Fatigue Findings

I don't know about you, but I feel more tired than usual these days. My fatigue factor is finally fairly obvious to me when I don't sleep well. When I get over-tired I find it harder to find humor in life's "stuff." According to the "Fatigue Findings" - Journal of Nursing Scholarship, Summer, 1994, these are some of the facts regarding women. (Only slight changes in terminology would need to be made for men, in order for the same ideas to apply). To quote:

Good times, bad times and the demands of times in between can lead to fatigue for women. In a study of 277 women, researchers found that fatigue -- defined as a feeling of overwhelming weariness -- was a good indicator of how a women was responding to her own needs, demands and expectations -- as well as those of others.

Fatigue is, for some women, a response to "internal environmental demands," including physical illness, menstrual cycle phase, depression, anxiety and self esteem.

"External environmental demands" ale also considered another trigger for fatigue for some women. These demands can include hours spent parenting, conflicted social relationships and certain life events.

Researchers also found that the more vitality a woman experienced in her life, the higher her self-esteem and the lower her anxiety and depression

The meanings of being tired or experiencing fatigue vary at different times and in different ways. The ways refer to being tired in mind, body, or spirit. Using synonymous definitions I'll give some examples connected to my current circumstances. I am an older woman, and for me, it signifies:

Tired in mind --

• At times the garbage that is on every channel on the television makes me tired enough to get sleepy. I "become unable or unwilling to continue (1)." Actually I am probably more bored than anything.


• Here's another example of it. I often tire of the worst of the pundits on television, as well as of certain hard-to-read authors.


• I sometimes feel the same way when peeling a big bunch of potatoes, because to "tire implies a draining of one's strength or patience (1). It is interesting because I never feel the same way about taking the stems off a box of fresh strawberries.

Tired in body --

• If I am writing a long, complicated and demanding weblog post, there are many times when it is difficult for me to finish it. My "fatigue suggest[ed that I was] causing great lassitude through excessive strain or undue effort (1)."
• Because of my age and health circumstances being physically exhaused happens less often, such as when my shopping trip is extensive or the guest list is big and the party long. For me to "exhaust implies complete draining of strength by hard exertion (1), " and it would be rare. I have a hunch that my necessary lack of exercise leads to far more mental and spiritual exhaustion.

Tired in Spirit --

• For me tackling an over-filled e-mail box can make me weary, "weary stresses tiring until one is unable to endure more of the same thing (1)." It is clear that my procrastination will inevitably equal weariness.


• Bloggers, and I am one, need to be of good spirit to maintain the disciple on regular posting. Becoming "jaded suggests the loss of freshness and eagerness (1)." Luckily, I rarely feel this way.
  

Webster says that the opposite of tired is indefatigable (1). I want six pounds of that, please.

Reference: (1) -Webster's Compact Dictionary of Synonyms -1987

My topical post today at South by Southwest and The Reaction is about politics.

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