People who are experiencing fatigue can have symptoms like sore muscles, lack of motivation, headaches, drowsiness, and irritability. If fatigue lasts for one to six months it can be classified as prolonged fatigue. However, if it goes beyond that it is already classified as chronic fatigue. Studies show that a third of the adult population has experienced chronic fatigue at least once in their life. With the high prevalence of chronic fatigue, it is unfortunate that there is still no standard medication available for it.
Previous studies have shown that rhodiola can reduce symptoms in people suffering from mental fatigue. In addition to this, animal studies have also revealed that rhodiola can stimulate physical work capacity.
For this study, which was published in Complementary Medicine Research, the researchers looked at rhodiola as a potential medication for prolonged and chronic fatigue. Researchers performed a clinical trial with 100 participants suffering from either prolonged or chronic fatigue. Although the trial lasted for eight weeks, significant improvements in fatigue symptoms were already observable after just one week. Further improvements could still be observed throughout the trial period. Furthermore, no adverse effects were observed with rhodiola intake.
These results demonstrate the safety, tolerability, and effectiveness of rhodiola, proving that it can be used for treating fatigue, along with other herbs like ginseng, gotu kola, and ginkgo biloba. (Related: Herbal Remedies For Chronic Fatigue – Top 7 Herbs to Boost Your Energy Naturally.)
Natural ways to relieve fatigue
Aside from rhodiola and other herbal medicines, there are other natural methods that can relieve fatigue. These include:
- Exercising – Since people with fatigue are already feeling tired, they might not want to do any form of physical activity. However, it's been proven that exercise does relieve fatigue. Exercise can promote the release of epinephrine and norepinephrine, which are stress hormones that make the body feel energized when present in moderate amounts. Moreover, exercising also guarantees better sleep. Some exercises to consider are yoga and tai chi since these involve meditation and relaxation. However, any form of exercise is okay even if it's as simple as walking.
- Getting enough sleep – Too little or too much sleep can cause fatigue. Taking multiple naps throughout the day, especially those that last for more than 30 minutes, can leave the body even more tired than it was. Make sure that conditions are conducive for sleeping since sleep quality is more important than length.
- Changing eating habits – Foods have an effect on how tired a person is feeling. When a person's diet is filled with refined carbohydrates and fats, they tend to feel more tired after some time. Meanwhile, a plant-based diet can help improve fatigue. In addition to these, eating small meals throughout the day is also better for fatigue compared to eating three large meals. It is also important to avoid drinking alcohol and caffeinated beverages since these could affect energy levels.
- Avoiding smoking – Cigarettes contain nicotine, which can increase heart rate, raise blood pressure, and stimulate brain-wave activity for wakefulness. These make it difficult to fall asleep. Additionally, the addictive nature of nicotine can also interrupt sleep because of cravings.
- Reducing stress levels – Feeling stressed uses up a lot of energy. Reduce stress levels by talking to other people and joining support groups. In addition to this, reducing workload can also reduce stress. This also guarantees that there is enough energy to do everything without getting overworked.
Learn more about how herbal medicine can treat fatigue by visiting Herbs.news today.
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