Intense fatigue: understanding its causes and combating it effectively and sustainably
Marie ARNOULT
11 min
Summary
Fatigue, the illness of the century that goes hand in hand with stress? This persistent sensation often creeps into our lives without warning, and can have serious physical and emotional consequences.
Whether it's days that seem endless and where energy disappears as soon as you wake up, or periods where you feel exhausted despite getting a full night's sleep, intense fatigue is a problem that affects more and more people.
And for good reason: the causes of extreme fatigue are often multifactorial and closely linked to our environment and habits that have been ingrained for months, even years. Between deficiencies in essential nutrients or mental overload related to professional or personal life, it is sometimes difficult to identify the real culprit and, above all, to know which lever to act on first.
In this article, discover how to identify the causes of intense fatigue and what concrete actions to take to regain this lost energy.
Ready to put an end to that exhaustion? Here we go. ✌️
What are the main causes of intense fatigue?
When energy levels drop, it's always for a good reason! To identify the causes of intense fatigue, it's necessary to identify which often-neglected lifestyle habits may be the cause.
An unbalanced lifestyle: the silent enemy of energy
The famous couch-and-Netflix combo after a long day may offer an immediate feeling of relief, but inactivity is precisely the opposite of the desired energy boost!
👉 Lack of physical activity leads to a gradual decline in your body's capacity and your window of tolerance. A body accustomed to not moving enough becomes mired in lethargy!
Conversely, daily, appropriate activity stimulates blood circulation, improves muscle oxygenation and supports brain function, providing not only a boost of vitality, but also better energy regulation!
When it comes to food, the problem is often more insidious than we imagine.
👉 Excess sugar and saturated fats lead to spikes in high blood sugar response, quickly followed by the infamous crash. A typical example? Fast food dishes, high in saturated fat and added sugars in sauces.
👉 When our diet is too low in essential nutrients, it simply doesn't provide the fuel our bodies need to function properly.
These cumulative factors can be responsible for a latent feeling of intense fatigue , but a few adjustments can already make a big difference.
Dehydration: Unsuspected Fatigue
Drinking a glass of water seems so simple… Yet, even mild dehydration is one of the most common causes of fatigue !
Because water is essential for transporting nutrients and removing toxins from the body, a drop in your hydration levels can be enough to cause feelings of fatigue and decreased concentration .
Do you feel like you're constantly in a fog? Before blaming it on lack of sleep and overwork, consider checking how much you're drinking! And no, beer still doesn't count. 😉
Sleep quality and duration: the heart of the problem
Sleeping well seems easy and accessible on paper. However, enjoying regular, deep, and restorative sleep is more complex than it seems.
While most adults have an average need of 7 to 9 hours of sleep, quantity does not always equal quality.
👉 Interrupted sleep and certain disorders alter the quality and duration of deep sleep, which is essential for energy regeneration, physical recovery and the regulation of hormonal secretions.
The result: despite theoretically getting a full night's sleep, you wake up tired. Screens, stress, or even poor sleep hygiene are often to blame!
Stress and overwork: mental and physical wear and tear
Stress has unfortunately become a "common" factor in our modern lives. Urban life, the week-long grind without time to recharge, ambient noise, and unbalanced workloads are at the forefront of triggering chronic stress.
👉 In order to defend itself, the body sets up a constant alert state and is no longer able to relax completely, even when the pressure drops. And by the time burnout rears its ugly head, it's often too late. Exhaustion is no longer just physical, it also becomes emotional.
Don't take lightly the accumulation of all the small warning signs of intense fatigue. Feelings of mental overload, repeated forgetfulness, difficulty concentrating, tension in the body... These warning signs reveal that a state of stress is weighing heavily on your overall energy.
Essential Nutrient Deficiency: The Missing Fuel
Our modern, ultra-processed, nutrient-depleted diet is far from helping us recharge our batteries.
In this regard, a study published in 2024 highlighted the impressive drops in the average vitamin and mineral content of fruits and vegetables. “Many high-yielding fruits such as apples, oranges, mangoes, guavas, bananas, as well as vegetables such as tomatoes and potatoes, have lost their nutritional density by 25 to 50% or more over the last 50 to 70 years.”
Sodium shows an average decrease of 52%, iron 50%, copper 49%, and magnesium 10%. Between intensive farming methods, genetic modifications, and chemical inputs, the decrease in nutrient concentrations is not without effect.
Deficiencies in vitamin D, magnesium, vitamin C and other essential minerals can lead to a state of intense, almost permanent fatigue, affecting mood and energy levels, especially during the winter months.
We recommend you
Magnesium Bisglycinate
Synergistic formula based on 3rd generation magnesium bisglycinate.
- ✅ High absorption magnesium
- ✅ 300 mg of magnesium per dose
- ✅ With Taurine and Vitamin B6
- ✅ Made in France
How to treat intense fatigue?
