Fatigue…

I have been struggling with fatigue for years now, and my doctor and I still don’t know why I am so frequently drowsy. I’m not constantly tired, but throughout the day, at unpredictable times, my body and mind get weak, and I can’t do anything. I have to lie down. It’s frustrating, because there are so many things I want to do, but I have to sleep so much. And I tend to avoid making plans or commitments, because I don’t know if I’ll have the energy to keep them.

There are various possible reasons for this fatigue:

1. Perhaps I have “adrenal fatigue” (not an accepted diagnosis by mainstream medicine). I would attribute this to long periods of high stress I have had throughout the years. Although I am not currently very stressed, cortisol levels have not recovered.
2. Perhaps I am not getting enough REM sleep. Some prescription medicines can delay the onset of REM sleep, and this would mean I’m not getting into that deep sleep period as much as I should.
3. Maybe it’s psychological? Maybe I’m getting drowsy because I don’t want to do what I’m about to do, or I’m subconsciously conserving my energy because I’m afraid of getting tired later. But I doubt it.
4. Maybe I’m anemic. In the past year I purposely haven’t eaten much animal protein at all (more on that later), and I stopped eating red meat while I was in college. Blood tests have at times shown my iron and B12 levels (and D levels) to be below normal. I take daily B12 and D supplements, and I try to eat iron-rich foods, but maybe I’m not eating enough of them.
5. Maybe I’m just out of shape. Maybe if I exercised more regularly, I’d build up my stamina.
6. Maybe I eat too much sugar, and my body is having a hard time processing it. Sometimes, before I take a nap, I “gorge” on chocolate, which seems to relax me.