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Three Kinds of Fatigue
Fatigue is one of the most common complaints brought to doctors, friends,
and relatives. You'd think in this era of labor-saving devices and convenient
transportation that few people would have reason to be so tired. But probably
more people complain of fatigue today than in the days when hay was baled by
hand and laundry scrubbed on a washboard.
The causes of modern-day fatigue are diverse and only rarely related to
excessive physical exertion. The relatively few people who do heavy labor all
day long almost never complain about being tired, perhaps because they expect to
be. Today, physicians report, tiredness is more likely a consequence of
under-exertion than of wearing yourself down with over-activity. In fact,
increased physical activity is often prescribed as a cure for lowering
energy.
Physical. This is the well-known result of overworking your muscles to the
point where metabolic (新成代谢的) waste products—carbon dioxide and lactic acid
(乳酸)—accumulate in our blood and reduce your strength. Your muscles can't
continue to work efficiently in a bath of these chemicals. Physical fatigue is
usually a pleasant tiredness, such as that which you might experience after
playing a hard set of tennis, chopping wood, or climbing a mountain. The cure is
simple and fast: You rest, giving your body a chance to get rid of accumulated
wastes and restore muscle fuel.
Pathological (病理的). Here fatigue is a warning sign or consequence of some
underlying physical disorder, perhaps the common cold or flu or something more
serious like diabetes or cancer. Usually other symptoms besides fatigue are
present that suggest the true cause.
Even after an illness has passed, you're likely to feel dragged out for a
week or more. Take your fatigue as a signal to go slow while your body has a
chance to recover fully even if all you had was a cold. Pushing yourself to
resume full activity too soon could lead to a relapse (旧病复发) and almost
certainly will prolong our period of fatigue.
Even though illness is not frequent cause of prolonged fatigue, it's very
important that it not be overlooked. Therefore, anyone who feels drained of
energy for weeks on end should have a thorough physical check-up. But even if
nothing shows up as a result of the various medical tests, that doesn't mean
there's nothing wrong with you.
Psychological. Emotional problems and conflicts, especially depression and
anxiety, are by far the most common causes of prolonged fatigue. Fatigue may
represent a defence mechanism that prevents you from having to face the true
cause of your depression, such as the fact that you hate your job. It is also
your body's safety mechanism for expressing repressed emotional conflicts, such
as feeling trapped in an ungrateful role or an unhappy marriage. When such
feelings are not expressed openly, they often come out as physical symptoms,
with fatigue as one of the most common manifestations. "Many people who are
extremely fatigued don't even know they're depressed," Dr. Bulette says.
"They're so busy distracting themselves or just worrying about being tired that
they don't recognize their depression. "
There is a great deal you can do on your own to deal with both severe
prolonged fatigue and those periodic washed-out feelings. Vitamins and
tranquilizers (镇静剂 ) are almost never the right answer, sleeping pills and
alcohol are counterproductive, and caffeine is at best a temporary solution that
can backfire with abuse and cause life-disrupting symptoms of anxiety. Instead,
you might try: Diet
If you eat a small breakfast or none at all, you're likely to experience
mid-morning fatigue, the result of a drop in blood sugar, which your body and
brain depend on for energy. For peak energy in the morning, be sure to eat a
proper breakfast, low in sugar and fairly high in protein, which will provide a
steady supply of blood sugar throughout the morning. Coffee and a doughnut are
almost worse than nothing, providing a brief boost and then letting you down
with a thud. Exercise
Contrary to what you may think, exercise enhances, rather than saps,
energy. Regular conditioning exercises, such as jogging, cycling, or swimming,
help you to resist fatigue by increasing your body's ability to handle more of a
work load. You get tired less quickly because your capability is greater.
Exercise also has a well-recognized tranquilizing effect, which helps you
work in a more relaxed fashion and be less dragged down by the tensions of your
day. At the end of a day exercise can relieve accumulated tensions, give you
more energy in the evening, and help you sleep more restfully.
Sleep
If you know you're tired because you haven't been getting enough sleep, the
solution is simple: Get to bed earlier. There's no right amount of sleep for
everyone, and generally sleep requirements decline with age. Find the amount
that suits you best, and aim for it. Insomnia(失眠) and other sleep disorders
should not be treated with sleeping pills, alcohol, or tranquilizers, which can
actually make the problem worse.
Know yourself
Try to schedule your most difficult jobs for the time of day when you're at
your peak. Some are "morning people" who tire by mid-afternoon; others do their
best work in the evening. Don't overextend yourself, trying to climb the ladder
of success at a record pace or to meet everyone's demands or expectations.
Decide what you want to do and what you can handle comfortably, and learn to say
no to additional requests. Recognize your energy cycles and plan accordingly.
Many women have a low point premenstrually, during which time extra sleep may be
needed and demanding activities are particularly exhausting. , Take breaks
No matter how interesting or demanding you work, you'll be able to do it
with more vigor if now and again you stop, stretch, and change the scenery.
Instead of coffee and a sweet roll on your break, try meditation, yoga,
callisthenics(健美操) , or a brisk walk. Even running up and down the staircase can
provide refreshment from a sedentary(久坐的) job. If your job is physically
demanding, relax in a quiet place for a while. The do-something-different rule
also applies to vacation; "getting away from it all" for a week or two or longer
can be highly revitalizing, helping you to put things in perspective and
enabling you to take your job more in stride upon your return.
1. According to the passage, it is hard for people to find causes of
tiredness when they are leading a comfortable and convenient life.
2. Causes of certain types of fatigue are discussed and some suggestions
are put forward in the passage.
3. Most people don't want to talk about their unhappy feelings with
others.
4. Physical fatigue is good because it brings us a lot of pleasure.
5. Psychological fatigue is the likely response of our body to emotional
problems and conflicts.
6. Coffee and a doughnut make the satisfying breakfast as they provide
people with the desired energy.
7. When you have a prolonged fatigue, it is necessary to have a thorough
physical check-
up even if there is nothing wrong with you.
8. No matter how interesting or demanding your work, you need to______.
9. From the passage, it can be seen that the author's attitudes towards the
approach to dealing with modern-fatigue is______.
10. According to physicians' report, tiredness more probably results
from______.
答案：1. N 2. Y 3. NG 4. N 5. Y 6. N 7. N 8. take breaks 9. positive 10.
under-exertion |
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发表于 2016-12-4 13:33:02