Once the causes of intense fatigue have been identified, whether sudden or long-standing, implementing simple and effective solutions will help you regain energy. Nothing complicated, provided you act on the right lever!
Supplementing your nutritional intake: the allies to rely on
Diet is the first step in combating intense fatigue. If you're lacking essential nutrients, the right supplements, properly integrated into your daily routine, will make all the difference:
👉 Vitamin D : deficient in a majority of French people, especially in winter, can improve energy levels and support mood regulation;
👉 Magnesium : Known for its anti-fatigue and anti-stress effects, magnesium is an essential mineral involved in more than 300 enzymatic reactions in the body. Opt for a highly bioavailable and assimilable form like bisglycinate;
👉 Vitamin C : This powerful antioxidant is essential for fighting intense fatigue and supporting the body's immune defenses, particularly during periods of stress or convalescence!
Adopt a balanced diet: eat well to live better
The body's fuel must be chosen carefully and remain the basis of well-being:
✔️ Focus on complex carbohydrates (such as oats, brown rice, quinoa or sweet potatoes) which provide sustained energy;
✔️ Make the most of lean protein sources at each meal (fish, white meat, legumes, etc. );
✔️ Choose fruits and vegetables rich in vitamins and minerals, seasonal and preferably organic (spinach, citrus fruits, red fruits, squash, etc.);
✔️ Enrich your intake of omega-3 , which acts on the metabolism, helps fight fatigue and regulate energy levels (walnut oil, rapeseed oil, flax oil, chia seeds which contain ALA, and oily fish containing EPA and DHA);
✔️ Remember to treat yourself, dark chocolate is a natural anti-fatigue product appreciated for its neuroprotective effect , it would be a shame to deprive yourself of it!
✖️ Avoid fast sugars, ultra-processed foods, alcohol and dishes rich in saturated fats which cause fluctuations in blood sugar and unexpected fatigue.
Hydrating your body: the simple reflex
Drink, drink, and drink some more! The body needs at least 1.5 to 2 liters of water per day , or even more in the case of intense sports or extreme heat.
👉 For a change, consider herbal teas or mineral waters rich in minerals like magnesium, calcium, or potassium. These are particularly effective at maintaining good energy levels and ensuring proper cellular hydration.
Optimizing your sleep: going back to basics
Sleep quality depends on several factors. Even before addressing anxiety or stress, there are several things you can do to improve the situation:
✅ Create a sleep routine : Try to go to bed and get up at the same time every day, even on weekends;
✅ Establish an evening ritual : limit screens at least one hour before going to sleep, opt for a calm and dark environment to help the body switch to “night” mode!
✅ Eat early enough : make sure you finish your meal at least two or three hours before going to sleep, avoiding dishes rich in lipids and animal proteins; waking up in the middle of the night can be linked to digestive activity;
✅ Listen to binaural beats : These auditory stimuli present slightly different tones in each ear. Theta waves (between 4 and 8 hertz) are brain waves, often associated with states of deep relaxation, meditation, and light sleep. You can find them freely available on the Internet!
✅ Stock up on magnesium : Magnesium supplements promote relaxation and quality sleep, support good stress regulation and fight fatigue.
Have you heard of it? Our highly absorbable Novoma Magnesium Bisglycinate supplement is enriched with bioactive vitamin B6 and Taurine to maximize its absorption and ensure you enjoy all the benefits of this essential nutrient!
We recommend you
Vitamin B12
Vitamin B12 in its active and bioavailable form, methylcobalamin.
- ✅ 100% pure methylcobalamin
- ✅ Optimal dosage 1000 μg
- ✅ 4 months of treatment
- ✅ Made in France
Managing stress and avoiding overwork: an art of living
Regulating stress before it takes over is the best way to avoid the overload that occurs later. Stress is a natural physiological response of the body that triggers the activation of the sympathetic nervous system, and with it, a series of hormonal reactions. Excessive production of adrenaline, dopamine, noradrenaline, and cortisol tires the body and impairs the regulation of the autonomic nervous system (ANS).
👉 Since it is a bodily response, somatic liberation techniques (or Somatic Psychoeducation ) are particularly effective in acting at the source, reducing stress in the short and long term, and strengthening self-esteem.
Yoga, mindfulness meditation, breathing and visualization exercises, and certain movements (tapping, shaking, etc.) will be of great help in calming the mind.
👉 Certain adaptogenic plants can also provide an extra boost: Ashwagandha, from the Indian pharmacopoeia, is particularly suited to combating intense fatigue and anxiety.
It supports the body's resistance to stress, acts on energy regulation, and offers a proven boost of vitality and mental clarity. The effects of Ashwagandha are noticeable in the short, medium, and long term!
Severe fatigue is far from inevitable! Once the causes are identified and your lifestyle adjusted, you can observe concrete changes in your energy. Balance is based on a suitable diet, sufficient hydration, quality sleep, and effective stress management. Listen to your body, give it what it needs, and you'll see how fatigue will quickly become a distant memory.
