Table of contents:
- What is activity intolerance due to extreme fatigue?
- Some chronic diseases can cause activity intolerance
- Signs and symptoms of extreme fatigue (activity intolerance)
- 1. Tired too quickly
- 2. Muscle cramps easily
- 3. Changes in blood pressure
- 4. Heart rate is too low
- 5. Depressive symptoms
- 6. Experiencing cyanosis
- Who is at risk for activity intolerance?
- Tips for dealing with extreme fatigue (activity intolerance)
Fatigue is a natural thing experienced by anyone due to routine work or sports factors. But if you suddenly feel more tired than usual while going about your normal daily routine, you may be experiencing activity intolerance. Even though extreme fatigue only occurs occasionally or when you are doing strenuous physical activity, this should not be underestimated. Extreme fatigue can be a sign of a more serious health problem.
What is activity intolerance due to extreme fatigue?
Activity intolerance (exercise intolerance) is a condition in which a person is unable to carry out a physical activity which is generally considered to be carried out by groups of individuals of the same sex and age.
Activity intolerance is triggered by extreme fatigue due to lack of energy intake caused by impaired use of dietary nutrients and oxygen. The level of activity intolerance can vary, meaning that fatigue or decreased activity capacity can occur when a person is doing moderate or heavy work - even when doing light work.
Some chronic diseases can cause activity intolerance
Activity intolerance can be experienced by someone suffering from heart disease or mitochondrial disorders as a producer of energy at the cellular level. This total mager syndrome can also be experienced by someone who has metabolic syndromes such as obesity and diabetes. However, the major cause of activity intolerance is diastolic heart failure.
Diastolic heart failure is a condition when the heart does not get enough blood flow during the relaxation phase of the heart rate. This causes less blood from the heart to be pumped throughout the body and ultimately the amount of oxygen and nutrients distributed is insufficient, especially when doing physical activities or sports.
Simply put, the condition of diastolic heart failure causes the muscles not to get enough blood it needs while actively doing work, causing activity intolerance. This is marked by a decrease in performance and capacity both in exercising and carrying out daily activities.
Signs and symptoms of extreme fatigue (activity intolerance)
Here are some things that need to be suspected as a sign of activity intolerance, including:
1. Tired too quickly
Anyone can experience extreme fatigue when doing physical work, even if someone is physically fit, because muscles have to process oxygen and nutrients simultaneously.
However, in individuals who experience activity intolerance, extreme fatigue can appear within minutes of starting an activity which is characterized by being short of breath and muscle weakness. Even worse, it can occur when doing activities that don't use too much muscle, such as eating or writing.
2. Muscle cramps easily
Warm-up activities are a way to avoid muscle cramps and increase your heart rate just before exercising. But if you experience activity intolerance, warm-up activities and light exercise can cause cramps. Even the pain that is caused can last up to several days.
3. Changes in blood pressure
Activity intolerance is usually characterized by a change from normal blood pressure when you are not doing physical activity but immediately increases dramatically to high blood pressure when standing or walking for a few minutes.
4. Heart rate is too low
A heart rate that is too low is defined as the absence of a significant increase in heart rate when there is an increase in the intensity of physical activity. A healthy heart rate will increase faster along with the intensity of muscle movement, whereas if the heart rate is too low it indicates that the heart's capacity cannot meet metabolic needs due to increased activity intensity.
5. Depressive symptoms
Mental fatigue such as decreased concentration can be experienced by a person after exercising, but if a person experiences activity intolerance, mental fatigue can trigger depressive symptoms such as irritability, lack of energy, sadness, anxiety and disorientation.
6. Experiencing cyanosis
Cyanosis is a condition that changes the color of the facial skin to pale due to impaired blood flow or oxygen distribution while exercising. Cyanosis is a serious condition and requires immediate medical attention.
Who is at risk for activity intolerance?
Activity intolerance can be experienced by anyone with health problems that have the potential to interfere with blood circulation. Activity intolerance is more likely to be experienced by adolescents and adults who have metabolic syndrome problems and heart health problems.
Activity intolerance can also occur in children. However, the root causes tend to come from disorders of the respiratory, cardiovascular, and muscular nervous systems as well as disorders due to mental stress that have an impact on physical and behavioral conditions.
Tips for dealing with extreme fatigue (activity intolerance)
Here are some ways to minimize the appearance of activity intolerance, especially if you are at risk of experiencing it:
- Don't stop exercising - maybe you think quitting exercise is the right way to deal with activity intolerance. Actually, exercise is still needed to maintain and increase blood flow capacity. Exercise sessions do not need to be too long as long as they can increase the intensity of oxygen intake such as lifting weights several times a week and starting slowly.
- Take frequent breaks while exercising - This is one of the strategies to help the body last longer to exercise. In addition, exercise with frequent rest periods tends to be safe and can be tolerated by a person with heart problems and a feeling of fatigue that is more easily recognized.
- Pay attention to your condition - train yourself to recognize the physical condition when you start to feel tired and stop to rest, at least when the body starts to feel uncomfortable. Avoid overexerting yourself and prioritizing health, and review your body's ability to adapt to sports.