become harder. Fatigue in older adults is often a side effect of other illnesses. By understanding the most common causes of fatigue in older adults, one can easily get to the roots of the problem and find the needed treatments.
- Sleeping problems are one of the most common causes of fatigue. The sleep cycle changes as a person get older. Older adults may simply struggle to fall asleep or stay asleep.
- Hormonal changes come next on the list. A person may find it more difficult to fall asleep as a person’s hormones change with age.
- The medications and treatments can also cause sleep disorders. Patients with cancer often experience fatigue as a side effect of radiation.
- Anemia is common in older adults. If a person has anemia, they might feel weak, sluggish, or lightheaded.
- Dehydration is another common cause of fatigue in the elderly.
- The thyroid is another common cause of fatigue in older adults.
- A person’s lifestyle habits have a noticeable impact on the energy level. Poor diet and exercise habits can affect an older person’s health and sleep habits.