In our culture, feeling tired all the time can be worn as a badge of pride showing just how hard you are working.
However, constant fatigue is also an important symptom to tell you that things are out of balance and you are headed for burnout or sickness if you don’t make a change.
In Chinese Medicine, there are steps that you can take to regain balance and energy beyond just getting more sleep or drinking more coffee.
First we must ask:
Why is your energy depleted?
Here are three common Chinese Medicine patterns of fatigue I see most often in the clinic:
1. Qi Deficiency (Low Energy Reserves): If your energy feels like a dim lightbulb that never quite turns on, you’re probably dealing with Qi Deficiency. This can happen after a long illness, excessive work or worry, or poor diet. You may also feel easily short of breath, relatively weak, or have digestive issues.
Specific treatment for Qi Deficiency depends on the specific constellation of symptoms you have, but we usually start by getting the Spleen organ system back to a high level of function. If the Spleen (or digestive system) is function well, it will be able to take in food and extract usable Qi.
Herbs, acupuncture and easily digestible, nutrient-rich foods are the most useful approaches.
2. Blood Deficiency (Poor Nourishment): This type of fatigue feels more like mental fogginess, lack of focus and trouble concentrating (almost like your brain is exhausted more than your body). You might also experience dizziness, pale complexion, skin/hair dryness, insomnia, or anxiety. Women may notice this around their menstrual cycle due to the natural blood loss.
Blood-nourishing herbal formulas are typically the most important and effective approach, though lifestyle, diet and acupuncture protocols can be very helpful as well.
3. Dampness (Heavy and Stuck Feeling): If your fatigue feels like you’re wading through mud, perhaps with difficulty getting out of bed in the morning and/or increased water weight, you are likely dealing with internal dampness. This is often related to poor digestion, bloating, and brain fog.
Working to strengthen your Spleen and resolve dampness with herbs, food therapy, and acupuncture are the most effective approaches for dealing with dampness.
You don’t have to be tired all the time!
Fatigue isn’t something to push through or ignore. It is highly treatable with the right approach and will have short term benefits (increased energy & endurance, improved focus & mental clarity) as well as long term (improved immune system function, anxiety and healthspan).
With Traditional Chinese Medicine principles, we can help uncover the root cause of your low energy and correct the imbalances.
