Xiao Li, 50, used to be an energetic middle manager, but lately, he has found it increasingly difficult to concentrate. At night, he tossed and turned, unable to sleep. During the day, even if I get up to attend the meeting, the feeling of tiredness and panic still lingers. Often, an ordinary work task can overwhelm him. Xiao Li is very worried about his condition, but he thinks that he is just tired and will recover after a few more days of rest. However, no matter how he adjusted his work and rest, and even resigned from his heavy job duties, his symptoms still did not improve, but became more and more obvious. Headaches, difficulty concentrating, and feelings of anxiety continued to plague him, and he became irritable with his family and reduced his social activities. Xiao Li began to worry about whether these symptoms were a potentially serious illness, so he went to the hospital for a series of tests. The results of the examination showed that there was no obvious problem with his physical indicators, but the doctor told him that the symptoms were most likely related to neurasthenia.
Xiao Li was confused, isn't this a simple fatigue? In fact, neurasthenia is different from ordinary fatigue and may be the result of the interaction of multiple factors of mental, life and physical health. Through an in-depth understanding of neurasthenia, Xiao Li can better face his condition and find scientific and effective ways to alleviate it.
Learn more about neurasthenia
Definition and characteristics of neurasthenia
Neurasthenia is a chronic neurological dysfunction that belongs to the neurotic category of diseases, which is usually manifested as a long-term mental and psychological burden, resulting in a long-term fatigue state of the brain and nervous system. Key characteristics include difficulty concentrating, insomnia, headaches, irritability, palpitations, mood swings, excessive fatigue, etc. Patients often feel that even the light burdens of work and daily life are not sustainable, and they feel that their ability to work or their quality of life is significantly reduced. This chronic psychological and physical exhaustion seriously affects the life and work of patients.
Triggers of neurasthenia
Psychological stress: Bearing the psychological burden of work, family and other aspects for a long time is one of the main reasons for inducing neurasthenia. The fast pace and high demands of modern society often make people nervous and emotionally fatigued.
Physical disorders: Chronic diseases such as abnormal glucose metabolism, thyroid disease, increased blood pressure in systemic arteries, or long-term pain and discomfort can trigger persistent fatigue and tension, eventually causing nervous system dysfunction.
Lifestyle: Irregular schedules, lack of exercise, excessive alcohol consumption or prolonged use of the brain can all lead to the occurrence of neurasthenia. Staying up late for a long time, eating irregularly, and lacking social support can all disrupt the body's normal metabolism and physiological balance.
Misunderstandings and misunderstandings
Many people have misconceptions about neurasthenia, which leads to the inability to recognize and deal with it in time:
"Just tired": Mistaking it for just ordinary fatigue and thinking that you can recover by resting for a few more days. The symptoms of neurasthenia tend to be constant and cannot be resolved with simple rest.
"Drug-dependent": Rely only on medication and ignore psychological and lifestyle adjustments. Although drugs can alleviate symptoms, long-term improvement requires psychological and lifestyle adjustments.
"Once and for all": the desire to completely resolve the symptoms with a one-time treatment ignores the characteristics of neurasthenia that require long-term management and adjustment.
By accurately understanding and correctly recognizing the characteristics and triggers of neurasthenia, patients and their families can detect symptoms earlier and take scientific interventions to avoid worsening symptoms due to neglect or misunderstanding.
Possible triggers
1. Long-term psychological stress
Stress is one of the main causes of neurasthenia, especially in middle-aged and elderly people. In the face of financial pressure, job changes, and increased family responsibilities, many people have difficulty adjusting their psychological state. Failure to properly manage these psychological stresses can lead to chronic mental tension and a constant state of stress on the nervous system, which can slowly evolve into symptoms of neurasthenia. Unable to self-relieve, the nervous system is chronically overloaded, which in turn affects other systems in the body and further aggravates the problem.
2. Physical illness
Chronic diseases, inflammation, hormonal disorders, etc., can trigger neurasthenia. In particular, chronic diseases such as glucose metabolism disorders, high blood pressure, and heart disease often lead to long-term physiological discomfort in the body, the body cannot maintain healthy metabolism and energy supply, and the nervous system gradually fatigues. These symptoms can also be exacerbated by continued activity of the immune system or nerve damage caused by side effects of medications.
3. Poor lifestyle
Bad habits such as irregular work and rest, unbalanced diet, and lack of exercise directly affect the health of the nervous system. Lack of sleep will cause the brain to not recover enough, and an unreasonable diet may lead to a deficiency of trace elements and affect nerve function. Prolonged mental activity, such as overworking the brain or looking at electronic screens for long periods of time, can also trigger nervous fatigue. The long-term accumulation of unhealthy lifestyle gradually makes it difficult for the nervous system to maintain normal physiological functions.
Effective mitigation methods
1. Psychological Regulation: Self-reinvention and emotional relief
Psychological conditioning is a key strategy for coping with neurasthenia. Engaging in relaxation training, such as deep breathing, meditation, progressive muscle relaxation, etc., can reduce the burden on the nervous system. Counselling and support groups can also help to express emotions and release negative emotions, so that psychological burdens can be relieved. Social activities and interest cultivation can enrich life, enable people to focus on positive activities, and reduce concentration and nervous tension on negative emotions.
2. Lifestyle Improvement: Comprehensive physical and mental health care
Maintaining a regular routine, a healthy diet, and moderate exercise are essential for the recovery of the nervous system. Maintain 7-8 hours of sleep a day, away from distractions, and ensure quality sleep. Eat foods rich in B vitamins, magnesium, zinc and other nutrients, such as nuts, dark green vegetables and whole grains, which are important for the healthy functioning of the nervous system. Exercise can promote blood circulation, bring about the secretion of endorphins, and enhance the ability to resist stress, so it is recommended to do about 30 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise every day.
3. Medical support: scientific diagnosis and treatment and drug assistance
If the symptoms are severe, medical help should be sought promptly, and the doctor can make a professional diagnosis to determine the extent of the damage to the nervous system and develop an appropriate treatment plan. Medication usually includes sedatives, anti-anxiety medications, etc., which can relieve symptoms such as insomnia and anxiety in the short term, but you should strictly follow your doctor's instructions and avoid increasing or decreasing the dose on your own. Combined with TCM conditioning and physical therapy, such as acupuncture and massage, it can further improve the functional status of the nervous system.
4. Social support: The importance of trust and empathy
Social support can reduce loneliness and bring emotional comfort and trust. The understanding and companionship of family members helps patients feel psychologically safe, thereby relaxing their nerves and reducing their mental burden. Community activities and support groups can help people find a sense of belonging in a social setting and avoid feelings of isolation.
By scientifically understanding the causes and mitigation methods of neurasthenia, and adopting reasonable intervention and adjustment strategies, many middle-aged and elderly people can restore the balance of the nervous system in their daily life and regain their health and vitality.