Recognizing fatigue sometimes is not as easy as it seems. You often are aware of something being wrong, but you are unsure as of what. Of course you are somewhat tired, but isn't everyone? When does fatigue become problematic? When can it severely disrupt your daily functioning?

How many hours should you ideally sleep per night?

This can be different for everyone. Some people are content with 6 hours of sleep, while others require 9 full hours. The goal is really to just wake up feeling rested. This can thus be a way to measure how many hours you need per night. The quality of your night, too, is very important. There are people who constantly wake up during the night, which can make it difficult to reach REM-sleep. Both the REM-sleep as well as the fourth phase of your sleep are important in order to recover both physically and mentally. If you have gone through enough deep phases, you will feel ready to take on a new day. In short, you are rested.

What are the symptoms of fatigue?

Fatigue is not only linked to sleep and the quality of your sleep, but also to stress. Stress can namely make it so that we require more sleep. Furthermore, stress can affect this sleep, meaning we enter a sort of vicious cycle of poor functioning. Memory problems, focus issues, crying fits, and so on can all be consequences of fatigue.

What does a treatment for fatigue entail?

A treatment for fatigue entails breaking out of the negative cycle of fatigue, and to try to eliminate the factors which are responsible for the fatigue. 15 Minutes 4 Me developed its online self-help program, which daily guides people in breaking out of their vicious cycle and eliminating negative risk factors such as stress Would you like to know to what extent you experience fatigue symptoms? Then take the free fatigue test here!